Hey Y’all,
Welcome back to “Aminas Fli Experience”
In this post I want to talk about making connections and keeping connections. College is the gateway to your career, not only because of the education you are receiving, but also because of the potential contacts you can make. I cannot stress this enough!
We will almost never be in this exact position again: going to school and sharing spaces with people from quite literally all around the world and in all walks of life.
I get it — networking is hard, it can be time-consuming, downright awkward on occasion, and depending on your personality, incredibly draining. But…. imma keep it real with y’all, personal connections and opportunities are everything. Everybody knows that. Hence the saying,
“It’s not what you know, but who you know.”
Networking isn’t merely the exchange of information with others, it’s about establishing and nurturing long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with the people you meet, whether you’re talking in the dining hall, participating in a club sport, or attending a conference.
As you build up your network, you’ll find that your connections are rooting for you. Typically, they won’t mind helping you because they’ve probably been where you are right now. So, if you’re looking for career guidance, industry insight, or internship leads, someone in your network can help you out.
Now that we’ve established the importance of networking I wanna share with you guys two easy to use, college friendly networking sites.
I don’t know about you guys but It’s incredibly difficult for me to forge meaningful relationships on Linked-In. The problem with LinkedIn is that while it advertises itself as a social/professional network, it clearly lacks the ‘social’ function.
That’s where Mawrter Connect and Elivade come in!
Mawrter Connect
Mawrter Connect is a Bryn Mawr specific networking platform for students and Alumni. Mawrter connect is easy to access and navigate and it works by recommending networking connections based on your profile information. Using filters you can search for alumni in specific industries, with specific backgrounds or geographic locations.
Once you create an account, you will be taken to the explore page where you can take a deep-dive into the vast alum network Bryn Mawr has to offer. A variety of search filters are at the top of the screen. In the search bar, you can enter a keyword such as a company or a job title. This is helpful if you have a specific query. You also have a variety of additional filters to help you connect with alums most relevant to your interests. Location, industry, and major are common searches to conduct and can be easily accessed along the main search bar.
Under More Filters, you’ll find other ways to explore the Mawrter Connect community. One of my favorite filters is Help Topics. Do you want to connect with someone who can offer advice about networking strategies? There’s a filter for that—and many others! Help Topics allows you to select what kind of assistance you’d like and shows you alums who have indicated they have expertise in that area.
Elivade
Mawrter connect has actually just announced its partnership with Elivade. Elivade is a career community for people of color, It’s mission is to connect students with professionals who are excited to mentor and support the next generation of diverse leaders.
Elivade partnered with affinity organizations at Harvard, Wharton, NYU, Georgetown, and has Campus Ambassadors at 20+ additional schools.
Through the Elivade community, you can find mentors at top companies, access career opportunities, and have authentic discussions about their career. This new opportunity will allow POC students to expand their professional networks beyond their current circles and will consequently enable employers to engage and hire diverse talent at scale.
The strength of our community lies in the inherent intersectional nature of our first-gen identity. Every one of us has a unique story and experience to share and to inspire. We must create a space where every member can bring their whole self to celebrate and embrace being first.
Make an account by clicking the link below and expand your network!
Wonderful short article! Incredibly instructive and very well prepared. You lined The subject in great depth and delivered fantastic examples to back again up your points. This article will be an excellent source for the people hunting to learn more about the subject matter. Many thanks for The good operate!