WRITTEN APPLICATIONS - THE PROCESS -

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Networking for Career Development
Jonathan Wolff Careers and Employability Centre
(CEC) e-mail J.J.Wolff_at_lboro.ac.uk Key
Text Networking Pocketbook, Jon Warner,
Management Pocketbooks. Details Available at
http//www.pocketbook.co.uk (type
Networking into Book Search box)
Careers and Employability Centre
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WHAT THIS SESSION WILL COVER

• The benefits of career networking
• Networking definitions
• Preparing to raise your profile
• The Elevator Pitch
• The 30 second CV
• How to identify possible contacts
• Mind Mapping exercise
• Making use of professional bodies
• Four networking types
• Practical exercise in building
  relationships with contacts
• Using the Information Interviewing approach
• Careers Centre Networking Resources

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• ICEBREAKER - NETWORKING BINGO
• Go round the group finding one person to fill
  each category in the grid
• Start each new meeting by giving
• - your first name
• - the title of the course you are studying
  
• After you have introduced yourselves you can
  only ask each other
• THREE questions before you both move on to
  someone else
• Your questions will mainly be about items in
  the grid but there are no
• limitations as to what you can ask
• Each person can only appear on your grid ONCE
• You cannot include yourself in the grid
• If you are successful in finding someone to
  fill a box

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BENEFITS OF CAREER NETWORKING

• It is the most effective way of getting
  realistic information
• advice about career opportunities and jobs
• It can lead to inspiration, helping you to take
  appropriate
• steps towards the career goal that you know
  is right for you
• It can enable you to raise your profile
  amongst the
• community you want to join
• 70 80 of all jobs are found through
  networking
• - It may be the ONLY way of finding work in jobs
  where graduate training schemes are uncommon
  and/or entry into work is very competitive e.g.
• - Art design, sport, media, charitable
  sector, environmental careers

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Networking definitions (Jon Warner) these all
focus on building relationships

• A power that comes from a spirit of giving
  and
• sharing
• An organised way of creating links from
  people we know
• to people they know for a specific purpose
• Giving, contributing to and supporting others
  without
• keeping score
• Fostering self-help and the exchange of
  information
• Ensuring the right to ask a favour without
  hooks

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Knowing what you want and what you have to offer

• You should focus on building relationships
• BUT
• So that contacts can help you, you need to be
• able to explain briefly and clearly
• Who you are and what youve done 30 second
  CV
• What help you are looking for at this stage
  elevator pitch
• - NOTE In the early stages of networking wed
  recommend asking for
• help and advice. Once you are clear about
  what you want to do and
• have become known to your network /
  contacts, you can start asking
• about work experience and job
  opportunities.

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Exercise Selling Yourself, Stage 1 Preparing a
30 second CV / Elevator pitch

• Think of 3 Unique Selling Points (USPs) which
  describe you and
• put them into a short paragraph that you could
  learn and reel off naturally
• when asked about yourself, e.g.
• (1) Im a second year Loughborough University
  Graphic Communication student
• with
• (2) a good working knowledge of Photoshop and
  other IT design packages
• and
• (3) a range of office and organisational skills
  gained through working in the
• family business
• NOW add a sentence which explains what you are
  looking for at this
• stage / event (e.g. at a Creative Industry
  networking event), e.g.
• Im investigating a career in Advertising and
  Im looking for advice on the range of
• opportunities available and what I need to add
  to my CV to get into this industry
• You have five minutes to put these statements
  together

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Exercise Selling Yourself, Stage 2 Presenting
yourself to others

• Over the next TEN MINUTES move round the room,
  and practise delivering your 30 second
  CV/Elevator pitch to as many individuals as you
  can.
• In each meeting
• Briefly introduce yourselves
• Make sure you BOTH get a chance to deliver your
  statements
• Listen to what your partner is saying youll
  need to use this information to pick partners for
  other exercises, later in this workshop
• In your first couple of meetings youll probably
  need to use your script. By the time you get to
  your last meeting you should be able to deliver
  your statements without looking at your notes
  try to make your delivery relaxed and natural.

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IDENTIFYING CONTACTS

• To identify existing contacts and develop new
  ones, think
• of all the networks you have belonged to
• Your extended family
• The schools, colleges, universities you have
  attended
• Clubs, societies, organisations you have been
  a member of
• Places that you have worked
• Your partners or children's networks of
  friends
• Internet-based social networking groups
• Other networks?
• All the above could give access to many
  contacts

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Identifying contacts through online social
networks

• You must use these networks appropriately!
• Use the Vitae guide to effective online
  networking
• (aimed at Postgraduate researchers but useful
  for everyone)
• Professional networks like LinkedIn are best
• Unlike Facebook, they are partly set up for this
  purpose
• These networks get more useful the more
  experience you have
• Follow the 9 Simple Steps to Getting the Most
  out of LinkedIn
• General internet tip
• Avoid e-mailing people/groups for any specific
  help until you
• known to them or have an introduction
• - Its junk mail and will annoy people!

