THE ART

1
THE ART SCIENCE OF NETWORKING

• The big idea Its not only who you know.
• Skidmore College
• Celebration Weekend, 2008
• Presented by Sandy Lipson, 71

2
Theres Networking and then theres Networking

• You know more than I do about the fine points of
  social networking, so if this session addressed
  that topic, youd be teaching it.
• But how much do you know about purposeful or
  productive networking?
• There is an art to the latter and theres some
  science, too.

3
As promised, THE BIG IDEA (via a quiz)

• Q Its not what you know, its who you know.
• TRUE______ FALSE______
• Q Its not who you know, its who knows you.
• TRUE______ FALSE______

4
THE BIG IDEA

• A Both are TRUE, but not really.
• Q Its not who knows you, its who knows WHAT
  YOU KNOW.
• TRUE______ TRUE______

5
Why network purposefully?

• Enhance your educational experiences.
• Know and be known by best faculty.
• Access research / lab / project assignments.
• Clarify your interests.
• Begin to build your career strategy.
• Locate internship and job opportunities.
• Create your personal board of directors/find
  mentors.
• Test drive various industries/fields.
• Increase your quality of life and have more fun.
• Be invited places.
• Meet interesting people outside of your current
  circle.

6
Purposeful Networking

• We tend to think it is
• Cold-calling
• Mingling with strangers
• Borrowing Moms Dads contact list
• FaceBook
• Only for extroverts

• But it really is
• Warm leads
• Relationship building
• Creating your own connections
• Face time
• A learnable skill

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Purposeful Networking

• To do it well, you will need to
• Be clear about your goals.
• Create a strategy backed by research.
• Be able to articulate your personal vision and
  value.
• Know whom by name or position you want to know
  and be known by.
• Commit to building relationships over time.
• Be strategically opportunistic.
• Offer as much as you ask.

8
First, the SCIENCE

• There is a calculus / there are formulas.
• You must have goals for networking that support
  your vision (or your vision-in-process).
• Research, research, research -- Determine what /
  who is adjacent and how they might help.
• Build your lists maps targets. Have a
  spread-sheet.
• Work your lists and track your activities and
  responses.
• It is, to some extent, a numbers game.

9
More SCIENCE

• There are roles and rules.
• YOU do all the heavy lifting.
• YOU offer an answer to the Why I want to talk
  with you question and why you might want to
  talk with me -- before its asked. See page 11.
• YOU reach out directly, even if a referral has
  been made on your behalf.
• YOU manage the logistics offering dates,
  arrangements, etc.
• If there is food involved, YOU offer to pay but
  accede graciously, if your offer is refused.
• YOU prepare an agenda with thoughtful questions.
• YOU follow up promptly and meaningfully without
  fail!

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Now, the ART

• There must be a vision and a message this is
  marketing!
• Bring your creativity and excitement to every
  encounter. Become a compelling brand. Create
  buzz.
• Get slightly famous.
• Practice non-psychotic apophenia1 or
  symphony2.
• Be empathetic consider your audience.
• Bring something to the party give something
  back and make encounters meaningful.
• Think big and think long-term.
• Nurture connections to turn them into trusted and
  reliable relationships.
• 1 apophenia making connections where none
  previously existed
• 2 see A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink

11
More ART

• Networking is easiest when you know precisely
  what you want to do and where. If you dont, you
  can still benefit greatly from networking.
• You might not know what you want to do, but you
  may have an idea of who you want to be.
• Think about how you like to spend your time when
  there are no external constraints. What excites
  you?
• Ask people who know you well What do you see
  when you see me at my best?
• Combine all of this into a sense of what you can
  offer what value you can bring to an
  organization or a cause. Then start to build
  relationships with people who can help you as you
  design your future.

12
The invitation to network speech

• Hello, my name is
• So-and-so suggested that I get in touch with
  you becauseor the reason I would like to talk
  with you is becauseI got your name from
• I understand youre involved with x
  non-profit and I care a lot about that
  causeorIve read your most recent
  research/articleor Ive just written a paper on
  x your field
• Currently I amWhat I am interested in / curious
  about is
• Would you be willing to spend a half hour or 45
  minutes with me so I can pick your brain / gain
  your perspective?
• I will be in on will you be available?
• Thank you so much and I look forward to spending
  some time with you.
• Give a reason for the person to want to meet
  with you. Heres where your homework pays off
  but be authentic dont make this up.

13
Networking Starts Now

• Do you have a productive network today? Describe
  it.
• Who am I?
• Who are all of these people?
• What are our adjacencies?
• Who do you want to meet? How many degrees of
  separation exist?

14
Networking Sites and Search Engines

• LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/ business network
• XING www.xing.com/ global business network
• Scispace.net scispace.net/ science network
• Ryze www.ryze.com/ business network
• Plaxo www.plaxo.com/ business network
• ZoomInfo www.zoominfo.com/ business search
  engine, partnering with XING and Reunion.com
• Hoovers www.hoovers.com/free/ business search
  engine
• Implu www.implu.com/ business search engine

15
On-line How-To Guides

• Web sites
• career-advice.monster.com/career-networking/home.a
  spx
• rileyguide.com/network.html
• hotjobs.yahoo.com/networking
• career.berkeley.edu/Article/021011b.stm
• fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/08/13/networking-ti
  ps-from-the-white-house/
• cio.com/article/164300/How_to_Network_Tips_for_Shy
  _People
• ventureblog.com/articles/2004/02/practical_netwo.p
  hp

16
Books

• Dig Your Well Before Youre Thirsty The Only
  Networking Book Youll Ever Need Harvey Mackay
• Some Assembly Required How to Make, Grow and
  Keep Your Business Relationships Thom Singer
• Career Wisdom for College Students Peter Vogt
• The Art of Talking to Anyone Rosalie Maggio
• Masters of Networking Building Relationships for
  Your Pocketbook and Soul Ivan R. Misner, Ph.D.
  and Don Morgan M.A.
• Never Eat Alone How to Build a Lifelong
  Community of Colleagues, Contacts, Friends, and
  Mentors Keith Ferrazzi

17
Quotes and Inspiration

• Relationships are all there is. Everything in the
  universe only exists because it is in
  relationship to everything else. Nothing exists
  in isolation. We have to stop pretending we are
  individuals that can go it alone. Margaret
  Wheatley
• Spectacular achievement is always preceded by
  spectacular preparation. Robert H. Schuller
• When you know how to ask the right questions, you
  can talk to anyone about anything. Dorothy
  Leeds
• There are two kinds of people in this life Those
  who walk into a room and say, Well, here I am!
  And those who walk in and say, Ahh, there you
  are. Leil Lowndes
• Refusing to ask for help when you need it is
  refusing someone the chance to be helpful. Ric
  Ocasek
• If you dont ask, you dont get. Mahatma Gandhi
• Things dont turn up in this world until somebody
  turns them up. James A. Garfield
• There is always, always an alumni group. Harvey
  Mackay
• Intelligent networking can yield almost any
  result you wish to achieve, particularly if you
  start by thinking how to help others before your
  own cause. Martin Lawson