Making Your Own Luck: Why March Is the Perfect Month to Network

 March has a certain energy to it. Maybe it’s the promise of spring, maybe it’s the cultural obsession with “luck,” or maybe it’s just the academic calendar quietly reminding us that graduation is closer than it feels. For students, March isn’t just another month on the calendar, it’s a pivotal window of opportunity.

While four-leaf clovers and lucky charms get a lot of attention this time of year, success after college rarely comes down to chance. More often, it comes down to relationships. And relationships are built through intentional networking. 

By junior and senior year, students have done much of the foundational work: declared majors, built skills, maybe completed an internship or two. But as hiring timelines accelerate and graduate school deadlines approach, connections start to matter more than ever. Networking isn’t about handing out business cards or delivering polished elevator pitches at every opportunity. At its core, it’s about conversations, curiosity, and staying in touch. The “luck” students often attribute to others — landing an internship, hearing about a job opening, receiving a strong recommendation — usually traces back to someone who remembered them, thought of them, or advocated for them. That’s not luck. That’s relationship-building. 

March sits at an interesting crossroads in the academic year: 

• Summer internships are being finalized.
• Full-time job recruiting is ramping up for certain industries.
• Graduate school decisions are rolling in.
• Alumni events and career fairs often cluster in late winter and early spring.

For students, this is an ideal time to: 

• Follow up with past internship supervisors.
• Reach out to alumni in their intended field.
• Meet with professors to discuss post-graduate plans.
• Attend industry panels or networking events on campus.
• Polish LinkedIn profiles and reconnect with contacts made earlier in the year.

Encourage your student to think of March not as a scramble, but as a checkpoint: Who do I know? Who should I reconnect with? Who can I learn from next? Networking doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In fact, small, consistent actions often yield the best results. A few ideas you might gently suggest to your student: 

• Send a short update email to a former supervisor.
• Ask a professor for 20 minutes to talk about career paths.
• Message an alumnus on LinkedIn with a thoughtful question.
• Attend one event they might normally skip.

These moments build familiarity, and familiarity builds opportunity. For many, networking can feel intimidating. Reaching out to professionals, asking for guidance, or following up after a conversation can trigger self-doubt. This is where parents and guardians can play a subtle but powerful role. Instead of asking, “Have you found a job yet?” consider questions like: 

• “Who have you talked to lately about your plans?”
• “Is there anyone you’d like to reconnect with this month?”
• “What’s one small step you could take this week?”

These questions shift the focus from outcomes to action and from pressure to progress. Remind your student that careers are marathons, not sprints. The connections they nurture now may not pay off immediately, but they create a foundation that lasts well beyond senior year. In the end, luck in March isn’t about chance. It’s about preparation meeting opportunity. It’s about sending the email, making the introduction, attending the event, even when it feels uncomfortable.

Spring is a season of growth. With a little intention and a few conversations, your student can plant seeds now that will bloom long after graduation. Remember that Career Services is here to help, and students can schedule appointments anytime through Handshake.