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MIND MAPPING

• Dynamic method of recording information
  ideas
• Mirrors the brains processes
• Main themes radiate from central image as
  branches
• Branches divide into connected structure of
  sub-branches
• New ideas can be added in any direction
• Colour visual images used to aid memory
  recall
• Can compress large number of ideas into one
  page
• Useful for brainstorming lists of contacts
• Also very useful for planning documents

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START TO MAP OUT YOUR CONTACTS

• Pair up with someone else in the room, ideally
  who is
• investigating similar opportunities
• Think of one or two career areas you want to
  research
• Question your partner about their starting
  points for
• contacts e.g. family, clubs, jobs, groups
  theyre in
• Produce a mind-map together (use a different
  colour each)
• showing your joint starting points in 10
  minutes
• It will be rough, without colours or diagrams
• Note people working outside your area of
  interest can have many
• contacts (e.g. the hairdresser in the
  example mind map)
• Aim is to get 25 contacts/organisations to
  follow up

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FINDING CONTACTS THROUGH Professional Bodies
Associations

• There are many organisations with established
  networks
• - They may offer careers information and
  advice
• - By becoming a member you could get
  access to conferences events
• - They may have directories/databases of
  member organisations
• Get to know the organisations in YOUR field
  through
• - Recommendations and lists from your
  careers adviser
• - Prospects occupational profiles
  Contacts Resources sections
• http//www.prospects.ac.uk/links/occupati
  ons

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CONTACT DATABASE EXAMPLE 1 Creative
Leicestershire, creative companies -
http//www.leicestershirecreatives.org.uk/
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MAKING CONTACT WITH ALUMNI(graduates of your
institution)

• Alumni who are in careers that interest you are
  the best possible contacts
• - Theyre more likely to want to help than
  someone youve no link with
• - They understand where you are coming
  from
• The CEC has a database of Loughborough alumni
  contacts
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• - They have all said they are willing to
  give advice and information
• - Some will offer work-shadowing /or
  experience
• - They cover most fields of work
• - To find out how system works, go to

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i. Search for potential mentors in database by
category or keyword
ii. Click on Profile
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iii. Ask member of careers and employability
centre staff for contact details
iv. E-mail the contact best first step is to
arrange telephone discussion
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Dont think you can use contacts effectively? -
Think how youve used them so far, an exercise

• Find a partner you havent worked with before
• Use the making use of contacts form as a
  prompt
• http//www.lboro.ac.uk/service/careers/downloads/a
  dvice/networking/N2usingcontactsquestionnaire.pdf
• Take it in turns to
• Find out if your partner used contacts in any
  of the three
• situations given (choosing a course, big
  purchase or job)
• Find out how much help they got and from whom
  (record on the
• form)
• In hindsight. Could they have used contacts
  more?

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FOUR NETWORKING TYPES (Warner) 1. Loner

• Likes to do most things by him/herself
• Doesnt want to bother or worry other people
• Feels his/her knowledge and skills are often
  superior to
• most people
• Only asks for help as a last resort (and when
  it may be
• too late
• Networking consequences for people of this
  type
• - Unable to benefit from Networking at all!

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FOUR NETWORKING TYPES (Warner) 2. Socialiser

• Tries to make a friend of everyone she/he
  meets
• Tends to know peoples names/faces but not
  what they do
• Is not normally systematic or ordered about
  follow-up
• contact is random
• May not listen too deeply and is quick to move
  on
• Networking consequences for people of this
  type
• - Knows little of substance about personal skills
  and
• resources so is Unable to share skills
• - Networking is random, following little
  or no formal contact system

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FOUR NETWORKING TYPES (Warner) 3. User

• Is likely to collect business cards without
  really connecting
• with people
• They take a hard sell approach on the first
  encounter
• Talks and focuses on own agenda rather than to
  gather
• information
• Has superficial interactions
• Keeps score when giving favours
• Networking consequences for people of this
  type
• - Creates little benefit for themselves or
  others
• - Creates a bad impression gives
  networking a bad name!

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FOUR NETWORKING TYPES (Warner) 4. Builder

• Has a giving disposition or abundance
  mentality
• Is generally happy to ask others for help or
  guidance
• Listens and learns about people carefully
• Is regularly on the look-out for useful
  information from
• which others can also benefit
• Has a well ordered and organised networking
  system
• Networking consequences for people of this
  type
• - Takes a long-term perspective on relationships
  with others thinks
• more about what he/she can give or offer than
  about the return
• - Is someone whom others really want to
  network with!

