It's An Attitude
Chat to people on the bus
Not literally necessarily, but the more people to strike up casual conversations with, the more likely you are to find someone you really click with, or someone who can really help you.
Make formal contacts informal
Keep in touch with your University tutors – make sure they know the kind of opportunities you are looking for and keep them updated on what you’re up to.
Start up your own group
The chances are that if you have a particular need then others will share it. If you can’t find a group for peer crits, for example, why don’t you start up your own?
Make sure everyone knows what you are looking for
Make sure your friends, colleagues, parents, parents’ friends and friends’ parents know the kind of opportunities you are looking for and the kinds of people you would like to meet.
Be bold and be brave
Sometimes the usual ways of meeting people listed above just don’t work at all, or don’t allow you to meet the kinds of people you need. In this case you might need to take a deep breath and go for something more direct. If you’ve seen someone’s work, or read an article by them in a magazine and are impressed, get in touch. They will definitely be flattered by your approach. Offer to buy them a coffee, reassure them that you’ll only take 20 minutes of their time, and tell them that you would really value their advice. In general people are nice and want to help where they can, and we are all suckers for a bit of flattery. What’s the worst that could happen?
