Ask any business school graduate about the highlights of their study experience, and they’ll more than likely mention the people they met. In fact, it’s a key reason to attend for many–64 percent of aspiring students rated networking as a top skill they aimed to learn at business school in the 2025 GMAC Prospective Student Survey.
And it’s easy to understand why—new connections might just be the key to elevating your career. At business school level, many of your classmates will have already built networks and may be able to connect you to valuable contacts. You might just find a new business partner, mentor, or even a job opportunity.
Whether you’re signing up for societies, attending specialized networking events, or simply talking to people within your program, there are many ways, both formal and informal, to network at business school.
It’s a core part of the study experience, but networking can also lead to fatigue. According to a study by ESSEC Business School, people who network generally earn faster promotions, gain unique information access, and experience a creativity boost—but they can often end up burnt out. The same can apply to business school.
So, how can you avoid networking fatigue?
Engage in authentic networking
“It’s essential to be intentional with where you invest your energy,” says Tatiana Bassante (pictured), the associate director of Hospitality at H&H Development LLC in Dubai, who graduated from EHL Hospitality Business School with an MSc in Global Hospitality Business. “Attending every event or trying to connect with everyone can quickly become overwhelming. Instead, I focus on people and gatherings that genuinely interest me,” she explains.
In the hospitality industry, networking is crucial, and Tatiana has found prioritizing authenticity sustains her energy and makes each connection more meaningful. She sets loose goals while networking, whether that’s meeting someone from a different area of the industry or connecting with someone who brings a particular background or experience that inspires her.
“Networking can open doors but shouldn’t come at the expense of your balance. If large events drain you, find more personal ways to connect, through shared interests, hobbies, or smaller groups,” she advises.
Tatiana recommends interacting with the alumni network to soften that first interaction. “There’s an immediate sense of common ground and trust that isn’t always present in broader industry associations or workplace networks,” she advises. “With alumni networks, you benefit from educational and professional links, which make conversations more fluid and introductions more accessible.”
Make sure you’re aware of cultural differences
However, there’s no one way of building relationships. As someone with extensive international experience, Tatiana was fascinated by how different European cities interpret networking.
In London, she says, events often revolve around speakers and structured discussions, while in Paris it tends to be more casual and organic. In Greece, she found the community to be smaller and a bit harder to penetrate at first. By contrast, in Dubai, networking happens frequently across a wide range of settings, largely due to its international and expat-driven nature.
Regional differences can be significant, agrees Jānis Vanags (pictured), who graduated from the MBA program at Estonian Business School in June 2025, but what matters most is being respectful of different viewpoints.
“Observe local traditions, notice small details, and approach every country with curiosity and respect,” he advises. Even if you don’t fully understand the culture, an open attitude will carry you far.
It’s essential to talk to people, he says: “Not just academics—talk to taxi drivers, to people on the street. You’ll learn what really matters in a country.”
A speaker and lecturer with more than 15 years of experience in executive board and senior management positions, spanning more than 30 markets in Europe, Africa, and Asia, Jānis already had an established network of his own before starting his MBA.
Gaining access to the business school network complemented Jānis’s pre-existing connections, showing why it’s critical to choose a school in a location that’s relevant for you and to look carefully at the type of professionals it attracts.
For Jānis, this connection is why Estonian Business School felt like a perfect match. “It was also important for me to study in a culture close to my own,” he explains. “Latvians and Estonians have long shared history and a similar mentality, and that creates a special understanding.”
Estonian Business School has a strong start-up network that links into many local businesses. Through this, Jānis connected with people in robotics, micro-mobility, cyber security, and other innovative industries. He also built ties with government organizations involved in investment attraction, transportation, and other key sectors.
Together with Estonian Business School faculty, he turned ideas into real projects—the biggest one being the Nordic Resilience Summit, a historic first event he helped organize. “Beyond work, we’ve built genuine friendships. We enjoy a beer together, go running, and support each other’s projects,” he shares.
Understand Western versus Eastern networking
Cultural differences that influence how you network are not unique to the West. “Cultural differences in networking are very real, especially between Western and Asian contexts,” says Natalia Tobón Tobón (pictured), who recently graduated from the Guanghua-Kellogg Executive MBA, a collaboration between China’s PKU Guanghua School of Management and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, based in the US.
In China, for example, she says people often feel more comfortable speaking first among themselves, so it’s helpful to take the initiative and approach them. “Building relationships takes time, so it’s better to establish first a friendly exchange and follow up later with a clear proposal if there’s mutual interest,” Natalia explains.
In this culture, respect is key. Natalia advises students to show genuine curiosity about their culture and perspectives and not to ask questions that might make someone uncomfortable.
“Beyond China, I’ve learned that every culture values sincerity and respect—being well-informed, open-minded, and consistent are universal principles that make networking both natural and rewarding,” she says.
