Networking as an Architecture Student
Networking. Something that as a new Architecture Student over 10 years ago, I was definitely not aware of but I am sure if you are in Architecture now as a Student, Assistant or fully qualified, you would have noticed that 'networking' and how powerful it can be has been a frequent topic of discussion recently and over the last couple of years across social media and especially on LinkedIn. Feel free to follow/connect.
I'll be honest, whilst I have been trying to attend more events, post more and talk more, I still haven't quite figured out networking in Architecture yet. I am by nature a bit of an introvert, love my own space and am very aware of when I my social battery is on its way down so the idea of putting myself out there in social situations where the actual point is to introduce myself to new people is not very high up on my list of favorite things to do… . However, I definitely see the benefit and I want to see where putting myself out there and getting out of my comfort zone can get me.
Which is actually what inspired this post. I have been invited to the AIA24 Conference in Washington D.C (post on this later) and whilst the less confident, quite introverted me would have said absolutely not, the me looking to better herself, said yes absolutely (With a little bit of encouragement from family and friends), get me to Washington D.C.
So here I am, a week before the conference trying to figure out how to make the best of it, which starts with this post. I actually discussed some of these points with my Black Females in Architecture Mentor so I would also like to credit her in this post as after a very helpful mentoring session I felt a lot more confident and willing to get stuck into the world of networking and after reading this post, I hope you do too!
If you have any tips for networking in general or specifically in architecture please do share below and if you are attending the AIA24 please let me know!
Figure out your why
If, like me,you’re not sure if networking is really your thing (and you would much rather be at home) or something you don’t have experience in, it helps to know why you are doing it.
I credit this point to my Black Females in Architecture Mentor because when she suggested it, it was like I could see clearly and what I could see was that I had given the ‘why’ no thought whatsoever. I had been going to the odd event and posting on LinkedIn but had never thought about why I was doing it. What I was hoping to gain or learn?
For me at the time, I think I was just going because it was something people were doing….? Which is why I wasn’t really sure what I gained from the experience when I got home. For others the most common reason to start networking, especially as an architecture student is most likely to find a job, whether for a first summer job or for those who have been working in a firm and want a bit of a change.
Now, I am not someone who believes you absolutely have to network to find a job but watching creators like Sana Tabassum or Noris Obijiaku aka Mr. Chuck get job offers from their networking skills or content respectively, you can definitely see its potential impact. Thinking about it actually, I would not have been invited to the AIA24 Conference if not for putting myself out there too.
Other reasons to network, if you’re struggling to find your why, could be to learn from others and potentially find a mentor. ArchiWeek at archistudentnotes.com was created to make this resource more accessible but you might want or need a specific mentor potentially from the same background as you or who has come from the same area, maybe does the job you think you want to do and you want to get an insight into what the job actually entails.
Whichever way you look at it, finding your why is your first point of call and potentially the most important step!
FIND AN EVENT
So you have figured out why you want to network and what you hope to gain from it. Great! Now, where are you going to network?
Luckily for you, we live in a technological age so everything is literally at your fingertips, a quick search away.
I personally have found most of the events I have gone to on LinkedIn from a connection or a connection of a connection liking a post, reposting or sharing a post themselves on an event they were looking forward to. This is how I found out about the East Midlands Sustainability Partnership. 4 events over 4 months about sustainable practice in architecture. The website could definitely be more detailed but the LinkedIn posts by Will James and John Morgan from Leonard Designs were detailed, informative and were definitely of interest!
You can also find events very easily on the RIBA website, Eventbrite and archistudentnotes.
The RIBA events page is very easy to navigate with filtering options on the type of event e.g Conference, Tours etc, the category e.g Professional, friends, family etc and Location which is fairly self-explanatory. Each post provides a description and also, the all important cost. A lot of the events are free (Thankfully) but some can get very expensive so make sure to check!
Eventbrite is a very similar website but more general, sharing events from antiques fairs to Club nights. There is however a very handy search bar so type in ‘architecture’ or ‘design’ whatever you are looking for and you can filter down based on location. Eventbrite is great as you can find a lot more local events put on by local or small businesses.
Last but of course not least, is archistudentnotes.com, every so often I will get an email from a company or event wanting to share their event on the website and I also look around on RIBA and Eventbrite myself and pick out some of my favourites to share.
Do Your Research
Another gem from the discussion with my mentor that I had honestly never really thought about is to research as much as your can about what the event is, who will be there and overall just what to expect BEFORE you actually go (I am very happy for you if you this is something you already do, but if it had honestly not crossed my mind.)
It makes so much sense. Yes, you can just turn up and see what happens like I have done in the past but I guarantee that you will feel better and more prepared if you do some research into the event first. Is it a lecture where there won’t be much time for one to one discussions but might be time for questions at the end? Is it perhaps a workshop where prior knowledge of the subject could keep you in a conversation that you may otherwise have been lost in? Or is it a mixer/drinks reception where there are no fixed activities and you will need to put yourself out there and mingle to really get into a conversation?
As an example, for the AIA24 Conference I have put the seminars I would like to visit into my calendar and have written a list of the speakers and what they will be talking about so that before I attend, I can read up on the subject and form an opinion or view beforehand. I am also planning on taking this approach for future university lectures at Part 3 (though I am very much nearing the end of my university education) so I have a bit of background knowledge.
If you don’t think you will have a huge amount of time before your next event, read up on the speaker or subject casually in your downtime, whilst you watch tv or listen to a related podcast whilst you work on other things. If you really have left it to the last minute for whatever reason, read up on the way there or whilst you’re waiting for the event to start.
