Networking for Pre-Health Students: Building Connections in the Healthcare Field

When you hear the word “networking,” what is the first thought or emotion that pops into your head? Does the word make you scared or anxious? Do you feel lost as to where to start with networking?

Networking can often feel like an ambiguous and intimidating idea for college students, so this blog is meant to demystify common misconceptions about networking and to help you feel prepared to go out in the world and meet new people!

What is Networking?

To explain what networking is, it is also helpful to explain what networking is not. The purpose of networking is NOT to meet people with the sole objective of getting something from them. Instead, networking is meant to spend time getting to know others and making genuine, mutually beneficial connections. In the words of Teresa Parks, Assistant Director at the KSU Career Center, you don’t want to “get so focused on the objective that you forget [about the process].”

When approached in a genuine way over time, networking can have many benefits, such as: gaining connections to lean on in the future for advice and mentorship, opening up future options for job, shadowing, and volunteer opportunities, and the potential for future letters of recommendation. However, these opportunities usually don't present themselves immediately in a networking relationship—it often takes time.

You may be wondering how to approach networking in a genuine way. Here are a few tips:

1. Be professional, but be yourself too! Let your personality shine through (as appropriate).
2. Ask open-ended questions to open up meaningful dialogue, and ask follow-up questions rather than just listening to respond.
3. Show interest in the person you are talking to. When people enjoy their job, they usually also enjoy talking about their job. Ask them thoughtful questions about the work they do!
4. Practice your elevator speech. When you are in a more formal networking setting, such as a networking event, it can be helpful to practice a brief 30-second introduction ahead of time. In that introduction, you could include your name, year in school, major, career of interest, why you are pursuing that career, significant work/volunteer/leadership experiences, and/or any other information you feel is important for people to know about you.

Chloe Edger, Assistant Director at the KSU Career Center, describes networking as, “leveraging your “why” to build connections and get noticed.”

As you engage in networking conversations, we encourage you to reflect on why you are pursuing healthcare as a profession. If you have a compelling reason for pursuing a health career, it can create engaging back-and-forth dialogue in a networking situation, which can lead to building genuine connections and getting noticed.

Where Do I Find People to Network With?

Start with where you are! Don’t turn networking into rocket science.

If you talk with the people above about your career goals and aspirations, then those people you already know may introduce you to people they know. That’s networking!

In addition, there are many events and organizations at KSU to help you network:

• Health Networking Night – Hosted by the College of Health & Human Sciences and College of Arts & Sciences, this networking night gives you the opportunity to meet healthcare professionals in the Manhattan area and learn about shadowing, volunteering, and job opportunities. [Tuesday, September 10th, 2024 from 5:30-7:00pm in KSU Union Ballroom]

• Professional and Graduate School Fair – Network with professional school admissions representatives in health, law, and more! [Wednesday, November 6th, 2024 from 11:00am-3:00pm at Union Courtyard and 1st Floor]

• Pre-Health Clubs and Organizations – Every Pre-Health designation has a student-run club associated with it, where you can meet other students who are pursuing a similar career path. Peers can help you become aware of opportunities in your area, and as you mutually progress in your careers, can be a great resource to lean on for friendship and support. These clubs often invite professional schools to attend their meetings, and sometimes do volunteer work together.

• Health Mock Interviews – Hosted every fall and spring semester, this event gives you the opportunity to practice interviewing with local healthcare practitioners and receive feedback. [Thursday, October 24th, 2024 from 5:00-8:00pm at Berney Family Welcome Center]

• College of Arts & Sciences and College of Health & Human Sciences Mentorship Programs – Both of these colleges offer students the opportunity to sign up to be paired with a professional mentor in their career field of interest.

If you tend to get nervous at networking events, Chloe Edger recommends bringing a non-disruptive fidget item with you to help redirect some of your nervous energy. You can even say, “I am excited to see you today, and I am a little nervous. I have this fidget toy with me, but let me know if it gets distracting.”

We know that networking can feel intimidating. Remember that as a student and future professional, you are always a work in progress, and that is a good thing! You do not have to have your life figured out to network successfully—the purpose of networking is to learn and grow, after all.

Teresa Parks recommends that you “Find balance with being confident about your skills and knowing what your value is.”

No matter your age or experience level, you can network successfully!

 

**Special thanks to Chloe Edger and Teresa Parks, Assistant Directors at the Career Center, for contributing to this blog.