Networking in the 21st Century

JVS Toronto Employment Source Centre

Material designed by Austin Wong

184 Front Street East, Suite 203, Toronto

416-929-4331 ext 0

www.jvstoronto.org

Agenda What is Networking?

Traditional Networking Tools and Techniques

Introduction to Networking using Social Media

Outcomes of this Workshop

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to… Explain the what, why, where, who, when, and

how of networking. Identify traditional tools and methods of

networking. Understand the basics of using social media for

the purpose of networking.

Part 1: What is Networking? In pairs, discuss the answer to the following

questions: What is “networking”? Why do we do networking? Where can we network? Who can we network with? When do we network? How do we network?

What is Networking?

Networking is getting to know people who can help you develop your career prospects. – Monster

Networking is talking to people (in person or on-line) to gain information, ideas, opinions, resources, and referrals.

Why do we do networking?

To build business contacts to enhance job search or on-the-job success

To gain information about unadvertised job openings

To gain information so we can make informed decisions (e.g. Is this company/ organization suitable for me?)

To meet others who may be facing similar issues.

Where can we network?

Informal networking: in a restaurant, on the subway, on an airplane, in a place of worship, at a friend’s home…etc

Formal networking: business association meetings, job fairs, information interviews

Who can we network with?

Family members, friends, classmates, former teachers, club members

Colleagues, event participants Staff and volunteers of the organizations you

are interested in working for Complete strangers

When do we do networking?

Networking should be done all the time, not just when we are out of a job.

How do we network? Meet and talk to people face-to-face E-mail or Call our contacts Use Social Media

Part 2: Traditional Networking Tools and Techniques The “Elevator Speech”

Networking Card

Cold Calling

Informational Interview

The “Elevator Speech”

Think of it as your 30 second commercial

Mention the following key items: Your Name Your Skills and Past Results Your Background and Education The Opportunity you are looking for

The “Elevator Speech”

“Hi. I am Patricia Simmons. I am an accountant with 10 years experience in the insurance industry and I’m looking for opportunities in the GTA with both insurance and finance companies.”

The “Elevator Speech”

Now, it’s your turn to try creating and practicing your elevator speech… “Hi. I am (name).” “I am a/an (job).” “I have (work experience or education or

accomplishment, etc).” “I am looking for a (job you want) in (location).”

Networking Card Networking Card is a business card used by job seekers

Networking Card Leave it with a potential employer. Offer your card at

the beginning or the end of a conversation. A networking card can show initiative, interest and motivation.

Attach the card to an application form or cover letter and résumé in an upper corner—this may set you apart from other candidates.

Provide each of your contacts with your card to remind them that you are interested—it is also a reminder to them to keep watch for job openings in your field.

Bring it to your job interview for exchanging cards with your interviewer(s).

Cold Calling/e-mailing

A cold call(or e-mail) is a planned phone call or e-mail to a prospective employer.

The objective of cold calling is to gather information and to seek an opportunity to meet with an employer.

Cold calling is another way to access unadvertised jobs and to seek for information interview.

Cold CallingScripts you can use…Scripts you can use…

Good morning/afternoon, my name is ________and I am exploring employment opportunities in the ___________ field. I am wondering if you might be able to help me. I would like to speak to someone in the ______department…. (then later say your purpose which is either seeking job opportunities or information interview).

Good morning/afternoon, my name is _________. I have ____years experience in ________and I am inquiring about present or future openings in your company.

Cold Calling Good morning/afternoon, my name is _______. I

have recently completed training in ________and I am researching about the realities of my field. I read about your company and I believe that you are the best person to answer some of my questions about my field, would it be possible to have an information interview with you for a few minutes?

From a Reference: Hello Mr./Ms. ______________, my name

is____________. Mr./Ms. __________from _________suggested that I contact you since I have a background in ________and that there may be an employment opportunity in your organization.

