Networking at Discovery Professional connections for a lifetime of benefit

Prepare for Discovery You need to prepare well for any networking opportunity. Do your homework. Find out who is coming, or is likely to be there. Check out the exhibitors. There may be organizations you will find interesting or useful. Invite people to meet you at the event. on the Mobile Guide lets you arrange meetings with other registrants. Make a list of goals for the event – what do you want to accomplish? Don’t forget the Career Zone Networking reception on May 12, 6:15-7:30pm Write out a specific plan for yourself to ensure you meet all of your networking goals for the event. Prepare yourself with cards & if applicable – create a simple handout you can give to people you want to add to your professional network.

Get Ready to Meet Preparing to meet people comfortably

The Elevator Speech  Pretend you’re in an elevator next to a person you really want to add to your business network.  How can you make a lasting & positive impression in 30 seconds and invite more dialogue?

Introduce Yourself Your self-introduction should be brief & interesting – designed to get people to ask you to tell them more. Spark conversation. If you met someone who said “I sell weather” you would be very likely to ask them for more information. If that same person said, “My work is focused on understanding changing climate patterns & future weather conditions related to the raising of certain crops to be able to accurately predict their value in futures trading on the stock exchange.” you might be so overwhelmed you would just want to escape. Write out an introduction to encapsulate what you do or want to do in a way that will help captivate the interest of people you meet. Practice it out loud. Try it on a couple of people you know and trust to give you serious feedback. It should not be memorized but if you don’t think about it at all before you get to the event, you will not know what to say. Planning and preparation make for confidence and comfort.

Good Business Event Guidelines Be positive throughout the day – watch your body language – events can be tiring or boring, your body language may communicate how you feel to others Be reliable – if you say you will get back to someone or send them something, do it! Be focused – make an plan for yourself - set goals & objectives for your time at the event

Defining Networking

We all have personal networks Many of us use on-line Social Networks To build your business network – 3 options 1.Visit a business network on-line site & join 2.Build a “live meeting” based network – meet in person at events like Discovery (stay connected through the on-line network) 3.Combine in person meeting & staying in touch through an on-line network Business Networking

Networking is an investment – it costs time, energy & sometimes money (when you travel to conferences etc. to build your network) – so weigh the costs against key benefits such as: For start-ups – it’s a low cost & targeted way to generate new business For job-hunters - “About 80% of available jobs are not advertised - 60% of people surveyed said they got their last job through networking.” (2013 research from a large career-management firm) For employers - network referrals = pre-qualified interviewees saves time & money Values & Benefits

Networking Uses – Plenty of Benefits Gather information / ideas relative to your field Spot / understand trends through professional contact Expand your professional knowledge – stay current Find something or someone – a specific skilled person, a source for a specific tool / product / research etc. Exchange ideas / professional discussions / problem solving Find a range of opportunities (from available jobs to future work or potential contracts)

Get Started Take simple actions right now

Think About It – Write It Down Answer this question: Who is in your Business Network right now? Make a list of all the people you already know who can form the basis of your business network. Use this simple diagram as a way of sparking some of your “current network” thinking. Write your list down in a new file or book that you will use to track your network over time. you Professors, project / research partners Colleagues / Professionals you’ve met OCE / other student support groups Friends & family connections

Imagine Your Ideal Network 1.Take a moment to think about this “ideal network” concept. 2.Who are the people in your “ideal” business network? Maybe you don’t have a name - for example perhaps you want to meet the VP of research for a certain company To build this list effectively you need to first think about your network goals – what do you want to get out of the network now, in the near future, in the long term? 4.Write these goals down in your network file or book. 5.Now, write out the names of your ideal network members. Remember that the difference between a dream and a goal is the written word – write down your ideal network members – no matter who they are or how unlikely you think it is that you will meet them. If you don’t write their names or positions down – that virtually guarantees that you never will meet them. 6.Once you have your list you can begin to plan how to meet them. 7.Start by checking the Discovery attendees/ speakers etc.

Network Building On-LinePro’s There is a broad scope of potential connections – especially through larger business network sites It’s convenient & low cost Easy to follow-up contact, site links to messages Easy to connect with people it is a click of a buttonCon’s  You have no personal knowledge – so people you connect with may not be best match for your network needs  It’s impersonal so it is not a strong link - easy to lose the connection – fewer benefits In Person Pro’s Strong links due to your face to face contact You have the opportunity to talk to one another – this means better matches – you select your network members based on more information Links are more durable & forgiving – you will be more likely to accept a temporary loss of contact with someone you know – so if you get caught up in work & fail to contact your network for months it is easier to re-establish connectionsCon’s  It’s a larger investment in time & energy  Building the network can be intimidating If you meet someone at an event & stay in touch via a networking site it can be a useful connection

Tips It’s not just about shaking a bunch of hands – it’s about having dialogue with others that helps build relationships & ties. It’s a two-way street, give a little to get a little – offer your network members something they will value. Don’t abuse your network members by always asking the same people for information etc. Acknowledge any help & support you get. Maintain your network – stay in regular contact.

Care & Feeding of Networks 1.Contact your network members regularly – otherwise they will forget who you are – phone, – set up a coffee meeting etc. 2.Prioritize your contacts - you can’t contact every person in your network every month – so you need to choose who to stay in close contact with... 3.Choose contact methods that suit the connection Determine who should be an in person follow-up & how often (coffee monthly, breakfast every quarter – whatever is appropriate). 4.Collect & organize information about your network / note follow- up data in files – so you are always up to date with their contact information / interests etc.

Reaching Out  Meet people at events – if after some dialogue you think they would be a good network member, ask them if they are willing to stay connected.  Get a card.  After you leave them, stop for a minute – jot a few notes on the card to help remind you of key points you discussed, anything you promised (“I’ll send you a link to that web site” for example)  Follow up no more than one week after the event with a contact. Choose the best way to do that based on the dialogue you had – phone call, etc.  (Keep in mind - a busy executive gets a thousand s a week, but very little mail, - so why not write a letter to follow up a meeting – you will be more likely to get their attention)

Stop Yourself From Sending This This is not an appropriate follow up

Now it’s time to go enjoy yourself! Discovery will open your eyes to an exciting world of possibilities. Relax and enjoy!