Transcript Best Practice Networking Techniques for Students

Networking Best Practice for
Students & Graduates
Stuart Moss – [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Please feel free to tweet during
this presentation
#businet
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
The purpose of this presentation
• Introduce you to the concept of networking
• Explain it’s importance to you both now and in
your future careers
• Offer advice as to best practice networking
techniques
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
People networking
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Academic networking
Business networking
Political networking
Professional networking
Social networking
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Some networking definitions
• The action or process of making use of a network of people
for the exchange of information, etc., or for professional or
other advantage (Oxford English Dictionary, 2011).
• The practice of making contact and exchanging information
with other people, groups or institutions (Your Dictionary,
2011).
• The process of using one contact to gain others (Travel
Industry Dictionary, 2011).
• Communicate with and within a group (WordNet, 2011).
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
A Story (just one of MANY)
• 2004 asked to co-author a text book
‘Employability Skills’ by David Hind
– 2006 invited to BUSINET Berlin by David Taylor
• Met Beatrice Paetzold from EWS Dresden
• Invited to present at EWS Dresden
– Met Kerstin Steinberg from EWS Leipzig
– Met Franziska Von Greve from EWS Aachen
» 2008 developed BA progression partnerships with EWS:
Dresden; Leipzig & Aachen
» 2009 developed BA progression partnerships with EWS Rostock
& Cologne
» 2010 developed ERASMUS partnership with Ilmenau University
of Technology
» 2011 developed ERASMUS partnership with University of
Weimar Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Networking
• May be planned and focused or happen when
unexpected.
• A minimum of two people need to be
involved.
• Information is traded.
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Ask yourself
• Why do I want to network?
• What benefits do I want to achieve from networking?
• Who are the people that I want to be networking with?
• Where can I feasibly network with these people?
• When are the best times for networking to take place?
• How should I present myself to others?
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Networks = Support
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Student and graduate networks
• Other students, graduates and alumni.
• Academic staff from their own institution and
elsewhere.
• University staff that specialise in liaison with
industry and career guidance.
• Employers and industry figures.
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Where do other students like me go?
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Where
• Specific networking events, such as business lunches.
• Conferences / seminars.
• Staff development sessions.
• Work placements and internships.
• Industry events such as trade shows.
• In social locations such as the gym, coffee shops and
whilst travelling on public transport.
• Online in a plethora of locations.
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Help Yourself
• Business / contact card
• Sensible email address
• Sensible username on social media
• Default footer on emails with contact details
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Image and persona
Online
Offline
•
Appropriate attire for the situation
• Appropriate avatar
•
Friendly greeting
• Friendly greeting and text
•
Smile
• Polite language used
•
Handshake
• Introduce yourself properly
•
Eye contact
• Contact details offered
•
Business or contact card
• Answer and ask questions
•
Speak AND listen
•
Be confident
•
Be culturally aware
• Be professional
• Be culturally aware
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Presenting yourself
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Social Media
• The rise of the ‘prosumer’
• What motivates you to use social media?
– Intrinsic
– Extrinsic
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Facebook
• 1.15 billion users.
• Owns Instagram and Foursquare.
• Socially used by students, often to show ‘good times’.
• Safety and security issues.
• Suitability for professional graduate networking was
questionable, but growing in acceptance.
• Decline in use by younger teenagers.
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
LinkedIn
• 259 million users.
• Generally an older and more professional user base.
• Can work as an online curriculum vitae (CV).
• A growing tool, worth investing in an account for
graduates.
• Can ‘bump’ e-business cards using smartphones.
• Transition from Facebook to LinkedIn.
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Twitter
• Micro blog of 140 characters (max) per post (Tweet).
• 220 million global users.
• 1 million searches performed daily.
• Fastest growing social media tool, particularly amongst
teenagers
• Possibly the most useful and effective global networking tool
in the world today.
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Foursquare
• Only 33 million registered users, but growing
quickly due to smartphone proliferation.
• Geo-social networking platform.
• Works by users ‘checking in’ to venues.
• Huge networking potential.
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
The #Hash Tag
• Key words and terms given a # for search purposes. For
example:
– #businet – tweets relating to BUSINET including this
conference.
– #employability – tweets relating to issues associated with
employability skills development.
– #ERASMUS – tweets relating to ERASMUS exchange
programmes.
– #intern – tweets containing information relating to
internships.
– #yep - young entrepreneurs and professionals.
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Other Tools
• Too many to mention, but some of note:
– Google+
– Instagram
– MySpace
– Vine
– YouTube
• In the UK the fastest growing social media tools are micro / private
/ instant messengers such as:
– Whatsapp
– Snapchat
• The rest of Europe will follow in a similar way
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
In Summary
• The only certainty with networking in the connected age is that it
will continue to become faster, easier and more prolific in future.
• Engaging with a variety of social media will future-proof your
networking skills.
• Social media is rapidly growing in importance.
• Many of the ‘Facebook generation’ will be in senior management
positions in the next 5-10 years.
• Choose sensible usernames, safeguarding YOUR NAME is
advisable.
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Safety
• Do you know WHO you are networking with?
• How many personal details do you disclose
online?
• How accessible are your profiles?
• How familiar are you with privacy settings?
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss
Thank you
Any Questions?
The paper that this presentation is
based upon can be found on
www.entertainmentplanet.eu
Stuart Moss: [email protected]
@stuartmoss