LEDA Networking Workshop

Networking is about doing what your mother told you to

never do . . . talk to strangers. It’s like playing host at

someone else’s party. At a real level, it’s about learning about

other people and finding the links that you have with them.”

“Finding Our Commonalities: networking involves finding

those links that you have with other people, and building on

those.”

Quick Review: the basic skills of networking are: a. Shaking hands

b. Introducing yourself

c. Smile

d. Look the other person in the eye

e. Place your name tag on the right.

Activity: “In the next two minutes, shake hands with as

many people in the room as you can, say hello, and introduce

yourself. There is only one catch: no two

handshake/introduction combos can be alike. It’s time to get

creative . . . go.”

Two Main Rules of Networking:

1. DON’T wait until you need a network to make connections with people. Networking is not something to do when you need a new job or promotion or new client. It is not something you can but, beg, borrow, or steal when you need it. It must be part of your life an activities as an ambitious, success-oriented young person. You can’t build strong relationships overnight.

2. DO make sure all networking relationships are mutually beneficial. While you may feel you have nothing to offer older, more experienced contacts, you never know what you might be able to do for them. Simply ask any networking contact “Is there anything I can do to help you? And you may be able to lend a hand, from touring that person’s daughter around your college campus to suggesting some cool music downloads for your contact’s new iPod. And in a few years when you’re flying high in your career, you’’’ be amazed at how quickly you’ll become the person people are calling for connections. The best way to combat a discomfort asking people for help is by knowing that you’re always willing to return a favor.

Make this Work for You

Have one conversation today (and every day, if possible) with someone you don’t know- a friend of a friend, the barista at Starbucks, a teaching assistant, your mail carrier, anyone. Get into the habit of talking to people everywhere you go.

Adapted from “Getting from College to Career: 90 Things To Do Before You Join the Real World” by Lindsey Pollak (HarperCollins Publishers, New York: 2007)

Places you’ve lived

Schools you’ve attended

Workplaces

Religious and other community groups

Family members and friends

Activities and hobbies

Your daily path (coffee shops, bus drivers, etc.)

Random acquaintances

Your references


Freshman year: know your peers and professors. Always have a resume.

Sophomore year: narrow your field of interest, start to meet professionals in that field. Investigate

internship opportunities in that area. Refine resume.

Junior Year: informational interviews, networking cards

Senior Year:

Decide where you want to live after graduation.

If necessary, narrow your list of dream employers based on geography, and strategize ways to contact

key people in your dream companies.

Join professional organizations in your targeted geographic area. If it's not practical for you to attend

meetings, ask the membership chair for a membership list so you can contact members.

Meet with your adviser early in your senior year for an in-depth discussion of your career goals, and ask

for his or her suggestions for people to contact.

Continue to maintain contact with professors, students, employers, guest speakers, and folks you've

"met“ through online networking efforts.

Find out if your university or academic department has a formal mentoring program and ask to be

matched with a mentor. If no program exists, try to scout out a mentor on your own. Alumni often make

especially good mentors.

Fine-tune your list of potential network contacts and set a goal to contact a certain number each week

or month. Arrange to meet with as many contacts as possible, and always ask each one for more

referrals.

Send thank-you notes, and update your contacts regularly on your progress.

Continue informational interviewing.

Begin to contact people with whom you conducted informational interviews earlier in your college

career to tell them you are getting close to graduation and remain very interested in their

organizations.


Ask yourself and write down the answers to the following

questions:

Which of your previous jobs, even if they were part time or

volunteer positions, provided you with experience relevant to

what you hope to do now? If none, what about internships or

academic experiences? What about courses you may have taken

that gave you an understanding of the industry you are pursuing?

What are your strongest skills?

What can you say yourself that will set you apart from other

young people or entry-level job candidates? In other words,

what makes you memorable or special?


What is the most memorable thing you can say that will immediately make the other

person want to know more about you? Begin with that.

Some examples:

• I am student [or recent graduate] from ABC University and…

• I’m a chemistry major and recently received a research grant

• I graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in art history.”

• I am a jazz saxophonist. I’ve been managing a band to put myself through college.

• I am an extreme sports enthusiast. I love to skydive, and I just got my pilot’s license.

• I am a volunteer EMT and president of my fraternity

• Hi my name is Craig, and I am an undergraduate student at UniSA in Management and Marketing,

looking to connect with people I can learn from and who can possibly provide me with some work

experience.”

• "Hi, my name is Catherine Lee. I'm glad to have this chance to meet you and learn how a

psychology major can break into the pharmaceutical industry." [Employer Information Session]

• "Good morning, I'm Bryan Sampson, a former summer intern at your Los Angeles branch."

