Networking Now Pays Later: Preparing Your Child for the Post-Grad World
Posted 08 Feb, 2010
In a time when boomerang children seem almost a must-have trend, and parents are more and more often footing rent and cell phone bills for their post-college children, it has become more important than ever to help our children prepare for life in “the real world.” After all, it will not only save you money (who wants to pay for their 27-year-old to go on a date?), but also help your child feel more secure and accomplished after graduation day.
Learning to Network
Networking can be an invaluable skill in preparing for the post-college years, and your child can start with simple steps right now. Having a team of experienced, respected people behind him or her can help open doors to graduate schools and career opportunities, as well as provide a handful of people who may be willing to write letters of recommendation, submit character references, and otherwise pull strings to help your student achieve his or her dreams.
Here are a few ways to get started:
- Office Hours. Many students tend to overlook these few dedicated hours each week in which their professors are available in a one-on-one or small-group setting. Even if your child is not struggling in a class, the face-time of these can be hugely helpful. Students should try to make a habit of visiting office hours with professors they like and respect.
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- Internships. College career centers are a great place to look into opportunities interning in a field of interest, and students should consider this for two important reasons. First, interning will give your child a taste of their potential career so they can see how they might feel about it as a 40-hour-per-week job. Second, it can help them begin making connections in their field that could lead to job opportunities after college.
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- Academic Counseling. Too few students take advantage of the academic counseling provided by their colleges. Sessions with a counselor can help a struggling student improve, and a strong student move forward more quickly–perhaps choosing a double major or graduating early. Counselors not only have a strong sense of how their college’s system works, but they can also provide students help and direction in preparing for graduate or medical school applications, or in finding opportunities to have real world experiences, such as study-abroad schooling.
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- Personal Connections. School is a great place to start, but students shouldn’t stop there in their networking endeavors. If your child has a specific field of study in mind, encourage him or her to search out connections through non-academic sources such as service clubs, church groups, or even family friends.
Remembering Etiquette
Once your student has chosen some ways to build his or her network, help him or her build a good reputation with his or her new friends and connections. Here are a few helpful tips to get you started:
- Respect Schedules. When setting up an appointment or asking for a favor (like a letter of recommendation) allow plenty of time in advance to allow for busy schedules. Asking someone to write a character reference in only a day’s time will not only look irresponsible but also most likely be answered with a “No.”
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- Please and Thank You. Emily Post didn’t get her good reputation for no reason–people respond to politeness and etiquette. That means a healthy display of gratitude can get your student far. Remind him or her to always send a thank you note (on paper, not just an email) to people who have helped them along their way, either by introducing them to someone, helping them find a job, or even simply writing them a letter of reference.
All the best,
Deborah Fox
Deborah Fox is the founder of Fox College Funding®, a nationwide company that helps families find creative ways to reduce their college costs.
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In a time when boomerang children seem almost a must-have trend, and parents are more and more often footing rent and cell phone bills for their post-college children, it has become more important than ever to help our children prepare for life in “the real world.” After all, it will not only save you money (who wants to pay for their 27-year-old to go on a date?), but also help your child feel more secure and accomplished after graduation day.
Learning to Network
Networking can be an invaluable skill in preparing for the post-college years, and your child can start with simple steps right now. Having a team of experienced, respected people behind him or her can help open doors to graduate schools and career opportunities, as well as provide a handful of people who may be willing to write letters of recommendation, submit character references, and otherwise pull strings to help your student achieve his or her dreams.
Here are a few ways to get started:
- Office Hours. Many students tend to overlook these few dedicated hours each week in which their professors are available in a one-on-one or small-group setting. Even if your child is not struggling in a class, the face-time of these can be hugely helpful. Students should try to make a habit of visiting office hours with professors they like and respect.
.
- Internships. College career centers are a great place to look into opportunities interning in a field of interest, and students should consider this for two important reasons. First, interning will give your child a taste of their potential career so they can see how they might feel about it as a 40-hour-per-week job. Second, it can help them begin making connections in their field that could lead to job opportunities after college.
.
- Academic Counseling. Too few students take advantage of the academic counseling provided by their colleges. Sessions with a counselor can help a struggling student improve, and a strong student move forward more quickly–perhaps choosing a double major or graduating early. Counselors not only have a strong sense of how their college’s system works, but they can also provide students help and direction in preparing for graduate or medical school applications, or in finding opportunities to have real world experiences, such as study-abroad schooling.
.
- Personal Connections. School is a great place to start, but students shouldn’t stop there in their networking endeavors. If your child has a specific field of study in mind, encourage him or her to search out connections through non-academic sources such as service clubs, church groups, or even family friends.
Remembering Etiquette
Once your student has chosen some ways to build his or her network, help him or her build a good reputation with his or her new friends and connections. Here are a few helpful tips to get you started:
- Respect Schedules. When setting up an appointment or asking for a favor (like a letter of recommendation) allow plenty of time in advance to allow for busy schedules. Asking someone to write a character reference in only a day’s time will not only look irresponsible but also most likely be answered with a “No.”
.
- Please and Thank You. Emily Post didn’t get her good reputation for no reason–people respond to politeness and etiquette. That means a healthy display of gratitude can get your student far. Remind him or her to always send a thank you note (on paper, not just an email) to people who have helped them along their way, either by introducing them to someone, helping them find a job, or even simply writing them a letter of reference.
All the best,
Deborah Fox
Deborah Fox is the founder of Fox College Funding®, a nationwide company that helps families find creative ways to reduce their college costs.
Subscribe in a reader
Subscribe by Email
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