Why Networking During a BBA Can Shape Your Career Long Before Graduation

Around 73% of employers surveyed planned to hire freshers during January–June 2026. (Business Standard) However, their hiring decisions were being guided more by internships and real project experience than academic marks alone.

This raises an important question for every BBA student. How can you gain experience when you are still studying?

Networking can become one part of the answer. It does not mean collecting hundreds of contacts or sending messages to unknown people daily. It means slowly building useful relationships with classmates, seniors, teachers, alumni, entrepreneurs and professionals.

These relationships can help you understand the business world before you enter it.

Many students think networking is required only during the final year. By then, they may suddenly start searching for internships, referrals and career advice. This makes the whole process look stressful and artificial.

Starting early feels more natural. A first-year student can begin by speaking with seniors, joining college activities and asking teachers about different industries. There is no pressure to ask for a job. The main purpose is to learn.

Early conversations may help students understand what people actually do in marketing, finance, human resources, analytics or supply chain roles. Such clarity is useful because classroom subjects sometimes explain concepts, but professionals explain how those concepts work in offices and markets.

A student who starts early also gets enough time to improve. One conversation may show that communication needs work. Another may introduce a useful certification, competition or project. Small improvements made across three years can create better career readiness.

A professional network does not begin only with senior managers. It often starts with people who are already around the student.

They may later work in different industries and share opportunities, ideas or project knowledge.

They can explain internship processes, interview rounds and mistakes they faced as freshers.

Teachers may guide students towards competitions, research work, live projects and industry events.

A short conversation after a session can provide practical knowledge about a job role.

They can offer feedback on workplace behaviour, communication and performance.

They may help students understand how businesses handle customers, money, operations and risk./p>

Selecting from different BBA specialisations can be difficult. A course name may look attractive, but students may not clearly know what its daily work involves.

For example, a student interested in digital marketing may imagine that the field is mainly about social media posting. A conversation with a working professional may introduce areas such as campaign planning, customer data, search marketing and performance measurement.

In the same way, students considering financial management can learn whether they enjoy numbers, reports and market study. Those interested in human resources can understand that the field includes employee engagement, learning, policies and workforce planning, apart from recruitment.

Networking gives students real viewpoints. However, one person’s experience should not become the only basis for a decision. Students should speak with different people, study the curriculum and consider their own strengths before selecting a specialisation.

Events become more useful when students participate rather than just attend. A management fest, business simulation or pitch competition can bring students into contact with teammates, judges, mentors and speakers.

Students can use such occasions to:

• Introduce themselves in two or three clear lines
• Ask one relevant question about the speaker’s field
• Participate in organising teams and business contests
• Connect later with a polite reminder of where they met
• Share useful work instead of immediately asking for an internship

For example, a student taking part in a pitch battle may meet someone with good knowledge of finance. Another student managing registrations may improve coordination and professional communication. These interactions often look small, but they can build confidence.

Parul University offers BBA programmes in areas such as Data Analytics, Digital Marketing, Financial Management, and many more. It also offers BBA (Hons.) in Investment Management with CFA preparation and an Integrated BBA + MBA pathway.

Students who have passed Class 12 in any stream with English as a subject from a recognised board can apply for these specialised programmes.

The learning experience also includes platforms where students can meet people and observe business thinking. Intern Nation Leadership Tours have previously taken students to cities such as Mumbai, Goa, Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad for industry exposure.

Events such as UDYAM, a national-level management fest, and BBA Bazaar include pitch battles, simulations and expert speaker sessions. Such activities can help students practise teamwork, ask industry-focused questions and understand how business ideas are presented.

Still, simply being present is not enough. Students gain more when they volunteer, speak, participate and remain in touch with the people they meet.