[Career Fair]

• "Hello, my name is Jessica Garcia. I'm a junior rhetoric major looking to find out what it's like

working in public relations and marketing." [Career Speed Dating Event]

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What is the most memorable thing you can say that will immediately make the

other person want to know more about you? Begin with that.

When speaking with recruiters (tell them what you are good at)

• I’m a really great organizer. In my internship as a production assistant I received three promotions in one summer.

• I would say that my biggest strength is project management. In my internship as an editorial assistant I read three scripts a day while juggling administrative tasks for an office of ten people.

• I’m a quick learner. In my year abroad, I achieved fluency in two languages.

• I love working with people. As a volunteer for the Red Cross I consistently won high praise for my ability to put first-time blood donors at ease.

How to Close (let them know what you would do with a great job)

Examples:

My principal career goal right now is to attain an internship at a talent agency, and I’m excited to learn what actions you think I should take to do that.

I believe very strongly in your company’s mission to serve children and families living in poverty. I’d love to explore with you how I might make a contribution to that mission.


1. Tape Yourself. Ask yourself Do I sound confident? Am I clear, creative,

and concise? Is it apparent what I want? Am I being polite? Do I have any weird speech tics, such as using lots of “ums” or “likes” or speaking too quickly?

2. Test your introduction with a friendly audience (friends, family members advisers or career service counselors) and get feedback.

3. Create a cheat sheet. Write your intro on an index card or on the back of one of your business cards and keep this in your wallet or handbag at all times. Review before you might use your into such as a networking event, informational interview, job interview

Activity:

Each person then has one minute to tell the three other people in the group who they are and what they do. After 5-10 minutes a bell is rung and everyone must find other people they do not know, and so on.


Using Alumni Networks

Setting up informational interviews

Social Networking Sites

Facebook and LinkedIn for professional

purposes

Making & Using Contact Cards


Sample Email Message to a Close Contact (to get a

referral)

Subject: Would you help with my career planning/job search?

Dear Aunt Meredith,

Hi- I am writing to ask you a favor. As you know, I’m starting to think about my

postcollege career plans, and I’m working on finding a great first job. At the moment,

I’m most interested in careers in these areas: [insert career fields here, e.g.

pharmaceutical sales, public relations, human resources- you can either send all of

your interests to everyone on your list, or you can target particular fields to people

who are more likely to have contacts in that area].

Since you are a successful and connected person, I’m wondering if you might be

willing to chat with me about your career or connect me to anyone you know in one

of these fields who would be willing to talk to me and provide some career advice.

Let me know what you think, and I’d love to chat with you about this more or send

along mu resume for your suggestions.

Thank you so much for your help!

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Set Up Informational Interviews Do your research. Before contacting anyone you have two

assignments,:

1. First, chat with the person who made the referral, and ask for as much information as your contact is willing to give: Where does your potential informational interviewee work? Does he or she prefer to be contacted by phone or email? Do you know if this is a particularly busy time? Has your contact mentioned that you might be in touch?

2. Second, type this person’s name into an internet search engine to find out as much as you can on your own: approximate age, alma mater, family, previous jobs, association memberships, etc. You want to feel as if this person is familiar to you and not a total stranger. Familiarity will make you less nervous and will prepare you for topics that are likely to arise when you begin to communicate. Y ou may also find a point of connection what will help you build rapport- such as hailing from the same hometown, sharing a love for dogs, or being in the same fraternity or sorority.

3. Make the request. Email is usually best.


Anatomy of a great informational interview request email:

1. The subject line. Clear and compelling, descriptive, and recognizable.

Examples:

WRONG: “Request;” “Getting together!” “Let’s meet!” “Interview”

BETTER: “Request for an informational interview,” “Request for career advice”

BEST: “John Doe suggested I contact you.”

2. The Opening: be as formal and polite as possible (i.e. Dear Mr. Jones, or Mr.

Jones followed by a comma)

3. The body of the email. Three parts :

A. introduction (who you are and how you have any connection to this person);

B. Explanation (why you are writing to this person in particular- show that you’ve done

your homework!) and

C. specific request (what you want).


1. Sample Informational Interview Request

Dear Ms. Goodman,

(a)Hello. I am a student at ABC College considering a

career in magazine editing, and my journalism

professor, Joe Nicholas, said you might be willing to

offer some advice. (b) I’m particularly interested in

hearing about your work writing celebrity profiles for

your magazine and how you got started in that area. (c)

May I take you out for coffee near your office, or

perhaps call you to chat for twenty minutes or so?


