Parents, we know you’re worried about your son or daughter’s career choice and whether or not they will be able to find a job with today’s economy. What I can tell you is that networking is what pays off with any major.

My plans for my freshman year of college were, at least in my mind, set in stone.  I wouldn’t miss a single class or deadline for an assignment.  I would impress the editors at The Daily Illini with my features articles.  And then for the summer I would return home to my crew member job at Jimmy John’s.  That last part of the plan wasn’t totally desirable, but it wasn’t like I would land an internship my freshman year or anything. But I was wrong — about all of it.  

Most surprising of all? I landed not one internship, but two. The great thing about this campus is that there are opportunities everywhere you turn.  Anyone who puts in the effort can find opportunities with an RSO, job or internship that will help further their career.  And the best way to find out about the best opportunities is through networking. If I could redo one thing about my freshman year, it would be to start networking much earlier. 

Here are some tips to help you get started:

Attend events and job fairs

You will get email after email from your academic adviser about this internship event or that job fair. At first, they may seem annoying but don’t ignore these.  For most of freshman year, I did.  But after going to the Intern Queen presentation at the Illini Union, I was inspired to start networking and determined to find an internship for myself.  Even if you don’t meet someone in your job field or come across an opportunity, these events can be an excellent way to keep you inspired just by seeing what others are doing and gaining more advice. You never know whom you’re going to meet or what you might learn. Every experience is valuable.  

Use your professors and advisers

Your professors and advisers are professionals who usually have experience within the field. And as University faculty members, they want to help you. Introduce yourself on the first day and tell them your career goals. Later, ask if they know anyone else in your field of interest that you can talk to or if they know of any available opportunities. Even if it’s a general class, at least introduce yourself to the professor. I landed my first internship after telling my journalism professor that I wanted to be a documentarian.  She gave me the contact information of her friend who works for the Big Ten Network and a couple of weeks later I was helping out as its employees were filming. You’re professors and advisers can point you in the direction of so many people, so use them as a resource.

Get to know others within your major

Your fellow students can be a resource as well. This can also be a great way to find out about opportunities. One of your peers may have heard of an internship that didn’t suit their goals, but suits yours.  I heard about a great internship opportunity from my video editor at The Daily Illini. I didn’t get it, but it was one more possible opportunity that opened up to me through networking. You never know when you might need something from somebody, and you never know where your fellow students might wind up when it comes to their careers.  It’s good to connect with fellow students for current purposes, but also for the future.

Go beyond your major 

Network with people outside of your major as well. That Intern Queen presentation I went to? I spoke to Ford executives and got their contact information. I have no desire to go into any business related field, but who knows when I might need to call these executives for a quote or something else in the future? Again, you never know who might be able to help you and when.  

Don’t expect anything

When networking, it’s important to remember that not every contact is going to get you somewhere. Some contacts you may meet might just be great to ask job advice. Make sure that it’s clear that you’re eager to learn about the field, not that you’re just internship hungry.  

Networking is one of the most valuable career skills you can learn.  As a freshman it will not only help you learn the skill faster, but you will also impress those you speak with. The most common thing I heard from others was that they wish they had started so earlier.  

Even if you’re not yet sure of the specific career you want, networking is a great way to figure it out.  The sooner, the better.

Karyna is a sophomore in Media. She can be reached at [email protected].