Building Your Network

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1 Building Yur Netwrk Netwrking is a great strategy fr securing emplyment. Serius jb-seekers take initiative t make themselves knwn by thers wh might have jb leads, cntacts, r advice. Many peple, hwever, are afraid f netwrking r unsure hw t g abut it. This handut defines netwrking and discusses an array f netwrking strategies. Definitin Accrding t dictinary.cm, netwrking means: T interact r engage in infrmal cmmunicatin with thers fr mutual assistance r supprt A supprtive system f sharing infrmatin and services amng individuals and grups having a cmmn interest Key pints: Netwrking is abut develping relatinships Successful netwrking results in bi-directinal assistance and sharing f infrmatin Yu can netwrk with anyne anywhere fr a multitude f reasns Netwrking can be planned r serendipitus Netwrking is nt: Latching nt smene and sucking them dry Being fake r schmzing insincerely Purpses Career explratin Receive infrmatin abut different sectrs, career fields, emplyers, and jb titles, as well as advice n hw t break int thse areas Jb search Learn abut jb pprtunities and hw yur skills, experience, and educatin might enable yu t make a difference in varius rganizatins Career develpment Maintain awareness f trends, learn abut new prjects and pprtunities, develp new skills, and meet ptential cllabratrs Emplyer Preferences Data: Dzens f studies shw that emplyers preferred hiring methd is utilizing cntacts. In ther wrds, peple like t hire peple they knw, even if the cnnectin is nminal. Statistics shw that 40-80% f peple get their jbs by netwrking. Sample study: Accrding t Richard Blles, authr f What Clr is Yur Parachute, emplyers lk fr emplyees using the fllwing methds, rdered frm mst preferred t least preferred. Inside the Cmpany: Hiring r prmting frm within Clleagues: Asking clleagues abut emplyees, past r present, where thse clleagues wrk Referrals: Asking clleagues abut emplyees they might knw f, at ther wrkplaces Drp-Ins w/ Prf: In an interview initiated by a jb-hunter, asking fr prf f what s/he can d Cntacts: Using a friend r business clleague fr a direct intrductin t prspective emplyees Agencies: Using an agency private, public, cllege, federal, state, r lcal Ads: Placing an ad in a newspaper, r psting it n the Internet Resumes: Reading resumes, in rder t decide wh t invite in, fr an interview

2 Sample study: A survey was cmpleted by 47 emplyers wh had psted a graduate-level jb in HuskyJbs, the UW Career Center s nline jb/internship database, during autumn Belw are the percentages f emplyers wh use these methds t recruit master s and dctral level emplyees. View cmplete survey results at - University jb bards 78.7 Referrals frm current emplyees 76.6 Referrals frm friends, clleagues, family, etc 61.7 Prfessinal assciatins 53.2 General jb bards (mnster, careerbuilder, etc) 53.2 Cntacting specific academic departments 51.1 University career fairs 51.1 On-campus recruiting 48.9 Niche jb bards 34.0 Other university events (panels, etc) 29.8 Staffing agencies 21.3 NOTE: Participants were recruited thrugh ur university jb bard, which likely affected the results. Avidance Netwrking is a prven strategy, yet many peple avid netwrking because they: Are shy Fear rejectin Think thers wn t be interested in speaking with them Believe talking abut their strengths and asking thers fr advice is self-centered Cmplain that netwrking takes t much effrt Dn t knw with whm they shuld netwrk Dn t knw hw t netwrk effectively This handut seeks t alleviate these cncerns. General Netwrking Tips Netwrking is a skill that anybdy can learn but effective netwrking takes practice. Fllwing the tips belw will help yu maximize netwrking pprtunities f all shapes and sizes. Getting started: Keep an pen mind abut wh might be helpful it truly is a small wrld and all f us are cnnected with fewer degrees f separatin than yu might expect Clarify yur gals knw what yu really want t get frm netwrking pprtunities knwledge f emplyment sectrs, career fields, emplyers, departments, jb titles, etc Knw yur strengths talking abut strengths allws cntacts t get yu knw yu quickly and pens yu up t careers and jb titles yu ve never even heard f Identify ptential cntacts (see belw) and a strategy fr netwrking with them. Develp a shrt persnal script with 1) Name, 2) Organizatin, interests, and/r skills, and 3) What yu want frm the ther persn. Adapt yur script based n the cntext, gal, cntact, etc. Sample: My name is XX and I am wrking n my XX degree at the UW. I am passinate abut glbal health issues. I particularly enjy cnducting needs assessments by interviewing varius stakehlders. I m wndering if yu can give me sme ideas abut what rganizatins, departments, r jb titles might make gd use f my skills. Maintaining: Diversify yur netwrking strategies use mre than ne resurce discussed in this handut Stay rganized keep track f wh yu re cntacting, when, hw yu fund them, what yu discussed, yur next steps, etc Make yur mama prud be gracius, cnsiderate, flexible, appreciative, etc