1. What’s your best job search tip?

2. What was your first job and do you think it was a good

choice?

3. Who do you think are the best employers in this area?

4. Have you heard about any young people with really cool

jobs during or after college?

5. What do you wish you had known when you were my age?


LinkedIn '09 Grad Guide

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnx9t8IwL

zI&feature=related (5:43 minutes)

Also check out this article: “4 Essentials

for Reaching out to Strangers on

LinkedIn” http://blog.simplyhired.com/2011/06/4-essentials-

for-reaching-out-to-strangers-on-linkedin.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnx9t8IwLzI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnx9t8IwLzI&feature=related

http://blog.simplyhired.com/2011/06/4-essentials-for-reaching-out-to-strangers-on-linkedin.html

















Don’t miss out on a single opportunity

Expand your network wherever you go

Leave a card behind at interviews and stay top-of-mind

Sample Vendor: Vista Print at

http://www.vistaprint.com/networkingcards.aspx?xnav=Ts

rItem&xnid=aNetworkingCardsBusiness+Cards

Most professional is a design that is easy to read: a nice easy read

font (i.e. Times New Roman, Arial, Georgia), at least 10 point

font on a cream or white background.

Before you place your order ask trusted friends or family to

review the design for professionalism and typos.

http://www.vistaprint.com/networkingcards.aspx?xnav=TsrItem&xnid=aNetworkingCardsBusiness+Cards

http://www.vistaprint.com/networkingcards.aspx?xnav=TsrItem&xnid=aNetworkingCardsBusiness+Cards

http://www.vistaprint.com/gallery.aspx?pg=1&m_pf_id=age&category_id=2032&xnav=ProductPage&xnav=TsrItem

A 2006 survey of job recruiters by College Recruiter.com showed that 77 percent of employers have used search

engines to uncover information about a candidate, and 35 percent have eliminated a candidate based on information found online.

Facebook Tips:

DON’T List “Debbie Does Dallas” as favorite movie.

Make sure your profile as a “G” rating. Remove curse words in your posts or posts by friends.

Untag photos that portray an unflattering image that work against you in a job search – (i.e. seminude photos, heavy drinking photos)

Control your privacy settings on social networking sites, then visit your public profile and make sure others can see only what you want them to see.

Google Yourself!

Like what you see? If you don’t, increase your online presence and build a positive reputation. Suggestions:

If you belong to a student club or professional association, and particularly if you serve on a committee or hold a leadership position, offer to write a short online article on a topic related to your expertise, and then ask for this article to be posted on the organization’s website. More clubs, associations, and student groups are thrilled for free content and happy to give you a byline.

Review books on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, (registering with comments with your real name) or send your review to a blog related to your industry. (Of course, if you’re really interested in building your web presence, you could write a blog yourself.)

Create a profile on a professional networking site, such as LinkedIn.com


Change your Voice Mail Message: (no music in background or “dude leave a message”)

Ex. “ Hi, this is Laura Roberts. Please leave a message, and I’ll call you back as soon as possible.”

Change your email handle

Not cute: “LakersManiac,” “KegMan,” “FutureRichMan”- keep these personal

Use some combination of your first name, your first name initial and your last name

Use your Email Signature

Add full contact information i.e.

-----------

Your Name

(505) 555-1212

[email protected]

Or

----------

Your Name

ABC University Class of 2011

(505) 555-1212

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Email like a Professional

1. DO NOT use cute Acronyms in professionals. (i.e. LOL) You never now if the reader will

be familiar with the abbreviation.

2. DO use proper capitalization and punctuation. Avoid sending emails all in lowercase.

(i.e. “hi, i am writing about the job posted on idealist is it still open? thx, joe smoe”)

3. DO NOT use emoticons in professional emails. It promotes a cute image which is not

the best if you are trying to be taken seriously.

4. DO cool it on the exclamation points! Some older professionals feel that they make you

look young and annoying. A couple is fin but do not over do it!

5. DO NOT leave the subject line blank. Many people would ignore or delete such emails.

In fact, it recommended that the email subject should clearly and concisely express the

purpose of the email so the reader knows the content before opening it. (i.e. Instead of

“hi” as the subject, use “Appointment Request for Monday.”)

6. DO a quick once-over of important messages, even after you’ve spelled checked. Check

for tone and make sure you spelled the recipient’s name correctly.

7. DO make the e-mail address the last thing you type. This will avoid a lot of problems if

you accidentally hit send before you are ready.

