Networking is something that I heard of at a very young age. My dad stressed the importance of this at every opportunity possible. Why? Well, my dad works in the corporate world and travels a lot which means that to communicate and get along with different people from various backgrounds and fields of work is vital. He made it a personal target of his to teach my siblings and I how to go about it.

While there are a number of people who know where they want to be in life and what career path they are chasing, there are also people who are yet to figure out what their passion is (this is not something to worry about). Here are a few good tips that can be used as a guide whether you know where your life is headed or if you’re still in the process of figuring it out.

1) Make sure you have a well-written CV which you constantly update. This will come in handy when asking about job opportunities as you will seem more interested and driven if you attach this to any emails inquiring about jobs.

2) Make a Linkedin profile. This is the modern day version of networking! If you do not know what this is, then Google it and also download the app on your phone. This will open you up to a whole new world of professionals who you will notice you have a lot of similarities with. There are many companies on Linkedin too who are looking for employees.

3) Talk to your family and friends about the kind of work experience or internship you are interested in doing. I have found this very beneficial and have managed to secure 3 internships in summer 2015 because of this! You never know who your own people know. This is called networking within your own circle.

4) Personal branding is vital in networking. The way you appear on social media and in person cannot be overlooked. You never know who is watching so make sure you come across as ‘employable’. But networking is not just about looking the part but also being about to speak and sell yourself. Practice public speaking or even talk to your family as a means of practice for future social events.

5) Look for networking events online. As a university student, I have attended so many of these at my university and also at other universities. These are held often but sometimes require you to sign-up. Whether