Event networking tips for students in 2023
Networking as a student can be both exciting and daunting, especially if you’re attending a networking event for the first time.
Fortunately, there’s lots you can do to prepare and put your best foot forward. We’ll run through some useful event networking tips for students in this post, covering things you can do before, during and after the event.
Networking tips for students: before the event
Do your research
One of the best ways to excel at event networking is to do your research ahead of the event.
By setting aside a short amount of time to read up on the sponsors, attendees and speakers, you can turn up to the event with a strong understanding of:
Who you’re most interested in talking to
What they do (career and passion projects!)
The industry they work in
Which questions to ask
This is a huge advantage because it means you can avoid scrambling for questions and conversation starters when you end up in front of these people. This makes for more engaging and better-informed conversations, too.
2. Know what you want
It’s also useful to know what you actually want to gain from the event before you get there. This can be as broad or specific as you like, but it helps you to prepare accordingly.
Do you want to meet like-minded students and make friends? Do you want to talk to leading employers about the opportunities they offer? Do you want to hear from successful people on overcoming adversity? Do you want to walk away from the day feeling inspired?
Maybe it’s all of the above. Whatever it is you want to take away from the event, try to set yourself some goals based on this.
3. Create a LinkedIn profile
If you haven’t already, you should also set up a LinkedIn profile ahead of the event you’re attending.
This is one of the best networking tips for students because it makes it easier for your new connections to keep in touch with you after the event has finished. It’s also much more memorable and professional than giving out your student email address.
One of the best things about connecting with people on LinkedIn is that you can network at your own pace. There’s no need to message professionals with a hard-sell immediately after the event. Instead, you can engage with their content for months and even years to come.
We understand that setting up a LinkedIn profile as a student can be intimidating, though. To support you through the process check out this brief guide to LinkedIn for students.
Networking tips for students: on the day
4. Work the room
When it comes to event networking, it can be tempting to stick to the corner of the room and keep to the circle of other students you met when you first turned up, or the ones you arrived with. Even the most seasoned networkers have been there. And it’s completely fine if you do.
But if you’re feeling confident enough, it’s worth working the room and reaching out to individuals you haven’t met yet. While the thought of sparking conversation with a stranger can be intimidating, you’ll only get better (and more confident) every time you do it.
Networking events are actually the perfect opportunity to get this practice in because you’ll be surrounded by students in the same boat.
5. Introduce yourself
If you want employers and professionals to walk away from a conversation knowing who you are, you have to tell them first.
Before you start engaging in conversation, it’s worth starting with a brief introduction about yourself. This can be as simple as:
“Hi, I’m [insert name], I’m studying [insert course] at [insert university]. It’s lovely to meet you.”
If you know who the individual you’re networking with is and can personalise this intro, even better. If you’re networking with a speaker, you could say:
“Hi, I’m [insert name]. I’m studying at [insert university] and I really enjoyed your talk about [insert topic]. I’d love to know more about [insert area of interest].”
6. Bring your most authentic self
When you’re networking, make sure you’re introducing your most authentic self. Let your background, experiences and aspirations shine through.
There’s always the temptation to conform when you’re in a group of ambitious, highly motivated individuals. But it’s tiring trying to be someone you’re not, and being yourself will actually make you more memorable.
7. Show engagement
When you’re chatting to professionals and other students, it’s important to show that you’re actually engaged with what they’re saying. This is called active listening, and it’s the difference between hearing what someone’s saying and trying to understand it. There are a few ways that you can demonstrate active listening.
For example, you can maintain eye contact with the person you’re talking to and signal to them that you’re understanding what they’re saying through social cues, like nodding. You can also ask questions to follow up on interesting things they’ve said.
The body language you use in conversation matters too. Check out this great Ted Talk by Amy Cuddy about body language and why it matters.
8. Stop thinking of networking as a competition
One of the biggest mistakes that students can make is viewing networking as a competition.
I’ve personally been to networking events where it felt like people were competing to say the most and were pushing other students out of conversations as a result. This is actually a red flag to employers.
Knowing how much to speak and when to speak is a skill in the context of networking. It’s the difference between being engaged and being perceived as rude.
The best way to approach this is to understand that there’s enough networking to go round, and you can actually learn a lot from listening to and engaging with other students. Don’t cut them out of conversations, bring them in!
Networking tips for students: after the event
9. Move your networking online
Networking doesn’t have to end when the event does. You can continue to engage with the people you’ve met beyond the event, too.
You can do this by connecting with them on LinkedIn, interacting with their posts and even messaging them privately if they’ve given you their contact details.
By continuing your networking online you can build lasting connections with other students and professionals. You can keep learning from them by following their posts, too.
10. Find more networking opportunities
Practice makes perfect when it comes to networking. The only way to build your confidence is to put yourself out there and keep meeting new people.
At The 93% Club, we give you the opportunity to do just that. Our members can network with a diverse community of 10,000+ members both in-person and online.
To keep in the loop about upcoming events, join the the club today.