8. DO NOT ever IM a professional contact unless it is first initiated by the contact.

9. DO NOT forward dirty jokes or inappropriate web content. Everyone’s humor is

different and you cannot control how it will be interpreted.

10. DO use the “Out of Office” or Auto-Responder” when you will not be checking email on a

regular basis.

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The Rule of Three

Don’t leave until I introduced myself to at least three people. In the first few events

all three people approached could be waiters or support staff. This will help you

build up the courage to “hi” to someone attending the event. OR

Let’s say you recently graduated or are about to graduate from college. Use the Rule

of Three and start with three people closest to you: parents (if they won’t hassle you),

a roommate (she may have parents, relatives, neighbors, or family friends you should

talk with), and other relatives (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings). Next,

you’ll move one layer out: a professor, an academic advisor, a boss at a summer job or

somewhere you’ve volunteered. Once, you see how easy it is, you’ll be emboldened

to broaden the scope of your networking efforts.

Remembering Names

Repeat the person’s name three times within the first minutes of meeting

Collecting Business Cards

Write a detail that will help you remember them

Consider creating a "networking card," a business card for those not yet employed,

so you have something tangible to hand out to people you meet.

What if you are shy?

Helping organize events OR try offering something instead of asking

Be the first to follow up

Call within the week of the event. It improve recall.

Connect on LinkedIn

Keep in touch (i.e. “I saw this article and thought of your” notes or emails, updates and holiday cards)

Give & Take- offer something before asking for something

Send thank you notes. They are smart networking tools when sent to

Immediately after a job interview or informational interview

When someone refers you to another person for your networking or a job lead

When someone provides a professional reference for you.

The host of an event you found particularly valuable

The author if a book or article you enjoyed

A mentor or other person who offers particularly good advice

Anyone else assists you in your career or job search, in any way, for the rest of your life

•Professional cards have simple elegant design. Usually white or cream colored heavy weight

paper. Blank on the inside with “Thank You” written in one color on the outside.

•Good brands to consider “Crane & Co.”

•Available at fine stationary stores like Papyrus, Paper Sources, Barnes & Noble, or Staples.

Use Simply Hired for your job or internship search. Simply Hired

(www.simplyhired.com/) integrates your Facebook and LinkedIn profile into

you free job search profile. When you search for a job or internship it shows

you if you have contacts at any of the companies you are looking.

http://www.simplyhired.com/

http://www.simplyhired.com/

Too Shy?

No harm can come from networking. There’s nothing to lose. The more people you talk to, the easier it will get. If you’re too paralyzed by shyness to get any enjoyment out of the networking process, I have two words for you: “Fake It.”

What’s It for Them?

You may be reluctant to ask because you believe someone is too busy to meet with you but people usually like talking about themselves. Why wouldn’t they want to share their career highlights, insights and tips with someone who is receptive? If they are not, then they will say no. There is no harm in trying.

Isn’t it using people?

Part of being a professional is sharing information about one’s chosen field. Approach someone directly and politely with your purpose (i.e. need a favor can I get a recommendation for a job) in your email or phone call. Respect the possibility that they may not be available, thank them adequately, and offer to return the favor when you can, and no one will feel used.

It’s Awkward! Wouldn’t it be uncomfortable getting a job through a connection?

You don’t need to advertise how you got the job, but there’s no need to hide it- you would not be hired if you couldn’t do the job. A

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Take an assessment

http://www.careerdriversassessment.com/CtoC/index.aspx

Career One Stop http://www.careeronestop.org/studentsandcareeradvisors/studentsandcareeradvisors.a

spx

A government website that provides brief and free videos about “high growth, in-demand occupations,” along with the skills and education needed to attain those jobs. It’s a good place to look if you’re interested in hot industries of the future, such as biotechnology.

WetFeet.com http://www.wetfeet.com/

Which offers career overviews for free as well as company-specific guides, which cost about $25 apiece (well worth it if you know the specific companies at which you’d like to work).

Jobprofiles.Monster.com

Which offers career profiles that include links to Monster’s job board for related opportunities.

mtvU “The Opening” series

http://www.mtvu.com/category/shows/the-opening/

Follows recent college grads through a day on the job.

VituralJobShadow.com Offers streaming videos of professionals doing their jobs, but this site charges a fee.

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http://www.careerdriversassessment.com/CtoC/index.aspx

http://www.careeronestop.org/studentsandcareeradvisors/studentsandcareeradvisors.aspx

http://www.careeronestop.org/studentsandcareeradvisors/studentsandcareeradvisors.aspx

http://www.wetfeet.com/


