connections, job
my friend (never even went to uni) keeps telling me i should make friends and have connections in university because it will help me later when finding a job. He was saying something along the lines of finding a job is all about connections. I have no interest in friends and i find it difficult to maintain relationships. i dont see how having friends is going to benefit me; if anything, they will only hold me back. Can someone enlighten me on this? i am going into the engineering field.
Original post by Pakisaurus
my friend (never even went to uni) keeps telling me i should make friends and have connections in university because it will help me later when finding a job. He was saying something along the lines of finding a job is all about connections. I have no interest in friends and i find it difficult to maintain relationships. i dont see how having friends is going to benefit me; if anything, they will only hold me back. Can someone enlighten me on this? i am going into the engineering field.
It is very unlikely that a not genuine relationship will be of any help with finding a job.
Even a genuine relationship is unlikely to open any doors.
Your friend could be right though if they were talking about MBA courses at the top-5 Unis in the UK. That's where you make connections with people who have wealthy parents or and/or connections with people in power, etc.
The things that will definitely help finding an engineering job are:
1.
Good grades, at least 2:1, but better to be 1st; and degree level MEng > BEng, but not by far.
2.
Genuine passion for Engineering (proven by any extracurricular activities or hobbies).
3.
Work experience. Any work experience before graduation is great, but an industry relevant experience is much better. You should seriously consider doing an internship before you graduate (or straight after you graduate if you can't find a graduate level job).
4.
You ability to sell your skills during the hiring process (CV, phone & video interviews, in person interviews).
Connections are more likely to benefit you when you're already a few years into the industry and looking for your next steps. By that time majority if not all of University connections will naturally fall off and become irrelevant.
To add some credibility to my answer here - I finished BEng in Elec Eng and currently work for a large corporation as a lead engineer.
Original post by Pakisaurus
my friend (never even went to uni) keeps telling me i should make friends and have connections in university because it will help me later when finding a job. He was saying something along the lines of finding a job is all about connections. I have no interest in friends and i find it difficult to maintain relationships. i dont see how having friends is going to benefit me; if anything, they will only hold me back. Can someone enlighten me on this? i am going into the engineering field.
Hey there , It may sound a little unnecessary to make friends in university if you are an introvert and do not enjoy having friends but it is beneficial to make connections with people. Knowing people in your industry will assist you long term in your career that is why apps such as LinkedIn are so important. You never know who in the future will assist you to secure a job , secure research funding or even collaborate on projects with you if you need their expertise.
The concept your friend was referring to is networking , essentially he has recognised the value of professional relationships in his career. It is valuable in the engineering field because not all job opportunities are advertised some are filled through referrals. There are other benefits to networking such as getting mentorship and collecting references for job applications , as well staying informed and updated on the latest technologies, methodologies, and best practices in your industry by regularly interacting with people in your industry .
In a field like engineering where collaboration and knowledge sharing are crucial , it is beneficial to have a good network. Networking isn't just limited to making friends in uni , it involves participating in industry conferences, joining professional organizations, connecting on LinkedIn, or even engaging in online forums related to your field. At university levels , making friends in your degree is a good place to start practising building a network.
I hope this creates a little clarity on why networking is valuable .
Cece
Energy Engineering Student
De Montfort university
(edited 2 months ago)
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