It is important to recognize that networking is NOT about finding people to directly ask whether they will hire you for a job or internship. The purpose of networking is to connect with people in your field of interest (or connected to your field of interest) to learn more about that field and get advice that will help you land an internship or job.
Networking can feel intimidating and often times students worry they are burdening a person by asking for help. However, that is not the case. To put it into perspective, how would you feel if a high school senior reached out to you to get advice about college and hear about your experience at Wesleyan? Most likely, you would be more than willing to speak with them and provide them with advice. This is exactly what networking feels like on the other end. Most people you reach out to will be happy to speak with you and even excited to help. And if they’re not, they just won’t reply to your request.
If you are intimidated by networking, start slow. Start by talking to someone you are familiar with (family, friend, fellow student, etc.). Practice in a comfortable environment and then start branching out to people whom you may not know directly.
