A recent Financial Times survey shows that networking is among the third most influential factor to choose an MBA.

Networking is the key to career success and must be done well to build mutually beneficial relationships to gain from opportunities. Networking, that was once a monopoly of sales professionals has become a core activity for management professionals and is part of the curriculum in the best MBA colleges in Maharashtra.

Networking is forming links through people we know to people they know, in an organized, formal manner for a specific purpose like new opportunities, employment, or industry knowledge. For an MBA student, a network would include classmates, other students, academic faculty and alumni body. For MBA students and graduates, networking is an important tool for job-search.

About 50-60% graduates find jobs through networking. For this reason it is important to start networking early in the course. Networking with alumni before choosing your course can help bring clarity about the best course to fit your interests and criteria. Communicating with alumni also gives you a chance to divulge into the culture and real experience of the business school you are about to join.

MBA colleges in Pune provide a career network service that supports students in career building through contacts with alumni. They encourage students to invite alumni for ‘coffee meets’, attend industry specific events and capitalize on contacts from projects and internships. Social media also plays a huge role in networking, with LinkedIn and Twitter currently being the most career-friendly. Here it is important to remember to cap the time being online and back it up with a face-to-face meeting, to save one from appearing ineffective.

Another useful tip is to strike a personal note to create the first bond. Be mindful to keep your presence professional, but keep everything else personal. Ultimately your best contacts will be the ones you get along with most. Having something to say apart from your pitch is also necessary. Read up on current affairs so that you can form and share opinions on the big issues.

This will help you bring something of value to the exchange.
The best MBA colleges in Maharashtra ensure that their students build on the above tips and leverage their alumni network to the fullest for their benefit.