The education you receive in business school is important, but the network you build before and while in B-school will also pay dividends down the road.
Networking helps you gain valuable insights into programs of interest, opens doors to internships and job opportunities, and helps you build relationships that advance your career. Your connections can also make the difference if you’re on the edge of acceptance at a particular school and you’ve made an impression there.
“If a program is deciding between two equally strong people, then sometimes the tiebreaker could be the applicant who has a network with the most overlap with the school’s population,” says Natasha Gore, an MBA adviser and former admissions officer at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business in North Carolina.
Networking to Get Into Business School
Whether networking for acceptance to business school or for a career, you’ll tap into the same skills, including your social media savvy, showing up to events, people skills and staying in touch over time. Here’s what to pay attention to before you apply.
Join Campus Social Media
Following different channels for your target MBA programs offers insight into programs and helps you connect with peers and faculty at the school. Follow business schools’ traditional social media accounts such as Instagram and Facebook, but also subscribe to their YouTube channels and any podcasts available, says Sharron Vogler, director of alumni and MBA career development at Wake Forest University School of Business in North Carolina.
Wake Forest’s business school produces a podcast called “The Glass Canvas” that focuses on how sustainability, innovation and technology are reshaping business and business education.
“A podcast can be a great way to learn more about a particular subject,” Vogler says.
Participating with a school’s social media can also demonstrate your interest and strengthen your candidacy.
[READ: 7 Ways to Stand Out When Applying to Business School]
Show up for Events
As a prospective MBA applicant, it’s crucial to attend in-person and virtual business-related events, experts say. These could be multischool events hosted by affinity groups, a campus admissions event or a particular club’s event.
“Networking with current students and alumni is critical, but these events are also a great vibe check that give you insight into the program’s culture,” Gore says.
Connect With Alumni and Current Students
Besides providing a vibe check, a program’s students and alumni can serve as important bridges to a program if you connect in a genuine way. Introduce yourself to students and faculty at events, but also ask the admissions office to connect you to students or alumni in your field of interest.
Talking to a variety of people can help you determine if the program will meet your career goals. These conversations will also help people remember you, especially if you get together in person, says Robert Savoie, dean of Loyola University New Orleans’ College of Business in Louisiana.
Start Building Community Before You Arrive
Meeting people ahead of acceptance to a program helps you after you’re enrolled. Besides personalizing the program for you and making the experience more fun, knowing people helps you expand your contacts, experts say.
“Getting to know other students and professors and the associate dean or the dean will help you get a lot more out of your MBA,” Savoie says. “Once you graduate, your network will open doors.”
[Related:How to Convince MBA Programs You’re a Good Fit]
Building a Network While in B-School
While you’re in business school, it’s important to continue broadening your network in the direction you intend to go after graduation, whether that’s finance, entrepreneurship, management or something else. Here’s how.
Keep Attending Events
Showing up consistently builds your personal connections, not only in your program but also across programs.
“While you’re in school, showing up to events helps you build capital — personal and networking capital,” Vogler says. “Start building those relationships with your faculty, staff, and even students in other programs. That’s only going to pay dividends down the road.”
Take the Long View With Connections
Be open-minded when you meet someone because you never know where a connection might lead two, five or 10 years down the road, Gore says. “Assume any new connection is going to be helpful to a professional relationship in the future.”
Savoie recalls a college friend from his undergraduate years who, years later, helped make a connection with a businessperson whose personal assistant wasn’t returning Savoie’s calls.
“He knew the individual and was able to introduce me,” Savoie says of the right-person, right-time moment.
Join or Create Informal Events
Even if you’re busy with your own life outside school, getting to know your classmates through informal settings makes your program more enjoyable and builds bonds. Join study groups, attend potluck events put on by colleagues — or host one yourself — or participate in a weekend outing like a hike.
“Social interaction that has nothing to do with the structure of the program is valuable,” Vogler says.
[READ: 7 Deadly Sins of Business School Applicants]
Maximize LinkedIn and Campus Databases
LinkedIn allows you to follow people and schools you’re interested in, as well as connect with people who may work in your field of interest or be linked to someone you know.
“I also recommend joining LinkedIn interest groups, such as an early career finance group that’s open to interested people,” Gore says. “Engage with some of the posts, learn what’s happening in your area related to this particular career path and go network with those people.”
Most schools also maintain a database of their school members with associated contact information. Take advantage of the resources your school offers.
Ask for 15 Minutes
It’s good if you have a colleague or mentor who can make a personal introduction to someone in your field of interest, but don’t be afraid to reach out on your own by email, LinkedIn or phone. Ask if the person would be willing to chat for 15 minutes at their convenience — most people have 15 minutes, Vogler says.
“People like to mentor, especially business school alum and faculty, because they remember someone helping them along the way.”
Keep Networks Fresh
Staying in touch over time can lead to long-lasting friendships and new opportunities over the years, Savoie says. Nurturing these connections takes attention, but it’s worth it.
“If you stay in touch even just every six months or once a year, your connections are going to feel more inclined to help you out,” he says.
Building person-to-person relationships brings your more immediate MBA experience to life, but developing a larger network happens over time, experts say.
“You shouldn’t expect that you’ll have this robust network after 30 days of events and talking to people,” Gore says. “Slow and steady wins the race.”
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