{"id":14135,"date":"2018-03-31T12:18:24","date_gmt":"2018-03-31T12:18:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hnews.hult.edu\/?p=14135"},"modified":"2026-05-08T19:09:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T18:09:09","slug":"network-zero-to-600","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/network-zero-to-600\/","title":{"rendered":"Zero to 600 in a year: Reflecting on the network I grew as a Masters student"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summer 2016. I was fresh out of my bachelor\u2019s degree and excited to set off to San Francisco to earn my Masters in International Business<\/a>\u00a0at Hult. I would be 5,351 miles away from home, with a new city to explore. I was turning over a new leaf in life\u2014a fresh start<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

Two weeks to departure and my heart began to sink as reality started setting in: 5,351 miles is an awfully long distance to travel home for Sunday dinners or to drop off my laundry. One week to go and it dawned on me that I was going to be on a different continent, in a completely different country, in a place that I have never been to.<\/p>\n

On the flight to California, I had the realization that I would be arriving in a city where I didn’t know a single person<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Arriving on campus<\/h3>\n

As an introverted extrovert, I was worried that it would take me awhile to settle in and connect with all these new people. But boy, was I wrong.<\/strong> On the first day, my anxiety completely vanished when I realized that every single person I met was in the exact same boat as I was in: we knew no one, so we were open to getting to know everyone.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Paula's
New Hult friends at the All White Boat Party.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At Hult, I was surrounded by determined students, bold thinkers, status-quo breakers, big dreamers, and beautiful minds. It was irresistible and inevitable to bond with my peers outside of the classroom. At the end of every module, I realized that my teammates had become like family\u2014you don\u2019t choose them, but you grow to love them!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“I realized that every single person I met was in the exact same boat as I was in: we knew no one, so we were open to getting to know everyone.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/h3>\n

Immersion in diversity<\/h3>\n

In hindsight, it’s safe to say that the Hult curriculum put me in situations that expanded my comfort zone and, as a result, expanded my network.<\/p>\n

At Hult, I worked in teams where each team member was from an entirely different country. I learned first-hand about effective communication with people from different cultures, who had varied attitudes towards work. It wasn\u2019t always easy, but I could identify a piece of myself in people that I thought I wouldn’t have anything in common with.<\/p>\n

“It wasn\u2019t always easy, but I could identify a piece of myself in people that I thought I wouldn’t have anything in common with.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Making connections: workshops & events<\/h3>\n

During my studies, the Career Development Team set up a series of useful events. From perfecting my LinkedIn profile to pitching my personal value proposition, I attended workshops that ended up playing a pivotal role in building my professional network.<\/p>\n

Tickets to networking events that would otherwise cost up to $200 USD were also made available to students who were interested. I took advantage of this as much as I could.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I also took advantage of the free, customized business cards provided by Student Services. And I\u2019m glad I did, because this tiny piece of card made a significant difference in representing myself professionally.\u00a0 San Francisco offers an abundance of networking opportunities with CEOs, entrepreneurs, and recruiters\u2014all of whom are all valuable to a business student’s network. It’s always good to have a business card to hand.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Fashion
Fashion and Business Club event with Alex O’Neill, former Visual Director at Vogue<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Strengthening my new network<\/h3>\n

Prior to living in San Francisco, the concept of networking was completely new to me. Never in a million years would I have imagined that I’d grow a network of approximately 600 professionals. Or that I would make life-long friends and meet influential mentors\u2014all in one year<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This was all thanks to my newly formed Hult family, an all-star LinkedIn profile, my value-proposition elevator pitch, business cards, and the occasional free ticket to a networking event.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking ahead<\/h3>\n

After my year at Hult, the popular saying \u201cThe world is your oyster<\/em>\u201d went from being a just another catchy phrase to becoming a reality. My personal and professional network now spans approximately 50 countries in a diverse array of industries.<\/p>\n

\"Paula's
Lifelong friends: sharing photos and a multicultural meal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So, why did I focus so much energy on growing a global professional network? Times are changing.<\/strong> Considering the exponential advancement in technology, globalization is inevitable. Likewise, it’s important to evolve professionally so you don’t get left behind.<\/p>\n

While building my network, I engaged in conversations that expanded my perspective on what business may look like in the future. Growing a global network plays a vital role in opening doors and discovering opportunities<\/strong> that you may not have been aware of otherwise.<\/p>\n

As a young professional who is truly open to the opportunities that the whole world has to offer, I’m positive that my professional network will play a vital role in the evolution of my career.<\/p>\n

“After my year at Hult, the popular saying ‘The world is your oyster’<\/em>\u00a0evolved from being a just another catchy phrase to becoming a reality.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

To learn more about the life-changing experiences that await at Hult,\u00a0<\/b>download a brochure<\/strong><\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

Hult offers a range of highly skills-focused and employability-driven business school programs<\/a> including a range of MBA options and a comprehensive one year Masters in International Business<\/a>. To find out more, take a look at our blog Networking on campus: Hult London hosts Career Connections Forum<\/a>. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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