Here's how you can connect with industry leaders as an intern.

Do your research to identify leaders in your chosen field - social media, such as LinkedIn, is a great tool for this. Utilise your network to identify someone you know who has a relationship with a leader you would like to connect with. Most corporates in Australia offer mentor programs, so make use of these programs. Once you've connected, be bold and outline what you'd like to achieve in your career.

I started my Google career as an intern in 2006 in London and stayed on for 12 more years. The secret of a successful internship there? Genuine curiosity and enthusiasm. I loved learning all about the company, watching All Hands, reading presentations, lots of coffees with mentors...and trying to help however I could with the limited knowledge I had. Creating and tweaking presentations and doing research was a great way to earn credibility, which led to bigger and better projects.

Connecting with industry leaders as an intern involves a few key steps: Attend Industry Events: Participate in conferences, webinars, and networking events to meet leaders. Leverage Social Media: Follow and engage with industry leaders on platforms like LinkedIn. Seek Mentorship: Reach out to potential mentors for guidance and advice. Show Initiative: Demonstrate a proactive attitude and a willingness to learn. Ask for Introductions: Utilize your existing network to get introductions to industry leaders. Share Valuable Content: Post and share relevant content to attract attention and showcase your knowledge. By following these steps, an intern can build valuable connections with industry leaders.

Following up with individuals you meet at networking events is crucial for building lasting relationships and establishing a professional network. This follow-up demonstrates your genuine interest and commitment, transforming initial introductions into meaningful connections. It allows for deeper engagement, mutual value exchange, and collaboration opportunities. Additionally, consistent follow-up helps keep you top of mind, facilitating potential future partnerships, mentorship, or business opportunities. Overall, it strengthens your professional presence and can lead to valuable long-term relationships.

As an intern, connecting with industry leaders can be effectively done by leveraging industry events such as conferences, seminars and networking meetups. Attending these events provides opportunities to engage directly with leaders in your field, ask insightful questions and establish meaningful connections. Actively participating in discussions and following up with personalized LinkedIn messages or email exchanges can further solidify these connections, demonstrating your enthusiasm and interest in learning from experienced professionals in the industry.

To connect with industry leaders as an intern, utilize social media platforms like LinkedIn effectively. Follow industry influencers and leaders, engage with their posts by commenting thoughtfully and share relevant content to demonstrate your knowledge and interest. Reach out with personalized messages to initiate conversations or ask for advice. Join industry-specific groups and participate in discussions to expand your network and showcase your enthusiasm for learning and contributing to the industry.

LinkedIn is arguably the best platform to connect with Leaders and experienced professionals. Here are my two cents - 1. When sending connection requests on LinkedIn, personalise your message. Do not copy paste and use the same message for every person you're trying to connect with. 2. Be crisp. There are a lot of people reaching out to leaders for support, work, mentorship etc. Take your time to draft a message that is to the point.

Figure out ways you can help potential mentors too to make it a two-way, win-win relationship. Two examples of where interns can help experienced executives: 1 - New Technology - people who have been in the workforce for a while might feel like they are less in touch with new technologies such as social media. Offer to teach them about emerging tech that the next generation is adopting. 2 - Recruiting - firms are constantly looking for how to position themselves better in recruiting from campuses etc.. Give an assessment of what is working and not from the student perspective.