Impressing your Professor It takes more than shiny apples on professors’ desk to impress them. The easiest way to impress professors is to get to know them. If you do not attempt to get to know your professors as individuals you will never know what traits they esteem more than others in their students. Some professors like students who are active in class discussions, others like students who take the time to come them in their office after class to discuss the lecture. What one professor may find flattering another may find offensive. That is why getting to know your professors as individuals is important for your education and your future networking possibilities.
Getting to Know Your Professors You need to introduce yourself to your professors after your first class with them. They may not remember your name the first time around, but by introducing yourself you show that you care. All professors want students to care about the subject they are teaching—that is a bankable fact. If you take the initiative to show you care on the first day, professors are more likely to show they care for you in return. Visit your professors during their office hours at least once every couple of weeks. Take this time to talk about concepts that interested or confused you during class. Also use office hours to discuss your previous homework and exams and how you can do better. It is not unusual for these meetings to devolve in to lengthy philosophical discussion about the topic at hand. It is in these after class discussions that you come to know your professor and your professor come to know you. Also be sure to complete the assigned reading as well as any extracurricular reading you find interesting. Being able to discuss in-depth the topics of the course is always a good way to impress your professor. The more ideas and concepts you share with your professors the more likely you will be able to have meaningful conversations with them.
Networking Basically the more you engage with your professors inside and outside of the class the more likely they are to remember you, listen to you and help you with your coursework. Hopefully by the end of the semester because of this constant interaction you will not only passed the
class with flying colors but you will have fostered a mentoring relationship with your professor. Because of the time an effort you have spent fostering this relationship, you now have a mentor is your career field that can help you navigate and network with industry contacts when it comes time to find a job. Although your professor may teach at a university and at times they can seem out of touch with the real world, you will be amazed at the people they know and the contacts they can help you make. So take the time to get know your professors and cater to their personalities and tastes. By the time the semester is over you will created a mentor could help you network your way to your dream job. Photo Credit: mzacha , gerard79