How Adults Can Maximize Career Connections in College

Returning to college as an adult provides enormous opportunities when it comes to making career connections. When most traditional students will be bypassing assignments, avoiding professors, and drinking away their time until graduation, you'll be past all that and ready to take advantage of everything your expensive education has to offer. While most of the younger college "kids" in your classroom are there because their parents wouldn't have had it any other way, you're there to give yourself a better future as soon as possible. Having been in the "real" world for a while, you know that means making connections. Take advantage of your workplace savvy during your college years as a returning adult by utilizing the following easy tips.

First, make colleagues out of each of your professors. You'd be amazed at the connections professors have in the non-educational world. Doing research, compiling statistics, conducting surveys, and enhancing study plans means talking to a much more diverse crowd than most of us do each day. While your younger classmates are dodging your professors in the hallways, you can spend your time connecting with them a bit more and learning from them. When a paper is due, ask your professor for names of colleagues that might be available for professional interviews for research purposes. Not only will your essays be much more authentic than any of the others in your class (considering most traditional college kids depend on Wikipedia as a source more often than not), but you'll also have four years worth of new connections made through mandatory work assignments by the time you reach graduation.

Next, make networking opportunities out of events that younger college students will be neglecting to attend. Check your college's website or newspaper for listings of lectures and luncheons that your department is offering. While you don't have to attend every event that the school hosts, attending those directly sponsored by your academic department might be a good idea. You can count on professionals in your future area of expertise to be in attendance, from professors to area businessmen and women, and they're there for the same reason you are. They want to make new career connections and learn about a new idea that will give them an added edge in their industries. Most of these events are absolutely free to students, so attend as many as you can. Don't forget to exchange business cards.

Next, take advantage of the lack of cultural stress surrounding you as an adult college student and visit tutoring labs. You don't have to worry about impressing anyone with your stubborn desire to go without help. You're grown, and you don't have time to play around. While you're there, make new connections with those offering tutoring services in your department. Whether you desperately need the extra help or not is irrelevant. College tutors often have years of experience in their fields, and that means that they can become invaluable resources to you in your career search down the road. While it's not the most obvious place to look for career connections in college, a tutoring lab provides a quiet, intimate atmosphere in which thorough discussions with those offering help can be held. Strengthen your skills as you display them to your tutors, and, having seen your hardworking attitude, they may be able to provide references and connections for you later on.

Finally, use your work experience to gain an edge when applying for volunteer tutoring work at your college. Why? Because helping the younger students in your school means connecting with future colleagues. Yes, they may seem immature now, but in just a few years they'll be in business suits instead of t-shirts and carrying briefcases rather than books. While it may not be appropriate to try to make social connections with the younger students, offering them your tutoring services through the college is a great alternative method for creating career relationships with your young classmates. If you tutor any students who look especially promising, make sure they remember your name post-graduation.

Remember, going back to college as an adult means having an edge when it comes to making the most of career connections. While the younger students are worried about impressing each other and avoiding work like the plague, you'll be making lasting relationships that will matter during your next job hunt. On graduation day, you'll be one step ahead of the game.