3 Express interest in thers mst peple lve t talk abut themselves and their wrk s expressing interest in thers is a great way t build a cnnectin Stay psitive netwrking attempts will be mst successful if yu have (r fake well) cnfidence in yur netwrking skills and in what yu have t ffer the wrld Dn t directly ask fr jbs this puts thers in an awkward, uncmfrtable psitin Bringing it hme: Fllw-up after yu initiate and create a netwrking relatinship, be sure t check-in peridically s yu can maintain and nurture the cnnectin Be persistent if it s nt ging well, re-evaluate yur strategies, script, r chice f cntacts If a cntact desn t respnd t yur call r , try ne mre time Identify Ptential Netwrking Targets Level 1 Netwrk with peple yu knw Persnal family, friends, teammates, neighbrs, church members, bk club members, etc Prfessinal current and frmer classmates, teachers, bsses, cwrkers, cauthrs, etc Level 2 Netwrk with peple yu knw thrugh yur Level 1 cntacts Ask yur Level 1 cntacts if they can refer yu t thers wh might have helpful infrmatin See if faculty and staff in yur department can refer yu t alumni r emplyers wh have hired individuals frm yur department Level 3 - Netwrk with peple yu dn t knw but are cnnected t in sme way graduated frm the same cllege, member f the same rganizatin, etc Use the Husky Career Netwrk It s a searchable wrldwide netwrk f nearly 300 UW alumni vlunteers ffering netwrking referrals and infrmatin abut their field and gegraphical area. The netwrk is spnsred by the UW Alumni Assciatin. Access is free fr UW students. Ask yur alma maters if they have alumni bards similar t Husky Career Netwrk. Find 30,000 Huskies in the University f Washingtn Alumni Grup in LinkedIn Level 4 Cnnect with peple yu dn t knw r nly knw thrugh clleagues clleagues Talk with peple at airprts, grcery stres, weddings, cffee shps, etc Use the phnebk, Internet, r emplyer directries t find peple t cld call Spread the Wrd It may seem basic, but as sn as yu knw yu will be n the jb market, get the wrd ut! Tell yur Level 1 cntacts what skills yu have and hw yu are hping t use them in a jb setting. Say smething like: As yu knw, I ve been in schl the past few years. I will be cmpleting my PhD in XX in abut 6 mnths. I am lking fr a full-time jb I can start after graduatin. I wuld like t utilize my skills in analysis, writing, and persuasin in a nn-prfit r educatinal setting. I am pen t varius emplyers and jb titles. Please keep yur eyes and ears pen fr pprtunities that might match my skill set. I wuld als appreciate referrals t thers wh might have infrmatin abut interesting jb pssibilities. Thank yu fr yur time and supprt. Hliday cards are a gd way t tuch base with lved nes.

4 Jin Organizatins & Cmmittees Organizatins, cmmittees, clubs and ther grups prvide a wnderful pprtunity fr yu t meet ther prfessinals in yur field wh might have jb penings, knw f jb penings r referrals, r prvide supprt fr yur jb search prcess. Lk fr cntacts in the member directry. Attend meetings and talks. After a presentatin, yu culd apprach the speaker and say smething like: Hell. My name is XX and I wrk n XX research in XX department at the UW. I fund yur talk really interesting. Thank yu fr taking the time t participate tday. I m explring my career ptins and wuld like t ask yu a cuple f questins abut yur wrk. Wuld yu have a few minutes t chat with me, either nw r at a later date? [Wait] Great! [Ask questins, if given permissin] May I have ne f yur business cards? Thank yu s much fr yur time! I appreciate yur assistance. T netwrk with ther attendees, yu can make small talk by asking what sessins thers have fund helpful, hw lng they have been members f the rganizatin, where they wrk, etc. Attend scial hurs, happy hurs, and ther infrmal events. Attend r dwnlad materials frm ur Wrking the Rm wrkshp Here are sme resurces t help yu lcate rganizatins at the campus, city, and natinal level: Campus cmmittees - Campus student grups - Seattle rganizatins - Natinal assciatins - Miscellaneus - Attend Campus Panels & Events The Career Center and ther campus grups frequently invite alumni and emplyer representatives t talk t students abut careers. Examples include netwrking scials, alumni panels, emplyer panels, emplyer infrmatin sessins, etiquette dinners, career fairs, guest speakers, cllquia, etc. These events prvide an easy, safe way fr students t develp relatinships with cntacts wh are specifically interested in helping students explre careers r find jbs. Adapt the script prvided in the previus sectin if yu want t netwrk with presenters. Campus event infrmatin: Grad student career events - General career events - Events spnsred by the Graduate Schl - Use Prfessinal Netwrking Sites Cnsider jining ne r mre prfessinal netwrking sites such as LinkedIn. Sample uses include, but are definitely nt limited t: Seeing wh yur cntacts knw and cnnecting with them Finding peple with whm yu have a cmmnality such as the same alma mater Searching fr the place at which yu dream f wrking and seeing hw the emplyees gt there Jining grups such as the University f Washingtn Alumni Grup Applying fr jbs in the LinkedIn jbs bard