Because of her internationally focused MBA, Natalia had the opportunity to build a network of students and professors through both PKU and the Kellogg global network. This meant she connected with peers from campuses in Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, and the United States.
“This network expanded my knowledge through meaningful discussions and created long-term professional and collaborative relationships across regions and industries,” she says.
To avoid becoming burnt out, she too recommends approaching networking with a genuine mindset of exchange rather than a focus on performance.
“Before key events, take time to rest and come with good energy; being aware of current topics of interest to the group also helps start authentic conversations,” she says. “During events, allow yourself breaks when you need them. Most importantly, be yourself—authenticity creates stronger and more lasting connections than trying to ‘fake it’.”
Network with purpose
Some students approach networking with a set of goals in mind. As co-founder and chief sales and innovation officer at DeepTech company, Scalnyx, Assaad Al Skaff (pictured) entered his EMBA at ESSEC Business School with a clear vision of what he wanted to achieve.
This clarity helped him steer conversations in a meaningful way and connect the dots between people, ideas, and opportunities.
“Networking with people outside of class has helped to shape my vision as a leader and make the right decisions as an entrepreneur,” he explains. “Every conversation has brought clarity and provided me with direction when things were sometimes blurry.“
But balancing a demanding career, studies, and networking can be challenging, and Assaad found time was becoming a scarce resource.
“Naturally, I had to make choices. I couldn’t attend as many in-person events as I wanted to. But I stayed engaged in other ways, mainly through LinkedIn, professional social channels, and the ESSEC WhatsApp groups,” he says. “That constant flow of insights helped me stay connected and focused, even when my schedule was packed,” he adds.
While fatigue does still sometimes hit, Assaad has reframed his mindset. “I’ve learned to see [fatigue] as part of the journey. Staying rooted in purpose, being selective about where to invest my time, and keeping perspective help me find balance and keep moving forward.”
Focus on what drives you
Vikas Thakker (pictured) is the founder and director of Vintage Brewery UK Ltd. As an entrepreneur, he was clear about what he wanted to gain from networking during his MBA at Kingston Business School.
In entrepreneurship, clarity is key, Vikas states. You must be clear about who you want to connect with and what you want to learn, share, or showcase through that connection. “Many students network without a clear goal, and the discussion often doesn’t go anywhere,” he reveals.
For him, having sustained focus paid off. “Kingston’s strong ties with the Chamber of Commerce helped me build lasting relationships [in distribution and hospitality], and through them I’m now connected with several pubs and restaurants in Kingston,” he says.
Vikas founded the Kingston MBA Business Clinic to connect students with real-world consultancy projects, providing a space where they could showcase their skills and build real connections with companies.
To prevent burnout, Vikas recommends alternative approaches to networking, where networking is less transactional, such as collaborative projects, which allow for sustained conversations over time.
“It becomes about learning, sharing experiences, and finding common ground. The opportunities naturally follow,“ he shares.
Use networking to open doors
It’s important not to underestimate the power of relationship building. Growing up in Germany, Maximilian vom Etser felt like networking was a “process driven” thing to do–something that felt like bothering people.
However, the University of Cologne Master’s in International Management graduate decided to follow a job posting for a one-day workshop at one of Google’s Germany offices, to learn about the company and the office culture. It was here that he networked his way to a job posting at the big tech firm.
A few months and three interviews later he was offered an internship. That internship turned into his now six-year career at Google in Dublin.
“I absolutely underestimated the impact [of networking]” he says. “I can only recommend doing it properly and not being afraid to jump into it. You never know what might come your way, even after the smallest of interactions.”
Although Maximilian is now a strong advocate for networking, he says it should never feel like a burden or necessity, and if you’re feeling overwhelmed and burnt out by it, it may be time to rethink what you’re doing.
“For those people that do want to throw themselves out there—virtually or in person—and want to network, I would recommend doing it intentionally, but not putting too much pressure and expectations in it,” he advises.
Manchester Metropolitan University Business School graduate, Louise Bancroft (pictured), agrees that the strong relationships she has built during her MBA were “a real highlight”.
Since graduating, Louise has gone on to become a Chief HR Officer at Airswift, where she’s continued to draw on her business school network. “Some I’ve since hired, others have become lifelong friends,” she says.
Remember the key is connecting with people
It’s worth remembering that people connect with people. Across all of the students and grads quoted here, a message of authenticity is echoed wherever in the world they’re based.
Of course, Networking can be tiring, but setting goals and intentions can help. Whether this is setting loose goals like Tatiana, or firm goals like Vikas, having these set intentions in your mind can make networking feel less directionless and more enjoyable.
And if traditional networking doesn’t work for you, try something new. The rules around networking are less rigid than you think: take advantage of your school’s alumni network, ask someone for coffee, sign up for societies. You never know where these connections might take you.