What is the Best Way to Network as an Intern?

Being an intern is a great life opportunity!

You gain valuable experience as you’re immersed in the real world and involved with actual business being done. It’s also a great time to forge and develop your professional networks. And you should take advantage of it!

What is the best way to network and create lasting connections as an intern at a company?

Here’s how to approach forming associations during an internship that will hopefully lead to long-term successful relationships throughout your career.

Set Networking Goals

Make an effort and set goals to get to know people within the organization. Be sure you’re in the right networking mindset when building relationships. It is true that you get out of it what you put into it.

Think about what is the best possible outcome you can hope to achieve by building these connections during your internship? Some of your objectives should be to:

• Establish rapport
• Learn from them
• Discover people they may suggest you connect with
• Determine what value you can offer them — it’s all about reciprocity!

During your internship, you most likely will interact and collaborate with many different people. This includes other interns at the company. Set goals to connect with them on LinkedIn. This helps you keep in touch as you move along your career journey.

To help you establish these relationships you should download our free Guide to Connecting on LinkedIn. You will learn the right way to send an invitation along with different ways to enhance your LinkedIn profile.

Be Proactive in Relationship-Building

Now that you have an idea of your objectives, be proactive and reach out to set up one-on-ones. It could be a quick chat over the phone or a Zoom call, but a longer meeting would be ideal if possible.

Most employees are going to admire your zest, curiosity, and energy because they’ll realize they were once in your shoes — so go for it! What’s the worst that can happen?

When it’s time to meet, arm yourself with questions such as:

• What career path did they take to get to where they are?
• What business steps would they take again, or avoid, in the future?
• How do they feel about the direction of the industry they’re in?
• What overall advice could they provide to you given your situation?

Don’t view the relationship you’re building as transactional. Healthy networks consist of connections that are mutually beneficial. Take the time to learn more about those you’re working with to determine how valuable you may be to them. And offer the chance for them to learn about you, too.

After the meeting, follow up with a note thanking them for their insights and specific advice they offered. Reiterate what was talked about and any next steps there might be. This helps you stand out and shows you were present during the conversation.

Bringing a relationship to the next level makes a difference. People will be more supportive or influential if they get to know, like, and trust you. And this takes time and effort! But is well worth it.

Keep Learning About Networking

We offer the esteemed NetWorkWise Certification that is highly valuable to an intern just embarking on a professional career. This program will educate and certify you in the fundamentals of relationship-building to help you create robust networks and increase your spheres of influence.

Learn to craft your elevator pitch, how to make small talk, networking habits you need to incorporate, and much more in this comprehensive program that brings your relationship-building skills — and your career — to the next level. Enroll in our program and get NetWorkWise Certified!

Being an intern is a valuable opportunity and something to take advantage of. It offers the chance to enhance your skills and experience along with the potential to build your professional networks.

Follow this advice when developing relationships during your internship and you are on your way to establishing long-term and lasting connections!

See original post on Quora.