By Srimaan Gurusamy, MBA Class of 2017

I am an international student who came to the Smeal College of Business to explore new opportunities and get a broader view of the world. When I entered the MBA world, I got introduced to a new term. This term resounded in conversations with almost everyone I met. It seemed to be the predominant buzz word and I realized that it is very important for anyone who wants to pursue an MBA in the United States or elsewhere. And all this build up is for the word “NETWORKING.”

If I say that I came to know about networking only after I reached U.S.A., it would not be fair on my part. But the extent to which networking is emphasized and the context in which it is applied are very different from my previous understanding of networking.

So what is networking? Does it mean to talk with more people in a professional circle? Is networking done to get jobs? Does it mean to be active in LinkedIn and to have a lot of connections? Though there are different angles to networking, I can offer a few pointers based on how I interpret it.

Networking is creating meaningful relationships. When one tries to connect with someone in an MBA context, generally it would be for securing an internship or a job. During such interactions, one should have genuine interest and should have done some amount of prior preparation. There is so much information available in the internet today than ever before, so it is possible to gather a lot of information about the role or company before meeting a recruiter. When you do the research, you will stumble upon questions. These questions when asked during networking will have a better impact than just to simply ask ‘Tell me about your company’ or say ‘I love this role and I want to be part of your organization’. Your questions should convey to the employer that you are really interested in the company and this will enable you to have an engaging conversation. Time is of essence, especially in an MBA program, when a myriad of activities are in front of you each screaming its own deadline. So it is up to the individual to prioritize and do some company research to have a fruitful conversation.

Another aspect that I would like to touch upon is that networking should not be viewed as just a transaction. One should understand that the person with whom you are talking to is not just a recruiter but also a human being. It should not be just a ‘question and answer session’ and it should be more of a conversation. It is good to get information but that alone should not be the focus of the conversation. One should actively contribute during the conversation rather than just getting inputs from the other person, as it makes the conversation more lively and meaningful. Once the conversation is over, it is also important to build that relationship. One simple way of doing this is to stay in touch with the person and share your experiences to develop a connection with the person.

To conclude, I truly believe that professional relationships will last longer and will be meaningful when one thinks about them beyond just a job.