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INFORMATION INTERVIEWS

• These are chats with people who do work that
  interests
• you arrange them BEFORE you start your job
  search
• They will help you to
• Gather information about what careers involve
• Learn what kinds of opportunities exist in
  areas of interest
• Search jobs much more effectively
• Find out vital information to move your career
  forward
• Develop contacts with key people
• Build confidence and improve your interview
  skills
• Discover hidden jobs many jobs are found this
  way

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ARRANGING INFORMATION INTERVIEWS

• Begin with people you know they are most
  likely to want to help
• If your direct contacts cant help directly
  but know someone who could
• - ask if they could phone ahead and introduce
  you
• People are more likely take calls if they are
  prepared for one and more
• likely to agree to a chat if they know why
  youd like to see them.
• SO
• Write or email in advance, explaining
• - how you heard about them
• - what help/advice you are looking for - be
  brief your 30 second CV and
• appropriate elevator pitch is enough
• - attach your CV if you have one
• Follow up with a call and try to arrange a
  short meeting
• Prepare questions before the meeting

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Information Interviews Types of Questions

• Can you describe your typical day/week?
• What kinds of problems do you deal with ?
• What do you find most/least satisfying about
  your work ?
• Where are opportunities advertised ?
• Is there a typical career pattern for new
  professionals ?
• Which parts of this field are expanding and
  likely to offer opportunities
• in the future ?
• What are the typical entry-level jobs ?
• What are the toughest challenges the
  profession is facing ?
• Could you look over my work and offer
  suggestions ?

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INTERVIEWING CONTACTS A practical exercise
10-15 minutes

• Find a partner preferably someone youve never
  spoken to before
• Start by chatting for a couple of minutes so that
  each of you can identify an activity the other
  person has been involved with e.g.
• - A job they have done
• - A committee role they have held
• - A strong interest that they have
  practised
• - A club theyve been involved with for
  some time
• Take it in turns to ask detailed questions about
  this activity e.g.
• - How did they get started?
• What are the aspects of doing it that they enjoy
  most?
• Are there any negative aspects?
• What tips would they give to anyone thinking of
  taking up this activity?

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The next steps after information interviews

• Work Shadowing the ideal immediate goal
• Unpaid work observation of a day or two
• Enables you to see whether the job is what you
  want without committing to lengthy work
  experience
• Easy to arrange at information interviews
• Can lead to work experience (paid/unpaid) if you
  want it
• Advantages over work experience
• You can observe work at a much higher level
• Much easier for an employer to arrange
• no cost or training, little supervision, much
  shorter
• You can look at many more job roles in a short
  period of time
• Allows more time for more information
  interviewing / networking
• Goal over the summer
• Fix up, through information interviews, as many
  different work shadow experiences as you can
• After each one, reflect on what youve learnt

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Materials available from our networking resources
web pagehttp//www.lboro.ac.uk/service/careers/a
dvice/networking/resources.html  

• Making Use of Contacts - a questionnaire to help
  you think how you use contacts already.
• Mind Mapping - information on a technique for
  brainstorming lists of contacts.
• Outcomes of Networking - a detailed, categorised
  list of all the things that contacts can do for
  you in helping you to plan your career.
• Record of Key Networking Objectives - a sheet for
  planning what you want to get out of your
  networking campaign.
• Networking Card-Sort - practical exercise to help
  you set networking priorities.
• Networking Interviews Prompt Sheet - ideas for
  questions to ask contacts.
• Networking Preparation Question Sheet - for
  recording your questions, prior to each meeting
  with a contact.
• Networking Contacts Sheet - a sheet for recording
  the details of your meetings with contacts and
  the further action that needs to be taken.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCE FOR THOSE AIMING FOR THE
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

• The Arts Diary provides an excellent,
  practical guide to networking in
• creative careers whilst listing all the
  national annual events to look out
• for. Use it electronically to click on
  links to pages about events
• http//www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/adjjw/ArtsDiary.pdf
  
• PDF Lists of careers resources for specific
  School of the Arts groups
• these lists of links are designed to take
  students from specific School of
• the Arts programmes to online/downloadable
  resources relevant to their
• career planning needs. A master PDF,
  giving links to all lists can be
• downloaded from
• http//www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/adjjw/SchoolofA
  rtscareersresourcesmasterlist.pdf
• PDF Lists of careers resources for English
  Drama students
• http//www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/adjjw/usefulcareers
  websitesforenglishanddramastudents.pdf

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SUMMARY AND FINAL TIPS

• Avoid e-mailing people until you know them or
  have an introduction
• - Its junk mail!
• Start networking with people you know its
  easier!
• Sit next to strangers at events - not people
  you know
• Be ready to network at all times - keep your
  30 second CV and an
• appropriate elevator pitch in your head
• Build two-way relationships be helpful to
  others even if there is no
• immediate or direct benefit to you think
  what YOU can OFFER them
• Use contacts to find contacts know other
  sources
• Use an Information Interview strategy as your
  main approach to using
• contacts formally follow this by
  arranging work shadowing
• In the early stages of networking, ask for
  help and advice NOT for