Networking Rosemarie Sena Center Career Development Services

Networking Basics 1)Begin with someone you know. 2)Get referrals. 3)Keep getting referrals. At the 10 th level, you will have 1,024 referrals!!

Networking Objectives 1. Find Someone: Who will talk with you, and Who will talk with you, and Who knows other people Who knows other people 2. Your Objectives: Learn something new about your career field Learn something new about your career field Ask about internships and job opportunities Ask about internships and job opportunities Get 2 referrals Get 2 referrals 3. Follow Up!!

Network Contacts Parents Parents Neighbors Neighbors Friends Friends Faculty Faculty Career Planning Staff Career Planning Staff Alumnae/i Alumnae/i Professional Organizations Professional Organizations Civic Organizations –Kiwanis –Rotary –Lions Churches/Synagogues Employers –Jobs –Internships –Volunteer Others

Getting Started Plan your agenda Plan your agenda –What do you hope to accomplish (goals)? »Job, Internship, or Summer Job »Information »Referrals

Introductions Introduce Yourself Introduce Yourself –3 Components »Education & Training »Skills »Experience Be prepared to answer “interview type” questions Be prepared to answer “interview type” questions

Questions to Ask Information about the person Information about the person –What do you do? –How long have you been in the field? Information about the organization Information about the organization –Who do you work for? –How large is the organization? –Where is the organization located? –How do people enter the organization?

Questions About the Field What do you like most about it? What do you like most about it? How did you get into the field? How did you get into the field? What do you dislike about the field? What do you dislike about the field? What are good sources of experience/information about the field? What are good sources of experience/information about the field? Does the field require an advanced degree or special training? Does the field require an advanced degree or special training?

Networking Do’s Continue to nurture, cultivate and use your network. Continue to nurture, cultivate and use your network. Strategically plan & market yourself. Ask yourself, “Who do I need to know?” Strategically plan & market yourself. Ask yourself, “Who do I need to know?” Engage people so they can see your value. Engage people so they can see your value. Volunteer. Put yourself in a position to network. Volunteer. Put yourself in a position to network. Develop a career objective. Develop a career objective. Keep abreast of what is going on in your field. Keep abreast of what is going on in your field. Send thank you letters. Follow up is important. Send thank you letters. Follow up is important.

Networking Don’ts Start the networking process if you are not committed to making contacts on a regular basis. Start the networking process if you are not committed to making contacts on a regular basis. Appear to be too self-serving. Appear to be too self-serving. Hide on campus. Get out and meet people. Hide on campus. Get out and meet people. Call people by their first names without their permission. Call people by their first names without their permission. Forget to ask, “What can I do to help you?” Forget to ask, “What can I do to help you?”

Next Steps How can the “contact” help you? How can the “contact” help you? –To whom can they refer you? –Can you use their name(s)? –Can they sponsor you in an internship, etc? Follow-up Follow-up –Discuss how you can/should proceed –Send a thank you letter