Rosebank: How to Network to Start Your Career

On 6 August 2026, I spent the day at Rosebank International, and it turned into one of my favourite sessions this year.

The topic was personal branding and networking, but honestly it stretched further than the slides: how to present yourself to industry before you have a job title to hide behind, how to network with intention instead of walking into a room hoping something happens, and yes, a proper look at LinkedIn, because a profile that says nothing about you is a missed introduction to everyone who finds it.

What surprised me was not the questions, it was the room itself. Visiting more Johannesburg institutions this year has taught me something I did not expect: what you might miss with the newfound exposure to private institutions is that their facilities and infrastructure can genuinely rival the publics. But what they consistently excel at is enthusiasm. Rosebank's students had a yearning for more that was hard to keep up with, and an energy that leaves a mark on anyone they interact with.

We covered the practical stuff: how to build a personal brand that is actually yours, how networking works when you have no network yet, and how to make LinkedIn work for you instead of against you. But the students left with something bigger than notes. They left with a different perception of what they can actually accomplish.

A big shoutout to Rosebank International and to Lerato [surname TBC] for making the day happen. It was a genuine pleasure.

(Editor's note to TK: I don't have Lerato's surname, drop it in and I'll update this line.)