Network your Way to Success!

Many people find the idea of networking awkward or feel uncomfortable about making connections with people they don’t know. However, this is often due to a misunderstanding of what networking is, as well as how to do it effectively. Networking shouldn’t be a once-off transaction where you try to impress strangers. Instead, effective networking involves slowly building relationships over time, presenting yourself authentically (but with thought about what the most relevant aspects of yourself may be in specific social situations), and taking the time to consider who you wish to connect with and where you might be able to interact with these people, whether online or offline. Effective networking isn’t about 'can I have a job', instead it’s about 'what can I learn'.

Networking events such as recruitment fairs, employer presentations, or professional body events, provide an opportunity for you to step outside your comfort zone and gain a greater understanding of the roles available, what it’s like to work in different companies, as well as the inside track on what different organisations like to see in candidates.

Students can often join their relevant professional body such as Engineers Ireland or the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland for free, and many of these organisations have internal groups especially for young professionals getting started in their careers, as well as groups dedicated to a particular interest.

Yin Ming Leung, ME Biomedical Engineering ‘22

"The two-year ME Biomedical Engineering program has been fabulous to me, especially the 8-month internship during the first year. Thanks to all the resources including CV preparation workshops and interview practice provided by the career center at UCD, I managed to get an internship role in Galway in one of the biggest medical device companies, Medtronic.

I worked as a process development engineer to develop the delivery system for heart valve replacement devices. I could make use of the knowledge I learned in the course such as solidworks drawings and statistics skills to contribute to the teams, at the same time gaining industrial experience. Through day-to-day collaboration with R&D, Quality and manufacturing teams, my communication and teamwork skills have been sharpened. This 8-month internship experience was definitely a highlight of the ME program and has strongly equipped me with skills for future career development.

I would suggest that current students take the initiative to grasp any opportunity which UCD provides, especially during the internship. Don’t be afraid of trying new things and don’t underestimate your ability and limits. You will learn and explore more than you expect.

Apart from the internship, it is worth trying the social and sports clubs at UCD too. I joined the kickboxing and badminton clubs during my second year. These sports helped relieve tension during stressful assignment and exam periods and I also made some good friends from the clubs."