Suzi Eisman

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How to Build Relationships to Further Our
Careers
BAS CARES

• Presented by
• Suzi Eisman
• Harriet Gluckman
• Jay Siegelaub

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Objectives

• At the end of this session, you will understand
• What networking is
• The value of networking
• The basics of an elevator pitch
• How to prepare for an informational interview

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NETWORK a definition

• An interconnected or
• inter-related chain, group or system

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What is Professional Networking?

• Making purposeful social connections with people
  to enhance your professional career
• Share information
• Gain personal visibility
• Get advice and support regarding your options
• Find specific resources

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Networking Can Enhance Your Opportunities at Any
Stage of Your Career Development

• During Career Transitions
• For job searching and career changing
• For Business Development
• To build referrals, find mentors, understand the
  competition, and, find human resource talent
• For Career Growth and Enrichment
• To gain current industry information, develop
  supportive relationships and uncover new
  opportunities

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Networking Opportunities are Everywhere

• On the train
• At a wedding
• During Kiddush
• On the soccer field
• At a professional meeting
• During a social dinner
• In a formal informational interview

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Networking is not only desirable it is a
necessary skill to help you find a job in this
challenging job market.

• 80-90 of jobs filled through networking
• The more you talk to people, the greater the
  probability that you will find a useful
  connection to help you meet your goal

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The Networking Tree
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Contact List Exercise

• 1. Briefly introduce yourself to the others in
  your group (1 minute per person)
• 2. Prepare a list of people you could contact
  such as
• Friends, relatives, community contacts,
  current/former
• colleagues, clients/managers, academic contacts,
• service providers, etc.
• 3. After you make your list consider why you
  might want to network with each of those people
• 4. Discuss the categories (friends, etc) you used
  to develop your list. Did you come up with any
  unusual sources for your potential contacts you
  would like to share?

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What are Benefits of Networking?

• Networking enhances. . .

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What Stands in Our Way?
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What Stands in Our Way?

• The fear of rejection or concerns about imposing
• The belief that setting out to accrue helpful
  friends for our own ends makes us operators
• The desire to make it on our ownthe thought that
  accepting help diminishes our accomplishments
• The fear of rejection or concern about imposing
• The belief that we just dont have the
  timehanging out is goofing off
• Uncertainty and lack of information about how to
  network

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Before You Begin to Network, Get Organized!

• Organize a tracking system to keep track of
  visits, names, addresses, follow up
• Obtain professional stationery for cover letters,
  resumes, thank-you notes
• Have well-written marketing materials, including
  a resume
• Have a letter of introduction
• Make sure that your email address and voice
  message are PROFESSIONAL
• Have one dark colored interview suit

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Effective Networking is Strategic

• Prepare for networking
• Know Yourself education, experience, skills and
  what you can offer
• Develop a list of all the people in your social
  life
• Have your agenda planned and prepared
• Prepare and rehearse a one-minute introduction
• Set up informational interviews
• Follow up with new contact immediately
• Evaluate networking information
• Stick with it You only need one YES

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Four Steps to Informational Interviewing

1. Prepare
2. Set up meeting
3. Manage meeting
4. Follow up

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Four Rs of Informational Interviewing

1. Research
2. Be Remembered
3. Referrals
4. Relationships

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Step One Prepare

• Contact List
• Friends, relatives, community contacts, current
  or former colleagues, clients/managers, academic
  contacts, service providers, etc.
• Contact strategy
• Have a sense of how your contact can help you and
  how you might add value to him or her

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Step One Prepare (contd)

• Your elevator pitch
• A brief introduction of Who You Are
• Craft a compelling, targeted pitch that
• Tells your story
• Communicates your expertise
• Highlights the value you provide

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Elevator Pitch Exercise

• Select (in your mind) a person you want to meet
• Prepare a one-minute introduction, considering
• An engaging opening statement
• What I want this person to know about me (3 key
  points)
• How I might be able to add value
• A strong close that leads to the next step(not
  well thats about it)
• When youre done, work in groups of 2 or 3 and
  try it out
• Give positive feedback where it works well and
  how it can be improved

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Step One Prepare (contd)

• Develop questions relevant to the person you are
  meeting

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Some areas for questions

• organization/business/industry
• business performance
• trends/ anticipated directions
• products services
• best practices
• competitors
• success factors
• gaps, issues, needs

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Step Two Make the Contact

• Whether by phone or by email
• Introduce yourself and mention the name of the
  person who referred you
• Possible pitch headline
• Tell them why you are calling (to obtain their
  advice and feedback on career plans/directions)
• May need to decompress
• Ask for a meeting
• Thank them in advance

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Step Three - Manage the meeting

• Introduction/ice breaker referrers name
• Make it clear why you are there and how they can
  help
• Decompress, if necessary no reason to believe
  that you have a job here
• Take the lead set the agenda
• Elevator Pitch
• Ask questions/ exchange information
• Probe for referrals
• Thank you

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Post Meeting Evaluation

• How did it go?
• What did I learn?
• How can I do better next time?

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Step four Follow up

• Thank you note to contact (within 24 hours)
• Close the loop with the person who referred you
• Reciprocate information, contacts, professional
  assistance, business opportunity, etc.
• Set up meetings with new contacts
• Stay in touch with all your contacts
• Focus on becoming a valuable resource to your
  network

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Planning your next steps

1. Have you identified the information you are
   seeking through networking?
2. Do you have an organized system to manage your
   contacts?
3. Have you developed a list of contacts?
4. Do you have a crisp and targeted pitch?
5. Have you prepared questions for each
   informational interview?