NETWORKINGNETWORKING

ESSENTIALSESSENTIALS

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PRIOR TO PRIOR TO NETWORKING…NETWORKING…

REMINDER: KNOW REMINDER: KNOW YOURSELFYOURSELF

SkillsSkills

InterestsInterests

PersonalityPersonality

ValuesValues

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WHY NETWORK?WHY NETWORK?

Gain information about:Gain information about:

- target organizations or fields- target organizations or fields

- trends in the field or industry- trends in the field or industry

- problems, critical issues, and - problems, critical issues, and needs facing the industryneeds facing the industry

- alternative options to explore or - alternative options to explore or avoidavoid

- new sources and channels - new sources and channels

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WHY NETWORK? WHY NETWORK? cont.cont.

Gain exposure to people already in fieldGain exposure to people already in field Build relationshipsBuild relationships Obtain names of additional contactsObtain names of additional contacts Serve long-term career prospectsServe long-term career prospects Stop procrastinatingStop procrastinating Improve ability to identify opportunities Improve ability to identify opportunities

and access “hidden job market”and access “hidden job market”

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HIDDEN JOB MARKETHIDDEN JOB MARKET

Positions not advertised/not yet Positions not advertised/not yet advertisedadvertised

Impending vacancyImpending vacancy Actual vacancyActual vacancy Organizational growthOrganizational growth Organizational change (markets, Organizational change (markets,

economic conditions, technology)economic conditions, technology) Organizational opportunity (address a Organizational opportunity (address a

new problem or need)new problem or need)

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TYPES OF NETWORKINGTYPES OF NETWORKING

FORMAL NETWORKING: FORMAL NETWORKING: joining industry joining industry groups and professional organizations; groups and professional organizations; contacting people in your field who contacting people in your field who might know of opportunities or connect might know of opportunities or connect you with others.you with others.

INFORMAL NETWORKING: INFORMAL NETWORKING: asking people asking people in your immediate surroundings (family in your immediate surroundings (family members, friends, peers, faculty, alumni) members, friends, peers, faculty, alumni) for potential networking contacts.for potential networking contacts.

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NETWORKING FOR NETWORKING FOR RESULTSRESULTS

Preferred Networking MethodsPreferred Networking Methods Emphasize quality vs. quantity: Emphasize quality vs. quantity:

identify small number of selectively identify small number of selectively targeted contactstargeted contacts

Build relationships: stay in touch Build relationships: stay in touch with key contacts in your networkwith key contacts in your network

Plan a strategy rather than relying Plan a strategy rather than relying on luck and numberson luck and numbers

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BUILDING YOUR BUILDING YOUR NETWORKNETWORK

Step 1: List Your General ContactsStep 1: List Your General Contacts

Friends, acquaintances, fellow Friends, acquaintances, fellow students, family, former employers students, family, former employers and co-workers, faculty, members of and co-workers, faculty, members of professional groups, church groups, professional groups, church groups, or volunteer organizations with or volunteer organizations with which you belong, family doctors, which you belong, family doctors, lawyers, and accountants, online lawyers, and accountants, online communities, etc.)communities, etc.)

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BUILDING YOUR BUILDING YOUR NETWORK NETWORK cont.cont.

Step 2: Identify Most Relevant ContactsStep 2: Identify Most Relevant ContactsChoose those who:Choose those who: are knowledgeable about and relevant are knowledgeable about and relevant

to your career areato your career area have large networks themselves have large networks themselves

(faculty, consultants, those in (faculty, consultants, those in professional service professions)professional service professions)

have known you over time time or have known you over time time or who have indicated willingness to who have indicated willingness to assist youassist you

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BUILDING YOUR BUILDING YOUR NETWORK NETWORK cont.cont.

Step 3: Create Key Contact ListStep 3: Create Key Contact List Identify and transfer 3 to 5 people Identify and transfer 3 to 5 people

from Step 2 processfrom Step 2 process Add to this list contact info for Add to this list contact info for keykey

individualsindividuals whom you may not knowwhom you may not know, , including public figures, people who including public figures, people who are written about or quoted, people are written about or quoted, people who write about the field, etc. who write about the field, etc.

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BUILDING YOUR BUILDING YOUR NETWORK NETWORK cont.cont.

