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Building your Startup Network

Getting a job or internship at a startup can be all about timing, knowing the right people and having the right skills for the role. 

Large, well-established companies often rely heavily on job boards and big career fairs to recruit students. But the startup world is different—if you want to work in startups, it can be incredibly important for you to connect with the startup scene before or while you are actively job searching. Here are some simple steps you can take to find your community in startups:

  1. Attend Events. There are dozens of events throughout the Denver Metro area each month featuring startups and entrepreneurs. Attend, take interest, ask people about their careers and companies and work on building your network. See below for some events and places to start!

  2. Connect Online. Reach out to folks at startups via LinkedIn or the Forever Buffs Network as an easy way to start. A simple intro can kick things off: “Hello! I’m a student a CU Boulder looking to get into startups and I found your professional experience really interesting. Would you be open to connecting for 15-30 minutes?” During a conversation, don’t ask for jobs—instead ask questions them about their career path, if they have tips to share and what skillsets they feel are important.

  3. Find a Mentor. Building rapport with someone over months and years can create a lot of opportunities for you in your life. There are hundreds of business leaders mentoring Buffs every year, and mentorship programs throughout campus including through Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Forever Buffs Network.

Here are some upcoming and local events you might just want to check out:

Connecting with folks you meet on LinkedIn can be a great way to build and maintain your network. Have any questions about networking? Career Services is here to help via appointments and workshops! Happy networking!

Students and company representatives meet during the Fall Startups2Students event