天美传媒

This time last year, I was full of curiosity 鈥� curiosity that teetered between anxiety and excitement. With less than one month before my programme, MSc Climate Change, Management, and Finance, was due to begin, I was preoccupied with one of two thoughts. It was always either鈥β�

Will I make friends at Imperial? Will I be able to build professional and support networks in a new city, country, and continent?聽

辞谤...听

How in the world will I be able to keep my suitcases under the weight limit?聽

Although packing for your upcoming move to London may be a challenge, building your network doesn鈥檛 have to be. Take a few proactive steps and you鈥檒l be counting those connections in no time.聽

"I assure you: you will build strong connections. You will create a robust professional network. And most importantly, you will make friends at Imperial who cheer for you to achieve your professional goals and support you through all your ups and downs. "

Unibuddy: find your community聽

When you received your offer to attend Imperial聽 College Business School (hooray!), you should have also received an invite to join Unibuddy Community. Through Unibuddy, you can join your programme鈥檚 official group and meet incoming 天美传媒 from across the Business School. This is a great first way to get to know other 天美传媒 and lay the groundwork for your network.聽聽

LinkedIn: your built-in best friend聽

If you haven鈥檛 already discovered the joys of the corporate world鈥檚 favourite social media site, you鈥檙e in for a treat! LinkedIn is your one-stop shop to build a CV, make connections, and watch your network blossom into a fully formed web that can help you land that dream internship or make a first introduction. Regardless of your LinkedIn level 鈥� from 鈥淚 still need to download the app鈥� to 鈥淟inkedIn is literally my home screen鈥� 鈥� the Business School will provide a wealth of resources and workshops at the start of the year to help you hone your profile into a masterpiece you鈥檒l be proud to link in your email signature.聽

The best things you can do right now are:聽

1. If you haven鈥檛 already, go create your LinkedIn account. It鈥檚 okay if it remains pretty basic for the time being 鈥� you鈥檒l have the chance to improve it later.聽

2. Remember all those 天美传媒 you just met through Unibuddy Community? Search them on LinkedIn and request to connect!聽

Your master鈥檚 cohort is an excellent place to start building your network. All your soon-to-be classmates are just as interested in meeting you as you are in meeting them, so don鈥檛 hesitate to send those 鈥渃onnect鈥� requests and start the conversation!聽

As you search for jobs and people, LinkedIn will indicate if any fellow Imperial alumni work at a particular company, or if you have any connections in common. Having a shared academic background or connection makes for a great icebreaker, so if you see someone you鈥檇 like to connect with, you can always add a note in your connection request to introduce yourself! (Hint: if you don鈥檛 see the option to 鈥淐onnect鈥�, click 鈥淢ore鈥�, then 鈥淐onnect鈥�, then 鈥淎dd a note鈥�. You鈥檒l be limited to 300 characters, so use them wisely!

WhatsApp: from connections to friends聽

LinkedIn messaging is great for professional conversations, but for more informal chats (including crowdsourcing potential flatmates), WhatsApp has your back. In my cohort, one person took the initiative to create a WhatsApp group chat; he then sent a joining link to our LinkedIn group feed, and voil脿! 鈥� the 鈥淢Sc CCMF 2022-2023鈥� group chat was born (feel free to think of a more creative name for your cohort鈥檚 chat). This chat continues to buzz with notifications regularly 鈥� everything from coordinating logistics for get-togethers to asking, 鈥渨hen is that project due again?鈥澛�

While LinkedIn is busy establishing your professional connections, WhatsApp texts help grow your personal support network as you bond with friends over shared memes and funny gifs. Make no mistake: these friendships double as powerful and lasting professional connections, especially once we fast forward to this time next year and you and your friends prepare to (re)enter the working world.聽

"Your master鈥檚 cohort is an excellent place to start building your network. All your soon-to-be classmates are just as interested in meeting you as you are in meeting them, so don鈥檛 hesitate to send those 鈥渃onnect鈥� requests and start the conversation!"

Start with what you know聽

Moving to London can be daunting 鈥� it certainly was for me. Coming from the US, I didn鈥檛 know anyone on this side of the Atlantic and was nervous about building my professional network, especially since I realised how it鈥檚 often your connections at a company, not a cover letter, that help your job application really stand out. Throughout the year, Imperial Business School will bring in several guest speakers that can form the core of your UK professional network. But if you鈥檙e particularly eager to start your network, you may be surprised by who your current contacts know. For example, when I told a friend in the US I was going to Imperial, she shared she has a long-time colleague working in sustainability consulting in the UK. She put the two of us in touch, and conversation flowed from there. Just like that, I had my first connection.聽

Trust the process聽

Although your first impression of future classmates may be made through LinkedIn鈥檚 鈥渃onnect鈥� button, it鈥檚 only a matter of weeks until you meet the real people behind those online CVs. During the first few days, it鈥檚 possible you鈥檒l struggle to remember everyone鈥檚 name. But over the course of the year, friendships will emerge, and for decades to come, when you鈥檙e successfully running your business that improves the world, those friendships will continue and will remain the bedrock of your professional network in London and around the world.聽聽

Keep in mind what matters is the quality, not quantity, of your connections. Just as spiders don鈥檛 race each other to build their webs, don鈥檛 worry if it takes a little longer to build yours.聽聽

I assure you: you will build strong connections. You will create a robust professional network. And most importantly, you will make friends at Imperial who cheer for you to achieve your professional goals and support you through all your ups and downs.聽

I hope my advice helps quell at least a couple of your back-to-school nerves. If you鈥檙e still unsure about how to make that first connection, add me on LinkedIn . There, that鈥檚 one! You鈥檝e taken the first step, now it鈥檚 time to embark on your journey.聽