By Kristian Tofilovski

“How important is networking in this program?”

This was the first question I remember hearing a student ask at my program orientation at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) three years ago.

“Very,” a faculty member replied. That terrified me. I was already worrying over how academically-challenging university would be. Now, I was reeling over having zero LinkedIn connections.

After nearly four years of university, I’ve learned I’m not the only one.

“I think it’s really hard to find a job unless you know someone,” said Annam Okutinyang, a master of digital media student at TMU.

A 2026 survey by Express Employment Professionals found that 82 per cent of Canadian job seekers consider networking important for getting a foot in the door, while 21 per cent reported receiving a job offer through networking.

Okutinyang said the difficulty of finding a job without professional connections puts pressure on students to network, particularly online. According to the survey, 83 per cent of Gen Z job seekers use online networking platforms.

However, she said worries  this may encourage students to prioritize quantity over quality, leaving them with hundreds of connections but few meaningful professional relationships.

“I thought once I got 500-plus LinkedIn connections, all my problems would go away, but nothing happened. It’s just that you have 500 connections,” said Okutinyang.

The pressure also extends to in-person interactions. Aliya Shoaib Alam, a first-year business management student, said TikTok videos offering networking advice often push students beyond basic professionalism, prescribing rigid ways to dress and behave to impress potential connections.

“It makes me feel like I’m not being as authentic when I’m coming to network,” she said. “I feel like there’s a certain way that I have to win this person over, as though it’s a game rather than me just meeting someone.”

I’ve felt this way, too. I remember wearing a white collared shirt to my very first coffee chat, buttoned all the way to the top, after reading online that it would come across as professional. We were in a Starbucks.

I still cringe at how I tried to weave words like “passionate” and “driven” into my answers. I was 16.

I was so focused on sounding professional I barely felt like myself. Instead of having a conversation, I felt like I was performing for someone I wanted to impress. By the end, I was convinced they had seen right through my act, and I was too embarrassed to speak with them again.

Looking back, I think much of that pressure came from my own insecurities. As students, we sometimes feel the need to present ourselves as more experienced than we are, forgetting that the professionals we’re speaking with generally understand we’re still learning. I’ve since learned to give myself a little more grace. 

For some students, the answer isn’t to abandon networking altogether, but to approach it differently.

Saachi Berma, a master of digital media student, recommended starting with friends who may know people in their desired industries. As an introvert, Berma said these mutual connections make networking feel more natural and less like having to sell herself.

“I’m also a big fan of cold emailing people,” she added. “I’ve done it for big companies, small companies, and it does work sometimes.”

When applying for internships this summer, I looked beyond traditional job postings and cold emailed people at companies that hadn’t advertised internship opportunities. Most responded, with some even offering to create a position for me.

Finding a niche can mean less competition from other students. With a minor in public relations and an interest in the death care industry, I reached out to a funeral home’s communications department. Although they couldn’t offer me a position at the time, the conversation gave me a better understanding of the industry, and I was encouraged to reach out again if I saw a job posting that interested me.

Students don’t always have to look outside the classroom to build professional relationships. Daniel Tut, an associate professor in finance at TMU, said he encouraged students to use office hours and ask thoughtful questions about career paths, industry qualifications and opportunities beyond the classroom. He said he’s more inclined to help students who show genuine interest in their field, even if they don’t earn top grades.

“You shouldn’t just look at your professor as a one-semester investment,” Tut said. He said he inspired students to maintain those relationships after their courses end, noting that professors can continue connecting them with industry professionals and offering career advice.

You’re not alone in feeling that networking can sometimes become more about proving yourself than getting to know each other. Students are starting to realize that meaningful connections have less to do with how many people you know—it’s about how you get to know them.