Building a professional network in psychology as an undergraduate
When it comes to professional networking, it’s never too early to start. While building a professional network is a valuable skill for professionals in any industry, it can also be useful to students working to establish reputations, diversify knowledge and pursue educational opportunities outside the classroom. As an undergraduate working toward a bachelor’s degree in psychology, establishing meaningful professional relationships can lead to an enhanced educational experience and a foundation for future success.
While the process of making professional connections can seem time-consuming and daunting, remember that building a professional network is an ongoing process. If you’re intentional about building a professional network, it will likely become a “work in progress” that will form and change to reflect your interests, experience and goals as a student and future professional in the field of psychology.
“As an undergraduate, the prospect of reaching out and connecting with faculty and other professionals may seem quite intimidating. However, as with most things, networking gets easier with practice, and the potential rewards are well worth the effort,” said Dmitry Tsukerman, PhD, Director of the Social Ecology Field Study Program at the University of California, Irvine.
As you learn and execute the process of building a professional network, you will find that your efforts are worthwhile. Having this resource can be especially valuable as you begin to make key decisions involving your professional journey in the field of psychology.
“Networking as a psychology student can have many great benefits, both immediate and down the line. First, these connections can offer valuable advice on navigating career pathways, graduate school options and the skills or experiences most valued in specific psychology-related roles. Having meaningful conversations with those in the field can help you make the most of your time as an undergrad by gaining the right experience and increasing your chances for success in your post-graduate journey,” explained Tsukerman.
Having a broad range of professional connections can also make a difference when you’re ready to take the type of actions necessary to move on to a master’s degree or doctorate in psychology. “Through networking, you can also learn about potential job openings, internships or research assistant positions that may not be publicly advertised. For most graduate programs in psychology, prior experience is required, whether it is working in a research lab or directly with people in a helping capacity. Building a positive relationship and reputation with other undergraduates, grad students, faculty and other psychology professionals can put you on their mental shortlist when an opportunity arises. Lastly, faculty and professional networks will also be of great benefit to you when seeking strong letters of recommendation for graduate school or other pursuits,” said Tsukerman.
Who to include in your professional network
Knowing who to include in your professional network can help you make the most of your connections when you need support. Seeking out professionals with whom you have something in common can make it easier to establish these connections. It can also make it more likely that you will be able to contribute in some way to your relationships, which can help maintain them.
“[Deciding on who to include in your professional network] depends on how concrete a student’s post-graduation goals are. For students with very specific goals and interests, some connections are more relevant than others (e.g., connecting with faculty researchers for those pursuing a research-based grad program),” said Tsukerman.
You can start to build a professional network even if you don’t have a specific pathway in mind. If you’re unsure about where to begin, starting within your comfort zone may be a good way to test the waters. As you build confidence and refine your interests, you can pursue a more diverse professional network that aligns with your goals.
You can start to build a professional network even if you don’t have a specific pathway in mind.
I think that the best general advice is to seek out a diverse range of professionals to build a well-rounded network; this opens up the biggest range of potential opportunities and pathways to pursue,” said Tsukerman. He suggests that students consider making connections with the following types of psychology professionals:
- Psychology faculty members
- Academic advisors
- Grad students and researchers who can provide guidance on academic and career goals
- Practicing psychologists in fields such as clinical, counseling, industrial-organizational or forensic psychology to gain insights into specific career paths
- Alumni working in psychology-related roles who can share their experiences transitioning from college to the workforce
- Professionals in related fields like social work, education, human resources
- or public health to explore some adjacent career opportunities
“Engaging with these individuals, even through a simple informational interview, can lead to valuable advice and the potential for mentorship relationships and connections to internships or jobs,” said Tsukerman.
Ways to build a professional network
As an undergraduate psychology student, you won’t have to look far when you’re ready to build your professional network. It’s likely that your school offers many established resources for both in-person and online psychology students. However, it’s up to you to seek them out and take advantage of them.
“Students can attend campus-hosted career panels and internship/career fairs. They can join psychology-focused clubs or organizations, such as Psi Chi, which provide opportunities to connect with like-minded students and faculty. Students should make the effort to attend faculty and graduate student office hours where they can make strong impressions and solicit advice about preparing for graduate school and careers in psychology,” said Tsukerman.
As you progress, utilize a variety of communication methods to create the most diverse professional network beyond your institution. “Digital platforms like LinkedIn allow students to connect with professionals, join industry-specific groups and access job or internship postings from anywhere, broadening their reach. Similarly, digital communications such as through email, phone calls or video calls are often more practical and time efficient for busy professionals and could be the best way for students to connect and engage with them,” said Tsukerman.
While online professional networking may be more comfortable and convenient, it’s also important to make the effort to pursue in-person encounters. “When possible, in-person networking through events like career fairs, conferences, workshops, and faculty office hours helps students build personal rapport, practice communication skills, and make lasting impressions. Sometimes, simply introducing yourself in person and then following up with digital communications can be the best of both worlds,” said Tsukerman. “Combining these approaches [digital and in-person] ensures students maximize opportunities to connect with mentors, potential employers and peers in the psychology field.”
You will also benefit by pursuing opportunities to interact with psychology students, educators, researchers and others in the field by joining professional psychology organizations. Many of these organizations, such as the American Psychological Association (APA), offer discounted rates that allow students to use member-only benefits. Depending on the organization, this can include access to job boards, professional journals, industry news updates and member conferences.
Participating in professional organizations can also make it easier to identify and attend in-person networking events. “If possible, students should attend psychology conferences where they can connect with hundreds of other undergraduate and graduate students with similar interests and with faculty and other leaders in the field. I believe that the great potential for quality connections and knowledge of current trends in the field makes attending psychology conferences a worthwhile pursuit whether or not a student is actually presenting or participating in the formal programming,” said Tsukerman.
If attending a psychology conference is impractical for your student schedule, remember that all types of professional interactions can help to build your professional network. “Volunteering, internships and research assistant positions are excellent ways to work alongside faculty and professionals and to gain practical experience to bolster graduate school applications and resumes,” said Tsukerman.
Reaping the rewards
Building a professional network takes time and patience, so don’t expect overnight results. You’re likely to benefit from your efforts if you stay the course. Being intentional about building a professional network as an undergraduate can help you make the most of your connections as you seek current opportunities and form the foundation for your future career.
“Remember that each new connection you make is like putting another raffle ticket in for a prize drawing—your chances for success increase and increase,” said Tsukerman. “Every day, a position or an opportunity opens up and a student is needed to fill the role. When this happens, people often reach out to their colleagues to see whether anyone knows of a qualified student for the position. Each and every time that you engage in a networking opportunity, you should have the goal in mind of being that student that they will think of the next time they get an email asking whether they might know someone fit for the job.”