Many young professionals are repeatedly told how important networking is for their own career.

But what should one consider for a functioning professional network?

First of all, it is important to clarify what networking actually means. Networking describes the establishment and maintenance of personal and professional contacts. The focus of networking is the exchange of knowledge, mutual help and professional advantage. A good professional network can help you when you are looking for partners for joint projects and cooperations. But vitamin B can also be an advantage when looking for a job. The network should be created before you need it, because building a network takes time and patience. A network usually grows only slowly and social contacts must be maintained continuously. With a profile on Xing or LinkedIn, you can start networking early, during your studies. This way, you can start networking with fellow students, work colleagues from student jobs or internships, or contacts from job fairs.

In addition to online networking, you can also make good professional contacts offline. Networking events, such as career fairs, are particularly suitable for establishing personal contacts. However, you should always prepare a bit for such events. On the one hand, you should prepare a few sentences with which you can briefly describe your own career. On the other hand, it can also help to prepare a few small talk topics. Common interests (for example, soccer or another hobby) can always be a good basis for conversation. What can also be helpful is to find out in advance who will also be attending the event. That way, you can think about who you want to talk to and come up with some more specific questions.

But who are the right contacts for your own network?

Instead of quantity, you should focus on quality. You shouldn't randomly add contacts to your network, but ask yourself what the right contacts are. The question of a good contact can be answered individually for everyone, as it always depends on one's own career goals, plans and paths. In principle, it can be recommended to include people in your network who either have similar goals as you or who are where you want to go. Just as important as establishing contacts is maintaining them. You should not only focus on making new contacts, but also on maintaining existing contacts. Networking only makes sense if everyone stays actively involved. This can be done virtually as well as with face-to-face meetings. Maintaining contacts means taking and giving. Only if you give support to others can you receive it yourself.

A good opportunity for networking is offered by our events, where students and companies can get to know each other in a pleasant atmosphere. These events, compared to larger job fairs, offer the advantage that they take place in a smaller, personal setting, allowing students and companies to meet at eye level.