 | This article is written by Nicole Tjahyadi, Ailene Susanto & Kaiven Ng from the Stint community, Australia’s largest community of international students dedicated specifically to helping international students find relevant jobs and internships. |
What are Professional and Personal Networks?
Job searching is already tough, but international students have really got their work cut out for them when it comes to looking for work in a new country. Cultural differences, language barriers, and don’t forget the visa requirements! Luckily, having a solid network of professional and personal connections can be a real game-changer.
So, what are professional and personal networks? Professional networks refer to a group of individuals with similar professional goals or interests. These can be colleagues, mentors, industry experts, and even other international student job seekers! Having a strong professional network can help students get access to industry knowledge and resources, establish themselves in their chosen fields, and find new and better opportunities.
Personal networks can also help you outside of a professional context by providing emotional support, assistance, and companionship. People in your personal network could include friends, family members, and social connections formed through clubs and societies.
How are these Networks Useful for International Students in their Job Search?
Connect with Potential Employers
Professional networks are a great way to connect with people in your industry or field of interest. The Australian job market can be tough, especially for international students – that's why t’s important to give yourself as much of a competitive advantage as you can by building connections. Reaching out to your professional networks can help put you in contact with potential employers. For example, if you are studying computer science, you could speak with professors or alumni members working in the tech industry for tips on job openings and visa sponsorship opportunities.
Gain Access to Valuable Insights and Feedback
As an international student, not only do you have to adjust to a new life in a new country, but also the demands of a new (and possibly unfamiliar) job market. If you need a bit more information on your industry of choice, professional networks can provide you with valuable insights, including unique perspectives and insider knowledge about hiring practices, job requirements, and workplace culture. They can also provide useful feedback on resumes and cover letters, and help you practice for interviews and case studies, and if you are extra lucky, may even personally refer you as a candidate to hiring managers!
Moral Support
Personal networks can also provide a helping hand with the job searching process. The job search journey is already pretty stressful for everyone, but international students face some extra challenges like visa requirements and a lack of familiarity with Australian hiring practices. When the going gets tough, you can always turn to friends and family members who have already been through it all or are also on a similar journey. Often, they are able to help with job interview practice runs or sometimes just provide some much-needed emotional support during a challenging job search.
Tips and Advice on Building and Expanding Your Network
1. Student Clubs and Organisations
By joining student clubs and organisations, students can expand their personal network by meeting new people, often with similar interests and goals. Aside from interacting and conversing with other members, joining student clubs and organisations also means taking on tasks and responsibilities that help develop your skills. For example, helping a student club run an event will allow you to meet external stakeholders such as industry professionals, mentors, and alumni, and expand your professional network.
Many student clubs are not profession or degree-based, but rather interest-based, meaning this is also a fantastic opportunity to expand your personal network. Oftentimes, personal connections lead to professional ones, so don’t just focus on your professional connections - your personal ones are just as important!
Every university has a wide range of clubs which students can join. Take the time to look through the clubs your university has on offer and decide which ones would be the best fit for you - professionally and personally!
 | Quick Tip for International Students Universities are typically home to a whole range of student associations which represent and serve the interests of students from a specific country or region, e.g. the Indonesian or Vietnamese Student Association. They are an ideal club to join, as they provide a lot of opportunities for you to meet and connect with your fellow international students from the same country – a perfect way to expand your network! |
2. Career Events
Career-focused events are one of the best places for meeting and networking with people. Be it networking nights, industry panel sessions or even workshops, in attendance at these types of events are HR representatives, panelists and/or guest speakers who are eager to talk to attendees and share more information about their respective companies and personal experiences. They are usually more than happy to share tips and advice with attendees, so, don’t be afraid to approach them for a one-on-one chat at the end of the event. If all goes well, ask for their contact details to stay in touch!
Aside from this, attending events and being exposed to new environments with new people will not only help you expand your network, but also help you practice your networking skills. Being able to converse and build relationships in these sorts of settings are incredibly useful skills that will give you an advantage throughout your career.
| Quick Tip for International Students No matter where you’re studying in Australia, there are always a whole heap of organisations running various events, initiatives and programs tailored specifically for international students – on and off-campus. Be sure to keep an eye out for these organisations on your university notice boards and social media to find one that you would be interested in! |
3. Online Groups and Communities
Online groups and communities have the benefit of allowing members from all over the country (and even the world) to join and interact with each other - which widens the scope of networking potential. Joining these groups and communities are extremely beneficial in meeting people from different backgrounds, again, giving you the opportunity to expand your network.
| Quick Tip for International Students A good example of an online community for international students to join is the Stint community - Australia’s largest community of international students with members from across the country - dedicated specifically to helping international students find jobs in Australia. They don’t just offer members the chance to connect with their fellow international students, but also host networking events, post exclusive job opportunities, and offer services such as an on-hand migration agent and free CV reviews. Click the link here to join and find out more. |
To wrap up, professional and personal networks can be a real lifesaver for students looking for work in a new country. Talking to and interacting with your personal and professional networks can help you gain access to job opportunities and assistance, industry insights, and even emotional support during a challenging time. Try to take advantage of networking events, connect with other people and communities, and reach out to friends and family members to build and expand your network. This way, you’ll be able to increase your chances of success in the job market and be well on your way to developing strong networks and support systems that will help you out throughout your career journey.