Building a Network with an Online MBA
Leveraging social media, virtual networking events, and an alumni network will help you lay the networking groundwork for current and future career aspirations.
Building a Network with an Online MBAOne of the most popular reasons students pursue an online MBA program is the valuable opportunity to network with peers, faculty, business leaders, and decision-makers within the community, as well as future employers. Establishing, growing, and maintaining an MBA network both online and offline is essential to making new contacts and can benefit a graduate throughout his or her professional career and personal life. Business relationships matter more than ever and students enrolled in an online MBA program must now be successful not only in accounting, marketing, management, and leadership strategy, but also in social networking.
The Power of Networking
Networking with classmates is an important part of any MBA program, whether online or on-campus, and business schools have made it easy for MBA students to connect on- and offline in a professional network. Student networking groups can provide the opportunity to build contacts across the globe and can provide a place for students to mentor one another and share ideas, achievements, and news. There are many other ways for students to start an MBA virtual network with fellow classmates, faculty, and administrators, such as study and mentoring groups, email, Zoom calls, discussion boards and other virtual forums.
The Baylor Online MBA program is intentional in offering opportunities for students to connect virtually. With events such as speed networking, virtual panels with experienced students, faculty, and alumni, and career-focused presentations with networking opportunities, there is something for everyone.
How Networking & Social Media Impacts Job Recruiting
Social networking, as well as social recruiting, is the norm in today’s highly competitive job market. When it comes to landing a new job, MBA networking and social media use can be, in some ways, as beneficial as earning a degree. Social media has transformed the job search process with job seekers using virtual networking to find jobs. At the same time, more companies use virtual networking to find potential employees.
Creating a social media profile on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram is a must for today’s professional. Jobvite, a recruiting software platform that helps companies target potential quality employees, reports in its 2020 Recruiter Nation Survey, social media enables recruiters to find quality hires by targeting talent, engaging candidates, evaluating applicants, and showcasing employer brand. This same survey shows that LinkedIn is the number one social network that recruiters use to find job candidates. Seventy-two percent use LinkedIn to search for and contact candidates, keep tabs on potential employees, and vet individuals before a job interview. The Jobvite survey also found that the highest quality candidates are sourced from LinkedIn (67 percent) and Facebook (34 percent). What are recruiters looking at when they’re reviewing a candidate’s social media profile? According to this survey, the biggest turn-off to recruiters if the presence of spelling and grammar errors in posts.
Leverage an Alumni Network
It is important that an MBA program has a vital alumni network that will continue to offer support and resources throughout a student’s academic and professional life. Alumni events assist in building local contacts as well as global connections. A strong alumni network fosters communication between fellow alumni while serving and mentoring current and recent graduates. The Baylor Network provides a global network of highly dedicated executive alumni that are committed to staying connected regardless of where your career takes you.
There are numerous benefits of a strong professional network. Building relationships with peers can help grow a career, providing everything from future job leads and potential business partners to employers, employees, clients, suppliers and angel investors. Professional networking can be the key to a long, successful career. That is why, at Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business we are committed to helping you build your network and stay virtually connected as an Online MBA student.
What's Next
If you’re ready to take the next step in solidifying your career aspirations, consider reaching out to our enrollment coaching team. We can answer questions about curriculum, admissions, financial aid, and more. Complete the form below, and our team will contact you directly.