5 Access resurces abut using LinkedIn effectively at Be cautius abut cntent yu put n scial netwrking sites such as Facebk because emplyers ften use the sites t cnduct research n jb applicants. Cnduct Infrmatinal Interviews Gals f infrmatinal interviews: T gain infrmatin abut a career, industry, cmpany, r jb f interest t yu by asking questins f smebdy currently wrking in the field T btain ideas abut hw yur skills and experiences might be useful in the wrld f wrk T develp relatinships - peple generally lve t talk abut themselves and give advice s many individuals enjy being asked t participate in infrmatinal interviews T get referrals t thers wh might knw f interesting career pprtunities fr yu Infrmatinal interviews are NOT jb interviews - d nt ask interviewees fr jbs! Befre an infrmatinal interview: Clarify yur gals, identify cntacts, and write yur script as described n page 3. Research the field / jb / emplyer s yu seem prepared and knwledgeable. Prepare questins fr the interview based n yur knwledge f the field. Request a minute in-persn interview (by mail, , r phne). See belw fr sample. Indicate flexibility regarding date, time, and lcatin fr the meeting. Offer t meet yur cntact at r near his/her wrkplace. Make it clear that yu are explring career paths NOT asking fr jbs. Sample infrmatinal interview request: Hell. My name is XX and I am a grad student in XX at the UW. I met Mr. XX recently at XX. He recmmended that I speak with yu because he thught yu might have sme valuable advice fr me. I am explring a few different career paths and I am really interested in learning mre abut the wrk yu d in XXX at XXX. I think the field f XX might be a gd fit fr my strengths and interests in X, Y, & Z but I wuld like t get yur persnal perspective n the field and ask fr advice n hw t prepare myself fr the field. I knw yu are very busy but I wuld appreciate the pprtunity t visit with yu fr 15 minutes at a time and place that is cnvenient fr yu. Thanks fr cnsidering my request. Have a great day. Sincerely, XX. During an infrmatinal interview: Dress in a business-like manner. Be n time and be mindful f the time thrughut the interview. Express appreciatin fr the interviewee s time. Intrduce yurself. State yur purpse fr cnducting the interview. Build rapprt by asking pen-ended questins. Describe yur backgrund and strengths (have resume r CV n hand). Ask abut career preparatin needed fr field / jb / emplyer. Ask fr referrals t ther ptentially helpful cntacts. Express appreciatin fr the interviewee s time and insights. Take ntes, if ding s desn t detract frm rapprt-building. Always ffer t pay if meeting ver meals r beverages. Apprpriate questins fr infrmatinal interviews include: What attracted yu t this field? What d yu mst like abut this psitin r field?

6 What d yu least like abut this psitin r field? Describe a typical day r week. Hw typical is yur jb cmpared t ther jbs in the industry? What steps did yu take t break int this field? What skills and attributes are mst helpful in yur jb? What are typical career paths and salary levels in yur field? T what prfessinal assciatins d yu belng? What are sme related jbs r fields? Hw d yu think my skill set wuld best fit in yur field? What advice wuld yu give smebdy interested in pursuing yur line f wrk? Wh else might be able t share their experience f this field with me? After an infrmatinal interview: Summarize yur ntes frm the interview and decide yur next steps. Keep track f all crrespndence using a spreadsheet, database, etc. Write a thank-yu nte immediately. If yu successfully use the suggestins yur cntact mentined, fllw-up n his/her referrals, r btain a jb, send anther thank-yu nte. If yu find a resurce yu think wuld be f interest t yur cntact, send it s yu can cntinue t develp the relatinship. Resurces University f Washingtn, Career Center Netwrking fr Shy Peple (& everyne else!) - Wrking the Rm - Blles, R. N. (2007). What clr is yur parachute? 2007: A practical manual fr jb-hunters and career changers. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press.