Create a spreadsheet to organize Create a spreadsheet to organize contact information for your key contact information for your key contactscontacts

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THE NETWORKING THE NETWORKING MEETINGMEETING

Preparation:Preparation: Be clear about what you want to Be clear about what you want to

learnlearn Research contact’s organization Research contact’s organization

and/or backgroundand/or background Prepare list of questionsPrepare list of questions Plan for the allotted timePlan for the allotted time Prepare your “commercial”Prepare your “commercial”

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““TELL ME ABOUT TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF”YOURSELF”

Your own personal commercial: gives Your own personal commercial: gives listener a quick synopsis of your listener a quick synopsis of your backgroundbackground

Addresses who you are, what you have Addresses who you are, what you have done, what you’re currently doing, what done, what you’re currently doing, what you hope to be doing, 2 to 3 examples of you hope to be doing, 2 to 3 examples of your greatest strengths, and some your greatest strengths, and some evidence to support theseevidence to support these

Think about customizing your commercial Think about customizing your commercial to fit person you are meetingto fit person you are meeting

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““TELL ME ABOUT TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF”YOURSELF” cont.cont.

Rehearse; tape yourself if possibleRehearse; tape yourself if possible Strive to keep it fresh and Strive to keep it fresh and

spontaneousspontaneous Keep commercial to 30-40 secondsKeep commercial to 30-40 seconds Communicate key strengthsCommunicate key strengths Communicate goalsCommunicate goals

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CONTACT METHODSCONTACT METHODS

Telephone:Telephone:- if you reach intended contact, use - if you reach intended contact, use your commercialyour commercial- if you get voicemail, try calling - if you get voicemail, try calling back to reach the person; leave back to reach the person; leave voicemail only after several tries voicemail only after several tries with brief introduction, purpose of with brief introduction, purpose of your call, your contact information, your call, your contact information, and state that you will call againand state that you will call again

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CONTACT METHODS CONTACT METHODS contcont..

Letter or e-mail message: Letter or e-mail message:

- introduce yourself, your referee, and - introduce yourself, your referee, and the purpose of your contactthe purpose of your contact

Intermediary:Intermediary:

- if someone is referring you, ask that - if someone is referring you, ask that person to call on your behalf to make person to call on your behalf to make the initial connectionthe initial connection

Ask for only 15-20 minutes of contact’s Ask for only 15-20 minutes of contact’s time.time.

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CONDUCTING THE CONDUCTING THE MEETINGMEETING

Dress appropriatelyDress appropriately

Turn off cell phones!Turn off cell phones!

Establish rapport:Establish rapport: mention referee, or if you made mention referee, or if you made

direct contact, explain why you direct contact, explain why you chose this personchose this person

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CONDUCTING THE CONDUCTING THE MEETING MEETING contcont..

Summarize your Summarize your background/interests:background/interests:

use commercialuse commercial mention shared areas of interest and mention shared areas of interest and

knowledge of problems relevant to the knowledge of problems relevant to the field field

explain, if necessary, that you are not explain, if necessary, that you are not expecting contact to have/know of a expecting contact to have/know of a job job

do not produce resume unless askeddo not produce resume unless asked

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CONDUCTING THE CONDUCTING THE MEETING MEETING contcont..

Ask questions and listen activelyAsk questions and listen actively:: request feedback on career areas you’re request feedback on career areas you’re

exploringexploring share information about what you’ve share information about what you’ve

already learnedalready learned ask both prepared questions and follow-ask both prepared questions and follow-

ups to what contact tells youups to what contact tells you key in on mentions of problems and trendskey in on mentions of problems and trends show genuine interestshow genuine interest

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CONDUCTING THE CONDUCTING THE MEETING cont.MEETING cont.

Respect the contact person’s timeRespect the contact person’s time:: Be aware of the amount of time to ask Be aware of the amount of time to ask

questions and convey information that are the questions and convey information that are the most crucialmost crucial

Ask for referralsAsk for referrals:: as meeting concludes, ask for additional as meeting concludes, ask for additional

names if they haven’t been mentioned alreadynames if they haven’t been mentioned already be prepared to prompt contact by specifying be prepared to prompt contact by specifying

the types of individuals you would like to meetthe types of individuals you would like to meetConfirm any follow-up actionsConfirm any follow-up actions

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FOLLOW-UPFOLLOW-UP

Always, always, alwaysAlways, always, always send a thank- send a thank-you letteryou letter

Maintain records of meeting, including:Maintain records of meeting, including:

- information obtained- information obtained

- action steps- action steps Maintain contact! Keep relationship Maintain contact! Keep relationship

active; provide updates on your active; provide updates on your progress periodically; send useful progress periodically; send useful informationinformation