Why Your Future Career Depends on the Network You Build in High School
"Getting a job through connections" is an outdated concept. In the new era, what is networking, and how can a student build their network from scratch?
A few years ago, an experiment was conducted: Two identical CVs were sent to different companies. The first candidate simply applied online. The second candidate, before applying, messaged a young professional working at that company on LinkedIn just to ask for advice. The result? The second candidate was called for an interview. Because people don't trust an unfamiliar piece of paper; they trust a person they know and have communicated with. So, how can you, as a student, build such a network right now?
Many think networking just means handing out business cards or saying, "Hello, I need a job." In reality, it's about connecting with the right people around shared interests. For instance, you join a team on the Taskool platform. There's another student writing code with you. A year later, when that student goes to an Olympiad in another country, they tell you about that competition too. Look, that is "networking". You built a natural connection without asking for anything.
Experts in education say that the biggest mistake students make is communicating only with their classmates. You have to step out of your comfort zone. Writing to a university student who is 5 years older and asking, "Can we talk for 10 minutes about your university experience?" is a tremendous indicator of courage and vision. It's strange, but adults love helping purpose-driven youth.
Opening a LinkedIn profile now, sharing your projects there, and writing thank-you messages to judges in competitions you participated in is your future capital. You don't know which big startup's door that small connection you make today will open 3 years from now. Start. Not knowing anyone is not your fault, but not trying to know anyone is your choice.
