Expanding Your Network Abroad: 6 Effective Ways to Build Connections While Pursuing Higher Education –
Studying abroad can be a great adventure. People often focus too much on academics, but one of the main benefits of receiving an education in another country is getting the chance to increase your network. Whether you are nurturing work relationships or making friends, networking is important in building your career and growing as an individual. But how do you go about networking while studying abroad?
So here are six great ways that will help you network when studying in a foreign country:
- Use University Events and Other Social Events to Your Advantage
Throughout the academic year, schools hold events such as, career fairs, cultural nights and social events. Not only are these events a good way to mingle and meet new people, but they are also ideal to meet professors, alumni, or even professionals from the industry. You should try to attend as many of them as you can because you may never know who your new connection will be!
- Get Involved in Student Organizations or Clubs
Every other university will have an organization or a club that is run by students focusing on various things, and recreational, cultural, academic and professional interests would be just a few of them. You’ll be able to find communities working towards similar goals, grow your network, and understand how other professions work. It’s also a fantastic way to develop leadership skills, which can be an asset when networking with professionals.
- Employment-Oriented People: Do Not Ignore LinkedIn Presence
Today, networking through LinkedIn is of immense importance. It’s not only used for job searching but also it serves as a means to establish connections with other students, teachers and alumni. Make sure to keep changing your picture and some parts of the profile frequently, take part in relevant debates and hook people you come across at the university’s functions. During the course of your time at the university, you will be amazed at the doors you’ve already opened for yourself in the future.
- Regularly Visit Workshops, Conferences, and Other Events Related to the Industry of Your Interest
If you want to penetrate a certain industry, you can attend certain conferences, workshops and/or seminars. This way you not only get to know more about the field but also get to know fellow professionals and other important people in the field, who may be considered as future mentors. There are many such events offered by the universities and such activities can be obtained from professional societies as well.
- Take Full Advantage of Study Groups
Working with students on class’s group projects or assignments is an additional great angle to work on your relationships with your peers. Study groups also create forms of relationships and promote working together that helps to form stronger relationships outside the boundaries of the classroom. You will also have an opportunity to engage with your colleagues, in order to talk about some of the common learning or professional objectives, and this is quite helpful as well.
- Meet new people & part-time jobs
To meet new people while studying in a foreign country, a simple, yet active approach would be socializing. Register yourself for social activities, find new buddy pals, and be active in various fun activities. Every interaction is important, from a loose conversation with a ‘few seats away’ stranger at the cafeteria to class group discussions. The more you are willing to try jumping into the water and exploring, the more relationships and bonds you are likely to form. Such relations can have a deep imprint and help you during and even supersede your days abroad.
Another avenue for building new relationships is through doing part-time jobs. Along with working a bit in hand to earn some more money, working part-time exposes you to a wide variety of people, be it your fellow employees, employers, or various customers. Such transactions can help in gaining aspects of local culture and business. If doing work and studying are in good proportions and well managed, it would add so much flavor to your life and assist you in meeting a lot of professional contacts.
For further advice on how to manage your time effectively when traveling abroad and your entire trip, visit India’s 1st Hybrid Study Abroad Consultancy-Vision International’s Contact Us page.