1. Why college networking is important for your career success?
2. The most popular and professional networking platform for students and alumni
3. The Tinder-like app that matches you with potential mentors, peers, and collaborators
4. The app that connects you with employers, internships, and career events
5. The app that helps you communicate and collaborate with your classmates and professors
6. The app that lets you network with people in your industry and expand your horizons
7. The app that helps you find and join local groups and events related to your interests and goals
College is not only a place to learn new skills and knowledge, but also a place to build professional relationships that can benefit your career success. Networking with your peers, professors, alumni, and industry experts can open up many opportunities for you, such as internships, mentorships, collaborations, referrals, and jobs. In this article, we will introduce you to some of the top college networking apps that can help you connect with the right people and grow your network effectively. These apps are:
- LinkedIn: LinkedIn is the most popular and widely used professional networking platform in the world. It allows you to create a profile that showcases your education, experience, skills, achievements, and interests. You can also follow companies, influencers, and groups that are relevant to your field or industry. LinkedIn enables you to search for and connect with people who share your goals, values, or background. You can also join discussions, ask questions, share insights, and get recommendations from your connections. LinkedIn also has a feature called LinkedIn Learning, which offers thousands of online courses and videos to help you learn new skills and advance your career.
- Shapr: Shapr is a mobile app that uses a swipe-based interface to match you with potential networking partners. You can set your preferences, such as your location, industry, interests, and goals, and the app will suggest people who are compatible with you. You can then swipe right to express interest or swipe left to pass. If both parties swipe right, you can start a conversation and arrange a meeting. Shapr is designed to help you meet new people who can inspire you, challenge you, or collaborate with you.
- CampusTap: CampusTap is a mobile app that connects you with your college alumni network. You can create a profile that highlights your academic and professional achievements, as well as your career aspirations. You can then browse through the profiles of alumni who have similar interests, majors, or careers as you. You can also filter by location, industry, company, or role. CampusTap allows you to message alumni directly, request informational interviews, or join virtual events. CampusTap is a great way to leverage your college alumni network and get valuable advice, guidance, and support from experienced professionals.
- Bumble Bizz: Bumble Bizz is a mobile app that is part of the Bumble dating app. It is a mode that lets you switch from dating to networking. You can create a profile that showcases your work history, portfolio, and goals. You can then swipe through the profiles of other users who are looking for professional connections. You can swipe right to show interest or swipe left to pass. If both parties swipe right, a match is made and the woman has to initiate the conversation within 24 hours. Bumble Bizz is a fun and casual way to expand your network and meet potential mentors, collaborators, or clients.
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One of the most widely used and recognized platforms for building professional relationships is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is not only a social media site, but also a powerful tool for career development, networking, and learning. Students and alumni can benefit from LinkedIn in many ways, such as:
- Creating and maintaining a professional online presence. LinkedIn allows users to showcase their skills, achievements, education, and work experience in a comprehensive and attractive profile. Users can also upload their resume, portfolio, certificates, and other documents to demonstrate their qualifications and credentials. A well-crafted LinkedIn profile can help students and alumni stand out from the crowd and attract potential employers, mentors, and collaborators.
- Connecting and engaging with people who share similar interests, goals, and backgrounds. LinkedIn has over 760 million members from various industries, fields, and locations. Users can join groups, follow pages, and participate in discussions related to their areas of interest and expertise. Users can also send messages, request introductions, and endorse or recommend each other. By doing so, users can expand their network, exchange ideas, and discover new opportunities.
- Learning new skills and acquiring knowledge. LinkedIn offers a variety of learning resources, such as LinkedIn Learning, LinkedIn News, and LinkedIn Live. Users can access thousands of courses, articles, videos, and podcasts on various topics, ranging from business and technology to personal development and creativity. Users can also follow influencers, thought leaders, and experts who share valuable insights and advice. By learning from LinkedIn, users can stay updated, informed, and inspired.
- Finding and applying for jobs, internships, and scholarships. LinkedIn has a dedicated job board that lists millions of openings from different companies and organizations. Users can search for jobs by keywords, location, industry, and other filters. Users can also create job alerts, save jobs, and apply directly from LinkedIn. Additionally, users can find and apply for internships and scholarships that match their profile and preferences. LinkedIn also provides tips and tools for preparing resumes, cover letters, and interviews.
These are some of the ways that LinkedIn can help students and alumni build professional relationships and advance their careers. LinkedIn is more than just a platform, it is a community of professionals who support and empower each other. By joining and using LinkedIn, students and alumni can tap into a vast network of opportunities and resources that can enrich their personal and professional lives.
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One of the most innovative and effective ways to network in college is to use an app that connects you with like-minded professionals based on your interests, goals, and skills. Shapr is such an app that works like Tinder, but for networking. You can swipe right on the profiles of people who share your passions, aspirations, and expertise, and start a conversation with them. Whether you are looking for a mentor, a peer, or a collaborator, Shapr can help you find the right match for your needs. Here are some of the benefits of using Shapr for college networking:
- You can expand your network beyond your campus and reach out to people from different industries, backgrounds, and locations. This can help you gain exposure to new opportunities, perspectives, and insights that can enrich your learning and career development.
