Networking like a 2022 Golden Hawk

 


As discussed in the Entrepreneurial Subjects: Venturing from Alley to Valley by Alice Marwick regarding networking through online platforms “ everyone has a chance to stand out. Everyone has a chance to learn, improve, and build up their skills. Everyone has a chance to be a brand worthy of remark” (Marwick, 2017,p. 2028). However, since the switch to a virtual format due to the recent pandemic, this has changed the way Golden Hawks at Laurier are able to make connections, impressions, and “stand out”, as students are now just another tiny black box in a sea of boxes on a screen. For example, before the pandemic, students were able to attend lavish in person events filled with multiple booths and potential employers, where they were able to make meaningful face to face connections with various companies. Now, students click on a zoom event and are able to attend breakout rooms to make virtual connections.

 As VP of Marketing at ECommerce Laurier and a graduating student, where I had the opportunity to attend online networking events with industry professionals from Dyson, Walmart, Amazon and Shopify. As much as I appreciated the convenience of virtual environments I would have loved to be able to make more personal connections through a face to face format with potential employers. As I feel a 3 minute one on one in person interaction leaves a lasting impression, rather than competing with the “noise” of 100s of other black boxes on Zoom. I proved this by introducing myself in person to various departments at Laurier, which allowed me to create meaningful connections and impressions, causing me to gain full time employment in the enrollment department post graduation, which I do not think would have been possible if this semester remained fully online.

 Questions: What was your virtual/in person networking experience like at Laurier? How were they similar/different? Which format do you prefer and why? What can Laurier implement for students to create the meaningful connections that are made in person, with the convenience of online platforms?


References

Marwick, A. (2017). Entrepreneurial Subjects: Venturing from Alley to Valley. https://mylearningspace.wlu.ca/d2l/le/content/421290/viewContent/2815647/View

Comments

  1. Sharmaine Ehi-AkatueApril 25, 2022 at 1:59 PM

    As far as my networking experience at Laurier in person I did find it very fruitful in that there were countless opportunities for us as students to network with other students, grad students, professors, and even employers. Although there were ample resources to do this I do not think it was until everything moved online that I realized all of the potential resources for networking. While being virtual I personally found everything to be a lot more isolated and even the networking opportunities did not feel like real networking through zoom. I think the use of zoom in a way which forces everyone to show their faces and not use the chat function but instead actually speak in the mic would really encourage more lively networking. As a large part of communicating with others is in the voice and hearing the expression of someone as well as in the facial expressions and nonverbal cues that are more present in in person situations.

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