How to Connect With Your Professor and (Eventually) Turn That Relationship into a Professional Reference

One of the biggest mistakes students make while they’re in college is not developing meaningful, long-lasting relationships with their professors. For many students, connecting with professors outside the classroom is a daunting process, but there are many reasons why it’s worth taking that extra step to make a new connection.

Professors make for great professional references because they see you in the classroom and have seen the work you’ve produced first hand. They are among your biggest critics, but at the same time, have seen you grow and learn over the semester. Besides this, they are often distinguished individuals in their fields and have a lot of experience in the industry you are looking to enter.

Not all professors will make the perfect professional reference, but you never know when a connection will come in handy down the line. Given some extra effort, you can make a connection that will last a lifetime and open the door to a plethora of professional opportunities. Here are a few tips on how to form a valuable relationship.

Participate and be present in their class.

Professors are drawn to good students. You don’t have to have the highest grade, but as long as you give your 100% and work hard, they will be all the more receptive towards you.

Utilize office hours.

This is cliche, but so important. Office hours are the first step to approaching your professors. They’re very busy most of the time, but their office hours are literally chunks of time they have made free to be available to you. Office hours can be used to talk about classroom concerns, your progress in the course, and any questions/concerns you may have for your professor.

Try to make a connection outside the classroom.

Think about what your professor is involved in. Do they lead a club or organization? Are they a part of something you could join? Or do you have a common interest or hobby? If you make this connection, you will have a reason to stay in contact with the professor even after you finish their class.

Be appreciative.

After the class is over, thank your professor. Visit their office and reflect with them. Have a conversation. It makes an impression – they will not forget you.

Stay in touch.

This doesn’t have to be super complicated. Send emails on a relatively regular basis – every few months will do. Let them know if anything new happens with you, if you get an internship or award, if you are taking an interesting class, anything. Visit their office every now and then and ask how things are going on their end, too.

Eventually, internship and job-hunting season will roll by and you will need references, either in the form of a letter of recommendation or a reference call. But how do you decide if a professor you have a relationship with is the right choice when it comes to applying for professional opportunities?

Assess your relationship with them and decide what kind of recommendation you want.

What can that professor say about you? What do you want them to highlight about you, and can they do that? What sort of reference are you seeking? Are you asking for a letter of recommendation or a reference call? Letters of recommendation are more planned out and speak to your character and work ethic. On other hand, reference calls will require your professor to answer more specific questions on the spot about your experiences or how you work. If you haven’t worked closely with this professor, they might be a better choice for a letter of recommendation. But if you have worked with them closely (maybe they advised you on a project or you assisted them with research) they could be a good choice to put down as a reference for an employer to call.

When in doubt, make sure you ask your professor if they feel they would be able to answer questions about you on the spot. They might prefer to only provide a letter of recommendation .

Approach them IN ADVANCE.

It’s always better to make this request in person. Tell them why you are asking them to be your reference. Give them information about the job or internship opportunity you are applying for. Make their job as easy as possible. After your conversation, follow-up with an email with your resume and a list of your experiences you’d like them to mention or keep in mind as they discuss their own experiences with you. Reiterate the deadline for the recommendation, or give them an idea of when they can expect to hear from an employer via phone.

Follow up respectfully.

While it shouldn’t be a problem with reference calls, be sure to follow-up with your professor about a letter of recommendation if the deadline is approaching and you haven’t heard from them. Be sure to frame this as a gentle reminder of the deadline, rather than asking why they haven’t completed it yet.

Say thank you!

Once your professor writes you a letter of recommendation or acts as a reference, make sure you thank them. This can be something as simple as an email, but an in-person visit, if possible, is always nicer.

If you get the job or internship – great! Be sure to inform your professor and thank them again for helping you land the role. Afterwards, continue to reach out to your professor regularly. It wouldn’t reflect well on you if you stopped communicating with them simply because you’ve achieved your goal. Periodically update them if anything exciting is happening in your job or internship, ask about their work, and continue to build your relationship with them.