The 3 best ways new college graduates can expand their professional networks, according to a LinkedIn career expert

As a new class of college graduates go forth in the world to start their professional lives, they might find themselves trying to navigate a labor market that is increasingly hostile to entry-level workers. Standing out in a crowded applicant pool is essential, but many of this new generation of graduates is feeling lost when it comes to networking.

More than a third (38%) of U.S. Gen Z workers say networking makes them anxious, according to a survey of 2,000 working professionals in the U.S., conducted by Strand Partners for LinkedIn. Another 37% say they avoid networking because they don’t know how to start. And separate survey for LinkedIn found that 16% of Gen Zs say contacting people directly, like a recruiter or an old colleague, is one of the hardest parts of the job search. That’s especially true for young people who were forced to spend some of their college years isolated from peers due to the pandemic. 

“I have a lot of empathy for the fact that people don’t necessarily know how to network, particularly younger people,” Andrew McCaskill, a career expert at LinkedIn who mentors graduates, tells Fortune. “They’ve spent the first few years of their professional lives during COVID, so they often can come at it with a little bit of awkwardness.”

But as long as graduates follow a few simple best practices, building a professional network doesn’t need to be stressful. McCaskill recommends entry-level workers begin by networking with the people they know, regardless of whether or not they’re in the same desired industry. 

“Start with those close to you first, and then branch out,” he says. “Practice on people that are sort of already predispositioned to want to help you and want to be in your network.”

It’s also crucial to remember that contacts, regardless of whether or not they’re at a top company or an industry leader, can be useful in other ways, like making personal introductions or even speaking up for a candidate’s soft skills, he notes. 

Second, it’s okay to do a cold outreach, as long as there’s context around the reason for doing so. But McCaskill cautions that those messages should be brief. “Busy people need specificity,” he says. “They don’t need to know your entire life story, just a snippet of what your goals are and what you bring to the table.”

And finally, he notes, compliments aren’t necessary to network, but they certainly help. Expressing admiration for someone’s career or a certain project they worked on can show interest and a willingness to do a bit of research. 

“I think one of the things that people don’t say, but I will say it out loud, is that oftentimes a little bit of flattery goes a long way,” says McCaskill. “That’s just human nature.”

Brit Morse
brit.morse@fortune.com

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