Why College Students Should Care About Fuse Duluth and the Chamber
Posted Nov 23, 2009 by LaraLast year I spoke about Fuse Duluth and the Chamber to a group of college students. I did the usual hyper active description about the power of Fuse Duluth, the influence of the Chamber and how much fun involvement in the two was.
Being the salesperson that I am I immediately sensed the reactions of the group from their body language and facial expressions. Their reactions? Disbelief. Why should they believe me? I had to put myself in their shoes.
I asked the question, "Why would college students not get involved in Fuse Duluth and the Chamber?" Three hands went up right away. Below you will see their objections and my responses to them.
1. "I don't have time. I am already involved in clubs, work, school and have my own networks."
My response: If a really good paying job opened up at a cool company would one of your friends or coworkers hear about it? Would they tell you about it? Do they know what you are looking for in a job? Can any of them even tell you what you are going to school for? The people you network with in clubs, at work and at school know your personality but many of them are not in a position to help refer you for a job or internship. Networking in Fuse Duluth and the Chamber will help you build relationships that will be fruitful for your future career!
2. "I already know that I'm moving to the Twin Cities after graduation. I don't need to get to know the local business community."
My response: To say this is similar to saying that people who work in Duluth know nothing about the Twin Cities business community. Many college students do not realize the number of Duluth companies that have a Twin Cities location. Networking in the Duluth Area will open doors in communities not only in the Twin Cities but across the country.
3. "I don't know what I want to do after graduation. I'm not ready to start applying for jobs so why would I network?"
My response: Not sure what to do? Then you need to network now more than anyone. Come to a Chamber event and meet people who are working full time jobs right now. Ask them what they do, how they got to where they are now and what their education and background is. You will be amazed at the career paths people have taken. And you may just be inspired!
Convinced yet? Please share this with a college student you know.