Cold e-mailing Tips Research on LinkedIn to find the names of a few ideal contacts.

Make a list of “naming convention” of the company’s staff e-mail address (e.g., Jane.Doe@..., J_Doe@..., Doe.jane@..., etc.).

Find out the email ending of the company (e.g., @company.com, @company.net , @comapy.ca, etc.) by checking their customer support e-mail address on their “Contact Us” page.

Make it very clear early on about your intention, i.e., for an informational interview or for a job opening.

Content of the e-mail should be a short version of your cover letter, focus on what you have to offer them. Be very polite in the wording.

Attach your customized résumé if the purpose is for a job.

Source & for more details: http://www.prepary.com/reach-out-directly-in-your-job-search/, http://mashable.com/2014/11/24/cold-email-employers/#EegVp_g48kqM

Dear Mr. Smith,

[Paragraph 1: establish connection & purpose] I heard you speak at the ABC conference (lead-in phrase that makes a connection to why you are writing) and was excited by (something about the field or topic or relate in some way to both the person/company and your experience and goals). After doing some research on you and your company, I believe I am a particularly good match for XYZ Company and would be extremely interested in discussing any opportunities to work there now or in the future.

[Paragraph 2: about yourself] Very briefly introduce yourself and what you do, add a few bullet-pointed accomplishments / skills that highlight key strengths that will match the company’s needs.

[Paragraph 3: invitation to communicate further] I have attached my résumé, and would appreciate the chance to explore further with you how I might best be able to contribute to XVZ Company. Please feel free to contact me by email or call me at 416-123-4567 if you have any questions or would like additional information.

I look forward to hearing from you soon,Sincerely,

Your Name

Cold e-mailing Sample Template

Informational Interview

An Informational Interview is an appointment you make to meet and speak with an expert in your field, or with someone from a company you are interested in.

Informational Interview

How to enter a field? Opportunities and future prospects Skills/Training important for the field General job duties for the position you are

interested in Resources and referrals Résumé critique / suggestions General salary information

You can gather a lot of useful information such as…

Job Fairs Attending Job/Career Fairs is a great way to

network with employers and fellow job seekers

You need to be prepared to be able to use Job Fairs effectively

A good resource for up-to-date information on Job Fairs and Hiring Events in the GTA http://www.petersnewjobs.com/toronto-employment-events-and-organizations.html

Job Fairs Tips for attending Job/Career fairs:

Research ahead of time: location & time, participating employers, workshops/seminars, etc.

Take lots of copies of your résumé and networking card

Customize your elevator pitch to the employers Rehearse your elevator pitch Bring a notepad, pen/pencil, a bottle of water Dress professionally Remember, do not hog the employer’s time!

Staying on Top of Your Activities You should develop a system to keep track of your

job-search activities…Date and

TimeActivity Company /

Contact NamePhone # /E-mail

Follow up Date / Action

May 4, 20164:00pm

Information Interview

Accurate AccountantsSara Wright

416-123-4321s.wright@accurate.com

May 4Send Thank-you e-mail

Part 3: Networking using Social Media

What is Social Media? Why should I include Social Media as part of

my job search strategy? General tips on using Social Media What are the most popular Social Media sites

for job search? Introduction to two of the most popular Social

Media sites for job search. Resources

What is Social Media? Simply put, “Social Media” are websites and

applications that enable the user to create and share information, or to participate in social networking.

…and many more.

Why should I include Social Media as part of my job search strategy? More and more employers are using Social

Media Recruiters are using Social Media to scout

candidates You can stay up-to-date on the companies

you are interested in You can advertise yourself to just about

anyone who uses the internet

General Tips on using Social Media

Have separate accounts for personal use and for professional use.

Be professional when using Social Media for job search: Language use Profile picture Feeds and updates Avoid controversial topics Know your privacy settings

What are the most popular Social Media for job search? By far the most popular Social Media site for

job search and recruitment is

On 2010’s Fortune 500 list, every company had at least one executive on LinkedIn. 75 out of the Fortune 100 companies used LinkedIn as their primary source of hiring.