- You can find mentors who can offer you guidance, feedback, and support in your academic and professional journey. You can also learn from their experiences, challenges, and successes, and apply their lessons to your own goals.
- You can connect with peers who share your interests, passions, and challenges, and form meaningful relationships with them. You can exchange ideas, resources, and advice with them, and collaborate on projects, events, or initiatives that you are passionate about.
- You can discover potential collaborators who have complementary skills, expertise, or goals, and work with them on projects that can showcase your talents, enhance your portfolio, or solve a problem. You can also join or create communities of practice, where you can learn from each other and improve your skills.
Shapr is a simple, fun, and effective way to network in college. You can create your profile in minutes, and start swiping right on the people who inspire you. You never know who you might meet, and how they might change your life. Shapr is more than just an app, it is a movement that empowers you to shape your future.
One of the most popular and widely used college networking apps is Handshake, which connects students and recent graduates with over 500,000 employers, including 100% of the Fortune 500 companies. Handshake allows users to create personalized profiles, upload resumes, and browse through thousands of internships, jobs, and career events that match their interests, skills, and goals. Handshake also provides users with access to career resources, such as webinars, blogs, and podcasts, to help them prepare for their professional journey. Some of the benefits of using Handshake are:
- Personalized recommendations: Handshake uses a smart algorithm that learns from the user's profile, preferences, and activities to suggest relevant opportunities and events. Users can also filter their search by location, industry, role, and more to find their ideal match.
- Direct connections with employers: Handshake enables users to message employers directly, ask questions, and get feedback. Users can also follow their favorite employers and get notified of their latest updates and events. Additionally, users can attend virtual fairs and events hosted by employers and network with recruiters and alumni.
- Exclusive opportunities: Handshake partners with many employers who post opportunities that are only available to Handshake users. These include internships, jobs, scholarships, fellowships, and more. Users can also discover opportunities that are specifically tailored to their school, major, or diversity group.
- Peer insights: Handshake allows users to see what other students and alumni from their school and similar schools are doing, where they are working, and how they got there. Users can also read reviews and ratings of employers, jobs, and internships from their peers and share their own experiences.
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One of the challenges that college students face is staying connected and engaged with their peers and instructors in a virtual or hybrid learning environment. While there are many communication tools available, such as email, chat, and video conferencing, they may not be enough to foster a sense of community and collaboration among students and faculty. That's where Campuswire comes in. Campuswire is a college networking app that helps you communicate and collaborate with your classmates and professors in a simple and intuitive way. Here are some of the features and benefits of using Campuswire:
- Create and join courses: You can easily create or join courses on Campuswire using your college email address. You can also invite other students and instructors to join your courses. Each course has its own dashboard, where you can see the latest announcements, posts, polls, and events.
- Ask and answer questions: You can post questions to your course feed and get answers from your classmates and professors. You can also answer other students' questions and earn reputation points. You can filter questions by topic, difficulty, or status (answered, unanswered, or resolved). You can also upvote, downvote, or comment on questions and answers.
- Chat with your classmates and professors: You can chat with anyone in your course using direct messages or group chats. You can also create channels for specific topics or projects and invite other members to join. You can send text, images, videos, files, or code snippets in your chats. You can also use emojis, reactions, and gifs to express yourself.
- Collaborate on assignments and projects: You can use Campuswire to collaborate with your classmates and professors on assignments and projects. You can create and join live sessions, where you can share your screen, audio, and video with other participants. You can also use the built-in code editor and compiler to write and run code in various languages. You can also use the whiteboard feature to draw diagrams, equations, or graphs.
- build your professional network: You can use Campuswire to build your professional network and connect with other students and faculty from different colleges and disciplines. You can follow other users, send them connection requests, or endorse them for their skills. You can also join or create communities based on your interests, goals, or career aspirations. You can also access exclusive opportunities, such as internships, scholarships, or mentorships, from Campuswire's partners and sponsors.
Campuswire is more than just a college networking app. It is a platform that helps you learn, teach, and grow with your academic community. Whether you want to ask a question, chat with a friend, collaborate on a project, or network with a mentor, Campuswire can help you do it all. You can download Campuswire for free from the App Store or Google Play, or use it on your web browser. To learn more, visit https://campuswire.com.
One of the most popular and innovative apps for college networking is Bumble Bizz, which is part of the Bumble app that also offers dating and friendship options. Bumble Bizz is designed to help you connect with professionals in your industry, find mentors, collaborators, and new opportunities. Unlike other networking apps, Bumble Bizz puts women in charge, as they have to make the first move to initiate a conversation. This way, women can avoid unwanted messages and harassment, and focus on building meaningful relationships. Here are some of the features and benefits of using Bumble Bizz:
- Create a profile that showcases your skills and experience. You can upload your resume, portfolio, or work samples, and highlight your achievements, goals, and interests. You can also link your profile to your Instagram or LinkedIn accounts, to give a more complete picture of who you are and what you do.
