Sloane Williams
Prior to college, I was familiar with the term networking, but I was unaware how valuable it truly is. As I recently just began my fourth semester of college, I have learned much about networking and how beneficial it is in both social and professional aspects. Considering I go to school with about seventy-thousand students, I am surprised by how many people I know. I constantly run into people on campus and out in public. It’s always fun to see friends when I am least expecting it. I remember feeling very reassured when I walked into a class at the start of this semester, expecting to know no one, but ended up seeing three of my friends. These interactions I just mentioned are what I was referring to as the social aspect of networking. Through attending Fish Camp and Impact Retreat before my freshman year, joining organizations on-campus, getting an on-campus job, and doing my best to meet people through other ways, I have built a strong network at Texas A&M. I am very grateful for all the people I have met in college. Not only have I been able to learn interesting things in general and about these individuals specifically, I feel more connected and have various people I can reach out to if I need help or have a question. For example, knowing numerous people who are in the same academic program as me is very beneficial because they are able to provide insight into the classes that I need to take. I love to hear others’ thoughts about courses, professors, and what to expect. Knowing many people from various backgrounds, majors, and interests is also great because if they are unable to answer my question, it is very likely they can get me in contact with someone who can. Along with meeting numerous students at A&M, I enjoy networking with professionals. Last summer, one of my dad’s coworkers invited me to lunch with her. I had previously spoken with her over the phone to learn about her experience working for the Dallas Stars, since I am interested in working in the sports industry. Our phone conversation and lunch went great. I enjoyed hearing about her career journey and getting advice from her about the workforce. She recommended that I reach out to her former coworker at the Stars, who currently works for the Cowboys. This was the first LinkedIn message I ever sent. I am grateful she helped me to get in contact with this person, because he gave me lots of insight into the sports industry. Through the conversation I had with him, I learned how competitive the sports industry is and therefore, how necessary it is to network with professionals in the industry. I learned much more from him and was sure to take notes during our conversation. Months after our conversation, I was able to meet him in person at a networking event hosted by the Dallas Cowboys. This initial interaction was crucial as it began my love for networking and learning from those who are where I hope to be in the future. I have had many conversations with other individuals in the sports industry. I’ve been able to learn from people all over the country, working for a variety of sports, in a variety of different roles. I am intentional about keeping all my notes together, sending a thank you email after every conversation, and reaching out again to have another conversation later on. I spend a lot more time on LinkedIn than I ever thought I would at my age, and I have learned to be content when I don’t get a response back. I truly love talking with these different professionals and I am thankful that strangers are kind enough to gift me with their time and knowledge. I love networking so much that I decided to set a goal to have one phone conversation a week. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I don’t. Regardless, I continue to reach out and keep trying.