How to Network in an Online Program

Your college's career services office has one job: Helping students network and connect with employment opportunities. Career services can help online learners find internships in their local area, recommend employers who hire graduates from the program, and connect students with recent grads.

Career services offices can also make the job application process easier by maintaining placement files for students. These files contain everything applicants need, like a resume, official transcript, and even recommendation letters.

Many colleges with significant online programs offer specialized online student career services. Some academic departments also offer niche career support services. For example, many MBA programs have dedicated staff to help students prepare for the business world.

Professors do more than teach classes and assign grades. They can also be a great networking resource. Professors know about career paths in their field and can share tips on starting a career or going to graduate school. They're also a great source of recommendation letters when submitting applications.

How should online students connect with their professors? Start by attending virtual office hours to make a personal connection with your professor. Keep an eye out for online departmental events that professors might attend. And follow up with professors even after taking their classes, particularly for professors in your major.

Some students choose colleges based on their alumni networks. Powerful alumni networks can help recent grads get their feet in the door with employers. They can also offer helpful tips for transitioning from school into the workforce, since they made the same journey themselves.

Brick-and-mortar schools that offer online programs typically welcome all graduates, regardless of learning format, into the alumni association. That means distance learners can connect with alumni from both online program and in-person programs. Note that alumni associations often have membership fees.

Online students can link up with alumni by attending virtual events and contacting the association directly. Many alumni associations offer discounts for recent grads, so the investment can pay off in other ways, too.

We've all heard horror stories of the many ways to lose a job because of social media — but done right, social media can be a great networking tool.

Online learners should regularly update their LinkedIn profile with info from their program, news about their internship, and successful projects. Use LinkedIn to network with people in your field; reach out to people who have jobs that interest you and offer to buy them coffee in exchange for their insights.

Future job hunters can also think broader than LinkedIn. If you're in a field like public relations, business, or even tech, developing a professional brand on sites like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook can make a difference.

Connecting with professionals on any social media site can pay off down the line — but make sure to tread carefully when it comes to posting potentially unprofessional content.

College students might think of cocktail napkins and conference rooms when they picture a campus networking event, but today, more and more networking events are taking place online. An online event is a great way to meet a variety of people and find connections relevant to your career aspirations.

Start by looking for virtual events hosted by your college or department. The alumni association, career services office, and other student services offices may host online events. Many colleges also offer online job fairs, which are abundant with networking opportunities.

In addition to events hosted through your college, research local meetups and events in your field. Professional associations, chambers of commerce, and private companies all hold online events that students can often attend.

Your classmates are a major networking opportunity. Instead of thinking of classmates as competition in the job market, consider them resources. You might all be students now, but someday, you'll all have jobs — and be able to help one another advance.

When you invest in making friends in online college, you can see dividends for years. School organizations are a great way to build relationships with other students. Many colleges offer honor societies in different disciplines with options for online learners, linking students with a wider network.

Outside of academics, simply connecting with students based on shared interests helps build a network that can last long past graduation.