Building a Global Network While Pursuing an MBA

Building a global network is critical for MBA students who want to launch their professional careers and intend to grow in their post-MBA careers. Networking creates and unlocks new opportunities, enlightens the mind, and develops everlasting professional friendships.

The following is a checklist by our expert MBA admission consultant for MBA students that will help them expand and effectively leverage their professional networks.

Leverage Your Program’s Resources

• Utilise Alumni Networks

The alum network is a critical strength and a significant asset of MBA programs. MBA students must proactively contact alums through official means, such as LinkedIn or during alum events. An alumnus offers career advice, training, and possible job openings within the network.

Pro Tip: If you are establishing a conversation with the alums, be specific about what you want to get out of it. Whether your message is about helpful tips for a particular sector, information about a specific enterprise, or guidance on employment, being expressive will increase its impact.

• Attend School Events

Attend events at your school, such as guest speakers, workshops, and networks. These events involve interactions with professionals working in specific industries and students.

Pro Tip: Develop possible questions in advance that speakers and panelists might ask. Interacting with them during these sessions creates an impactful impression and helps distinguish them from others.

• Engage with Professors

Your professors are not only teachers who teach you but also professionals with massive connections. Approach them after office hours or classes to ask them for guidance and referrals.

Pro Tip: Continue the discussion during the class by email to schedule a further discussion of the issues stated during the class. Professors are happy to help those students who act proactively and spontaneously demonstrate interest.

Embrace Social Media

• Optimise LinkedIn Profile

Nowadays, LinkedIn can be considered an essential tool for professional interaction. Ensure your social profile is realistic and presents the potential employee’s skills, experience, and goals. However, to climb the list, people should post regularly, share articles, and reply to/like other people’s posts.

Pro Tip: Filter searches from the LinkedIn site by selecting the schools you attended by utilizing the site’s feature of “Alumni.” Use emails and other forms of communication to try and stabilize a relationship.

• Join Professional Groups

Use LinkedIn and other social networks to connect to groups related to your business or areas of interest. Engage in forums on topics of interest to communicate with other professionals.

Pro Tip: Never be a mere observer. Begin conversations, reveal knowledge, and contribute to others. This active participation will help you stand out.

• Use Twitter and Other Platforms

Engage with an active account on a social network like Twitter (X) by connecting with industry celebrities, sharing relevant posts, and contributing to thought-provoking discussions. This can help you stay current or promote yourself to the global market.

Pro Tip: Use hashtags wisely to increase traffic to your post so that professionals from related fields can view it.

Attend Industry Conferences and Events

• Local and International Conferences

Conferences, seminars, fairs, and exhibitions—both domestic and international—are ideal venues for interacting with professionals, employers, and students worldwide.

Pro Tip: Meet other people purposely at these events. If there are specific people you would like to engage with, gather sufficient background information to engage them intellectually.

• Virtual Events

Geographical restraints have disappeared, and virtual events are today’s norms. Join webinars, workshops, and conferences to build your network online.

Pro Tip: Participate in conversation as an active agent in the chat rooms and the discussion forums of virtual events. Such platforms help to realize the possibility of meeting the speakers and other attendees of the event.

Engage in Collaborative Projects

• Study Groups and Team Projects

Students should actively participate in group sessions and team projects during an MBA course. These collaborative efforts are important for nurturing engrossing relationships with peers who may eventually become market leaders.

Pro Tip: Lead in group assignments to show recruiters you have what it takes and get closer to your teammates.

• International Case Competitions

This ensures that the School of Business admits students who can compete in international-level case competitions. These events enable you to work with students from other countries, which expands your horizons and connections.

Pro Tip: Employ these tournaments to exhibit your solution-finding abilities and network with participants from other diverse backgrounds.

Learn a New Language

• Language Courses

Successful learning enables individuals to venture into new frontiers or regions they never would have imagined accessing. Sign up for formal language classes at your school or those available online, such as Duolingo or other platforms.

Pro Tip: Try to communicate more in the new language with native speakers of the country, as this will help you become fluent in the language and culture of that country.

• Language Exchange Programs

Get to know people through formal language exchange programs that allow you to converse with native speakers. This will enhance your language skills and enable you to develop friendships with people from other parts of the world.

Pro Tip: Join language exchange meetings and groups or other language practice groups to practice and expand your contacts.

Be Proactive and Follow Up

• Initial Outreach

While connecting with a stranger, the individual should know what he wants from the other person from his network and how they can be helpful to the other person. Make your communication or messages more personal to show your interest.

Pro Tip: When leaving a message on the recipient’s email, referring to professional connections or similar interests in the initial communication is helpful.

• Consistent Follow-Up

It is recommended to send a follow-up message of ‘thank you’ after speaking with someone at an event or while chatting online. You can occasionally reach out to them by forwarding articles that may interest them, celebrating the milestones and achievements of the lapsed employees, or asking how they are doing.

Pro Tip: Organise the follow-ups and connections in a networking tracker or CRM that can help you keep track. This way, you will always be able to locate them as you wish, reducing the chances of having any valuable contact and neglecting to slip the cracks.

Volunteer and Join Professional Organizations

• Volunteer Work

Giving time to organizations or events you believe in can help you meet people who feel the same way. This can lead to relevant professional interactions. 

Pro Tip: Volunteer in areas related to your field of work to increase your chances of getting a job. This will allow you to gain valuable experience in the respective field while expanding your network.

• Professional Organizations

One of the recommendations is to become a member of some professional organizations that connect people in the same field. Go to their events, work in committees, and write for their journals to lead people to know you.

Pro Tip: Get selected to be at the leadership juncture of these organizations.

Stay Informed and Relevant

• Continuous Learning

Subscribing to trade journals, attending online seminars, and participating in other training activities will familiarise one with changes in the national and international markets. Information turns one into a vital link and ensures that one is constantly valuable for one’s work.

Pro Tip: Use ideas and knowledge acquired when using the platforms to post on social media or during official dinners and meetings as a professional.

• Blogging and Content Creation

Writing a blog or articles for industry publications could go a long way toward building a strong reputation for the newcomer. Communicating your knowledge and experiences can attract similar professionals who can also vouch for your expertise.

Pro Tip: The given content should be popularised using SEO techniques. This involves using keywords and appropriate header lines and sharing your post on social sites.

Conclusion

Creating a network is not a one-day affair, especially when one is an MBA student. Hence, the common takeaways from the practices include participating in Social Networks, attending events, participating in joint projects, studying new languages, being active and proactive, and becoming a member of professional organizations. For more help, you can consult the MBA admission consultant at the MBA Edge. 

Start today and build your global network!