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How to Build a Professional Network While Studying in Nepal
A practical checklist for +2 and bachelor students: volunteering, campus try-spaces, and follow-ups. From Future of Work Ep. 1 with Prashant Pokharel.
By Prerana Shrestha · Career Editor, The StudyPort · · Updated
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Knowing that “network matters” does not tell you what to do on Tuesday after class. This piece is the how-to companion to Future of Work Ep. 1 with Prashant Pokharel: concrete moves you can run while you are still a student in Nepal.
How do you build a professional network while studying?
Build a student network by stacking small, repeated collaborations: volunteer on campus events, join try-spaces your college already funds, keep light notes on people you meet, and follow up with value before you ask for internships. Prashant’s path (event volunteering, student-run tournaments, returning to work in Nepal) is a map of reps, not a single lucky introduction.
A 6-week starter plan
- Week 1: Audit your current circle. List 10 people who already study or work in fields you care about. Message two of them with a specific question.
- Week 2: Join one official activity. Clubs, sports, cultural events, tech societies. Prefer roles with a task (tickets, logistics, content).
- Week 3: Create or join a try-space. Prashant describes campuses that let students run inter-college basketball and music competitions when students owned the work and faculty backed infrastructure. Propose one small version at your campus.
- Week 4: Capture learning publicly. A short LinkedIn or Facebook post about what you ran or learned makes you findable.
- Week 5: Ask for a shadow day. Not “hire me.” Ask to watch how someone spends a workday.
- Week 6: Introduce two people to each other. Being a bridge is how networks compound.
Campus vs self-made opportunities
| Source | Strength | Risk if you only use this |
|---|---|---|
| College-provided | Structure, rooms, sometimes free courses | You wait for the college to “give” a career |
| Self-made | Fits your goals, builds ownership | Easy to stall without accountability |
| External community | Broader industry contact | Harder to enter without a warm intro |
Prashant is blunt that academics are the basic qualifier, but the distinctive value of an education institution is the environment where students can explore. If your campus will not create that, build a smaller version with three friends and publish the work.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to study abroad to have a strong network?
No. Prashant returned to Nepal by design and notes that many peers also choose to come back. Abroad can expand your network, but Nepal networks form around shared work here: consultancies, campuses, communities, and companies hiring locally.
How do I message someone without sounding desperate?
Lead with context and a narrow ask: “I volunteered at X event and I’m exploring Y. Could I ask two questions about how you started?” Avoid “hello sir/ma’am” with no substance (a hiring pet peeve that also appears in later Future of Work episodes).
What if my college has almost no clubs?
Start a micro-project: a weekly problem-solving circle, a GitHub study group, or a campus newsletter. Invite one faculty member as a lightweight sponsor. The network forms around the project.
Get personal guidance
If you want help turning this checklist into a plan for your campus and career path, talk with The StudyPort team in Baneshwor.
Next step
Talk to The StudyPort