3 answers
Rayne
Student
Bridgeport, Connecticut
1
Question
Updated
500 views
As a first-gen, low-income student who wants to build a creative, entrepreneurial career, what’s the most impactful step I can take right now to create opportunities without existing networks or resources? #Fall25
I’m a first-gen, low-income business major trying to figure out how to build a career and create opportunities and connections. I’m eager to learn what steps actually matter early on, especially for someone interested in entrepreneurship.#Fall25
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3 answers
Rick Kneisley
Retired Investment Broker and Investment Sales Manager
33
Answers
Georgetown, Texas
Updated
Rick’s Answer
Rayne,
Great question. And yes, I absolutely believe in networking, and my answer for you is LinkedIn. I found CareerVillage through LinkedIn a year ago, and since then I’ve answered 29 students’ questions with over 36,000 reads by students around the world. That alone shows the power of the LinkedIn platform. It is not just a job search app!
Today there are over one billion people on LinkedIn. This is where opportunity now lives. But you will be zeroing in on those in your chosen field of career-interest. A much smaller number of members.
Looking back over my entire career, every truly meaningful opportunity came through relationships, not résumés. I once believed hard work alone opened doors. Hard work matters, but relationships are what actually turn the handle.
The most powerful thing you can understand about networking is this: it is not asking for a job. It is showing genuine interest in others, asking thoughtful questions, sharing what you’re learning, and being a positive presence. Over time, people begin to recognize your name. Trust forms quietly. And trust is the true currency of opportunity. LinkedIn is where those first impressions now grow.
Here’s a truth I learned too late: you don’t start networking when you urgently need a job. You start long before you need one. Build relationships when there is no pressure, no agenda, and nothing to ask for. Stay visible. Stay kind. Stay curious. Let people watch you grow.
One day, when opportunity shows up, you won’t be reaching out to strangers. You’ll be reaching out to people who already know your name, and that changes everything. Join and start sending out connect requests. No cost!
Would love to have you check out my work to see how it's done.
LinkedIn - Rick Kneisley
Great question. And yes, I absolutely believe in networking, and my answer for you is LinkedIn. I found CareerVillage through LinkedIn a year ago, and since then I’ve answered 29 students’ questions with over 36,000 reads by students around the world. That alone shows the power of the LinkedIn platform. It is not just a job search app!
Today there are over one billion people on LinkedIn. This is where opportunity now lives. But you will be zeroing in on those in your chosen field of career-interest. A much smaller number of members.
Looking back over my entire career, every truly meaningful opportunity came through relationships, not résumés. I once believed hard work alone opened doors. Hard work matters, but relationships are what actually turn the handle.
The most powerful thing you can understand about networking is this: it is not asking for a job. It is showing genuine interest in others, asking thoughtful questions, sharing what you’re learning, and being a positive presence. Over time, people begin to recognize your name. Trust forms quietly. And trust is the true currency of opportunity. LinkedIn is where those first impressions now grow.
Here’s a truth I learned too late: you don’t start networking when you urgently need a job. You start long before you need one. Build relationships when there is no pressure, no agenda, and nothing to ask for. Stay visible. Stay kind. Stay curious. Let people watch you grow.
One day, when opportunity shows up, you won’t be reaching out to strangers. You’ll be reaching out to people who already know your name, and that changes everything. Join and start sending out connect requests. No cost!
Would love to have you check out my work to see how it's done.
LinkedIn - Rick Kneisley
Yasmin Mohamed Alamin
Clinical Nutrition Student
63
Answers
Cairo, Cairo Governorate, Egypt
Updated
Yasmin’s Answer
Hi Rayne👋🏻...
When you don’t come from money or connections, the most powerful thing you can build early on is visible proof of what you can do. Not a fancy network, not a perfect business plan—proof.
The fastest way to do that is to pick one small creative or entrepreneurial idea and turn it into something people can actually see: a mini project, a page, a short product, a case study, a service you offer, or a problem you solve for someone in your community. It doesn’t have to be big. It just has to be real.
This kind of “work in public” becomes your network. People notice. They ask questions. They share your work. They recommend you. Opportunities start coming from places you’ve never even heard of.
You can start building this evidence right now:
Design a simple brand for a local student club. Offer to redesign the menu for a small café. Create a weekly business breakdown on Instagram or LinkedIn. Volunteer to help a nonprofit with content or logistics. Build a tiny prototype of a product idea and document the process. Each small project becomes a doorway.
As a first-gen student, your advantage is that you’re already used to figuring things out without a roadmap. Entrepreneurship is exactly that. You don’t need a powerful network to begin—you build one by showing what you’re capable of.
One real project can open more doors than a year of “trying to meet the right people.” Start there, and everything else grows from it.
When you don’t come from money or connections, the most powerful thing you can build early on is visible proof of what you can do. Not a fancy network, not a perfect business plan—proof.
The fastest way to do that is to pick one small creative or entrepreneurial idea and turn it into something people can actually see: a mini project, a page, a short product, a case study, a service you offer, or a problem you solve for someone in your community. It doesn’t have to be big. It just has to be real.
This kind of “work in public” becomes your network. People notice. They ask questions. They share your work. They recommend you. Opportunities start coming from places you’ve never even heard of.
You can start building this evidence right now:
Design a simple brand for a local student club. Offer to redesign the menu for a small café. Create a weekly business breakdown on Instagram or LinkedIn. Volunteer to help a nonprofit with content or logistics. Build a tiny prototype of a product idea and document the process. Each small project becomes a doorway.
As a first-gen student, your advantage is that you’re already used to figuring things out without a roadmap. Entrepreneurship is exactly that. You don’t need a powerful network to begin—you build one by showing what you’re capable of.
One real project can open more doors than a year of “trying to meet the right people.” Start there, and everything else grows from it.
Thank you so much for this!! It really helped and gave me a new way to think about things. I appreciate you.
Rayne
Ann C
Learning & Development, Software, Administrative, Tech, Systems
52
Answers
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Ann’s Answer
Rick, I agree with everything you said. I’ll add this: never be afraid to ask for help from anyone. And if they offer on their own, take it!
Take advantage of any free resources that you can find. There are all kinds of free classes online and people who are always willing to teach you something. If you have a local community app like next-door, that’s also a great place to reach out for help, as long as you are cautious and don’t give too much personal information online.
Wishing you the best, you’ve got this, I believe in you.
Take advantage of any free resources that you can find. There are all kinds of free classes online and people who are always willing to teach you something. If you have a local community app like next-door, that’s also a great place to reach out for help, as long as you are cautious and don’t give too much personal information online.
Wishing you the best, you’ve got this, I believe in you.