Building Connections To Find Your Dream Job

Two weekends ago, Elon was flooded with alumni from varying lifestyles, industries and locations who were thrilled to relive some of their best college days. If you were out and about throughout the weekend, maybe you talked to some of them. Maybe you met someone who was involved in the same activities as you during their time at Elon, or maybe you even met someone who is out there living your dream life. No matter how many people you talked to, Homecoming weekend is a great reminder of how important it is to build connections and relationships with alumni and other individuals in the field you want to be in. But how exactly can we make those connections - and how do we maintain them? 

Elon hosted several events throughout Homecoming weekend for students to network with alumni, but these kinds of events aren’t limited to Homecoming weekend or the alumni themselves. There are many events throughout the year, and going to them to talk to people, even if you have no idea what you want to do with your life, can be extremely valuable. Professionals come to Elon because they want to inform and find passionate students to potentially hire someday, and networking with them could help you figure out what your dream job is. It may even help you get your foot in the door.

But building connections goes beyond just showing up. There are several things you can do to make yourself stand out and create lasting relationships that will help you in the future. The best thing you can do at these events is show how passionate you are about a certain line of work. If you come with specific questions and are knowledgeable on what the person you’re speaking to does, you immediately set yourself apart from everyone who is just coming to get information. It’s also crucial that you reach out afterwards and follow up if you make a great connection with someone. Even something as simple as shooting them an email or friending them on LinkedIn a few days later to show your interest can go a long way. 

These in person events are great, but life is also really busy and it isn’t always easy to find the time to come. Luckily, there are other ways to make connections that don’t involve speaking with someone in person. One of the best ways is LinkedIn. Connecting and communicating with people on LinkedIn with shared connections or interests can be a great way to find a job or get information on something you’re interested in. Using your professors as an outlet to connect with individuals can also be a great approach. If you’ve proved you’re a dedicated and focused student, they’ll likely go out of their way to connect you with people who can help you with your interests.

These are only a few tips to help you get your foot in the door with building relationships - It can make a difference between getting a job or not. So get out there, make some connections and get those dream jobs! We believe in you.