What are the most popular Social Media for job search? Another often used Social Medium for job

search is

We will focus on LinkedIn for the rest of our presentation.

Introduction to two of the most popular Social Media for job search.

What is Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVlUwwgOFKw Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ocp1MNpSkWs

?

Introduction to two of the most popular Social Media for job search.

How is LinkedIn useful in your job search? LinkedIn is considered to be much more professional than

other social media, e.g. facebook and twitter. Your LinkedIn profile can provide more detailed information

than your resume can. You can search for companies, people, and jobs. You can send people invitations to become your contact. You can send your contacts “In Mails” to stay in touch. You can recommend others for their skills and your

contacts can do the same for you.

Using Essential elements of your LinkedIn profile:

A professional looking photograph Your name and a short description of your current

position Summary statements Work experience Education / Courses Volunteer experience Skills Connections

Using

Tips on creating your LinkedIn profile: Before you start typing:

Be clear on what kind of employer you want to attract. Think of the key words that will attract the employer. Put

yourself in that employer’s shoes… What kind of skills, qualifications, and education will the

employer want? What kind of experience will that employer like to see? What kind of quality or personality will that employer want you

to have? Have your résumé in front of you.

Using Tips on creating your LinkedIn profile: After you finished typing:

Check to make sure you have no typos, incorrect spelling Search for your friends and other people you know, invite

them to connect with you Endorse skills your connections have, they will probably do

the same for you later Search for groups to join Participate in group discussions to start building up a

positive online reputation

Using

What is Twitter? Twitter is a micro-blogging network of real-time

posts that are limited to 140 characters or less.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_4ZgGTJAJ8

Using

Why use Twitter as part of my job search? To stay up-to-date on companies and people you

are interested in Build up relationships by following people and

communicating with them Build your personal brand by having consistent

profile across several Social Media platforms Build up your online presence by creating relevant

content (called “tweets” in twitter)

Using

Sample twitter dashboard: http://www.gcflearnfree.org/twitter101/3

Summary Have your networking cards and elevator speech

ready at all times. Vary the tools you use to develop your network of

contacts. Online networking does not replace face-to-face

networking. Keep expanding your network, even when you are

employed. Keep track of your contacts and activities. Stay in touch with your contacts and return the

favour when you can.

Remember…

The more often you try and the more tools you use…

The BETTER the chance you have of succeeding!

Resources: General Job Search topics:

About Careers: http://www.about.com/careers

Job Fairs: Peter’s New Jobs resources page: http://www.petersnewjobs.com/toronto-

employment-events-and-organizations.html

Networking for a job: The Wall Street Journal article on networking:

http://guides.wsj.com/careers/how-to-identify-job-opportunities/how-to-network-your-way-to-a-job/

Forbes magazine article on effective job search strategies:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahljacobs/2013/03/22/the-six-best-ways-to-find-your-next-job/

Tips on how to start, keep, and end a conversation at a networking event:

http://www.careerealism.com/conversation-starters-networking-events/

Resources: Using

Information on LinkedIn and on job search from About Careers:

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/networking/a/linkedinprofile.htm Information about LinkedIn by Goodwill Community Foundation:

http://www.gcflearnfree.org/jobsearchandnetworking/linkedin-basics/full

Using Forbes magazine article on using twitter for job search:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2012/11/30/4-ways-to-use-twitter-to-find-a-job/

Step-by-step guide to twitter by Goodwill Community Foundation: http://www.gcflearnfree.org/twitter101/1

Closing

44

Thank you for attending today’s workshop!

Please feel free to contact your employment counsellor/job developer if you need more help with your job search, such as résumé and/or cover letter critiquing, practice job interview, LinkedIn review, etc.

Please fill in the Workshop Evaluation Form before you leave.