How networking at school can help your career.

So, I’m sitting in a coffee shop at noon on a Thursday, and I see many people with their ear buds in working feverously on their laptops. Some are moms hanging out with other moms. There are kids playing in the “kids” area. Some look like writers about to finish their first novel or screenplay.

Next to me is a guy who at first seems to be lounging around talking on his phone, but after sitting here for a bit, I realize, (because I’ve been eavesdropping) he is a freelance musician. He his calling all his connections, telling them that he is in town for a couple of weeks, and is available for work. Some calls are short and sweet, and others feel like he is catching up with old friends. But let us not be fooled, he is working… he’s networking! He is calling, emailing, reading the web, and invested in his day. What seemed like a harmless phone call has now turned into an obvious workday. By the end of these few hours, he seemed to have landed another gig. This got me thinking about how networking is such an integral part of what we do. It should start at school, and it usually does!

Here’s a good example of networking at school:

Mack and Justin are two students that I had the pleasure to meet while taking my class. They both had mutual friends at school and met each other few brief times while attending school. I’d say they were good acquaintances.

After graduation, Mack moved to New York City to pursue a career in music production and landed a gig assisting for Mix Engineer. Meanwhile, Justin moved to the West Coast and started looking for internship opportunities in Los Angeles.

About a year later, the mix engineer (from New York) decided to move his business to the West Coast, opening up a studio in Los Angeles. Mack was not available to move, leaving the engineer with a void in his production team. Knowing that you should always give back to your network when you can, Mack offered Justin’s contact info to the engineer and gave a recommendation for the job. The engineer understood that Mack’s reference was extremely valuable and decided to give Justin a call. Justin was in an internship at a studio here in L.A., but didn’t really feel the potential for it to go anywhere.

When Justin got the call from the engineer, he jumped at the chance, and was able to take advantage of this opportunity. Justin busted his butt to make the job into what it is today. And as time progressed, the engineer has come to rely on Justin. Hard work and determination was the catalyst for originally getting that recommendation, and also what made him successful afterwards. Justin has developed his career as an Audio Engineer with that same hard work and solid work ethic. Justin has been credited on albums and has worked on all sorts of other great projects.

This all came from two students who knew each other and seeing a great work ethic between the two. Justin is a professional who is very talented and was always destined to have a great career. He was not afraid to put himself out there, to get to know his classmates and let them see his talents and personality. Making such a good impression on Mack all those years ago ended up leading to this opportunity, and that was a result of great networking.

I personally think networking is a human instinct. We have to do it to survive on a very basic level, and the more you do it the more you have to do it, and you get better at it. It’s addictive.

Students should start now in school. Take a few minutes to talk to each other. If you don’t know someone, then introduce yourself. You can’t be shy! Tell people what you like to do, what are your passions, and why you like the work that you do. Always be professional, you never know where it will take you…

How to deepen your network:

ü  Join professional organizations. AES/Audio Engineer Society, Film Independent, AWN/Animation World Network, IGDA/International Game Developers Association - to name a few.

ü  Volunteer to work for events, or just go to them.

ü  Put yourself out there. No one will know who you are. They can’t help you if they don’t know what you want to do.

ü  Surround yourself with like-minded people. You are only as good as your weakest link.

ü  Read! Sign up for newsletters, Facebook, Twitter, RSS feeds, blogs, READ THE TRADES or at least their websites. Keep yourself current.

ü  Social networks, be careful what you post and how you act online. It can hurt you and you can also hurt yourself. Protect your online profile like you do your social security number. One gives an understanding of your credit and financial background; the other gives who you are as a person. Think about that! 

-The Career Coach