- Swipe right to connect with people who match your criteria. You can set your preferences for the type of people you want to network with, such as their industry, location, or role. You can also filter your matches by distance, age, or gender. When you see someone who sparks your interest, you can swipe right to indicate that you want to chat with them. If they also swipe right on you, you have a match and you can start a conversation.
- Expand your network and learn from others. Bumble Bizz allows you to meet people from different backgrounds, fields, and levels of expertise. You can exchange ideas, insights, and feedback, and learn from their experiences and perspectives. You can also find mentors who can guide you in your career development, or mentees who can benefit from your knowledge and support.
- Discover new opportunities and collaborations. Bumble Bizz is not only a platform for networking, but also for finding and creating new opportunities. You can browse through job listings, internships, scholarships, and events that are relevant to your industry and interests. You can also pitch your ideas, projects, or services to potential partners, clients, or investors, and explore new possibilities for collaboration.
Bumble Bizz is a great app for college students who want to build their professional network and advance their career. It is easy to use, safe, and empowering, and it can help you connect with people who share your vision and values. You can download Bumble Bizz for free on the App Store or Google Play, and start swiping your way to success.
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One of the best ways to expand your professional network in college is to join local groups and events that match your interests and goals. Whether you want to learn new skills, meet new people, or explore new opportunities, there is an app that can help you find and join the right community for you. That app is Meetup.
Meetup is an app that connects you with local groups and events based on your preferences and location. You can browse through thousands of categories, such as business, technology, arts, sports, social, and more, and find the ones that suit your interests and goals. You can also create your own groups and events and invite others to join. Meetup is a great app for college students who want to:
- learn from experts and peers. Meetup allows you to attend workshops, seminars, lectures, and other educational events where you can learn from experts and peers in your field of interest. You can also ask questions, share your insights, and get feedback from others. For example, if you are interested in web development, you can join a Meetup group that hosts regular coding sessions, hackathons, and demos.
- Build your portfolio and resume. Meetup enables you to showcase your skills and achievements by participating in projects, competitions, and challenges. You can also collaborate with other members and work on real-world problems. For example, if you are interested in entrepreneurship, you can join a Meetup group that organizes startup pitches, business plan contests, and networking events.
- Find mentors and mentees. Meetup helps you to find mentors and mentees who can guide you and support you in your professional journey. You can also offer your expertise and advice to others who are looking for guidance. For example, if you are interested in marketing, you can join a Meetup group that connects you with experienced marketers, aspiring marketers, and potential clients.
- Discover new opportunities and resources. Meetup exposes you to new opportunities and resources that can help you advance your career and personal growth. You can find out about job openings, internships, scholarships, grants, and other opportunities that are relevant to your interests and goals. You can also access valuable resources, such as books, podcasts, blogs, and online courses, that can enhance your knowledge and skills. For example, if you are interested in photography, you can join a Meetup group that offers photo walks, exhibitions, and workshops.
Meetup is a powerful app that can help you build professional relationships in college and beyond. By joining local groups and events that match your interests and goals, you can learn, grow, and connect with like-minded people who can help you achieve your potential. Meetup is available for iOS and Android devices, and you can sign up for free. To get started, visit www.meetup.com and find your community today.
You have learned about some of the top college networking apps that can help you build professional relationships and advance your career. But how can you use these apps effectively and strategically to achieve your goals? Here are some tips and best practices that you can follow:
- Be proactive and consistent. Don't wait for opportunities to come to you. Reach out to people who share your interests, goals, or industry. send personalized messages that show your genuine interest and curiosity. Follow up with them regularly and keep the conversation going.
- Be respectful and courteous. Remember that you are interacting with real people who have their own busy lives and schedules. Don't spam them with messages or requests. Don't ask for favors or referrals without building rapport first. Always thank them for their time and attention.
- Be authentic and professional. Don't pretend to be someone you are not. Be honest about your skills, experiences, and aspirations. Don't exaggerate or lie about your achievements or qualifications. At the same time, be mindful of your tone and language. Avoid slang, jargon, or inappropriate humor. Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
- Be open and curious. Don't limit yourself to people who are in your field or industry. Explore other areas and domains that interest you. Learn from people who have different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Ask thoughtful questions and listen actively. You never know what you might discover or who you might connect with.
- Be helpful and generous. Don't treat networking as a one-way street. Don't expect to receive without giving. Offer your help, advice, or feedback when appropriate. Share your insights, resources, or opportunities with others. Recognize and appreciate the value that others bring to you. Networking is about building mutually beneficial relationships.
By following these tips and best practices, you can use these apps to create meaningful and lasting connections with people who can support you, inspire you, and help you grow. Networking is not a one-time event, but a lifelong process. So, start today and enjoy the journey!
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