This month:
Networking Tips

Planning your networking
Expand contact list to include family/friends, past bosses/clients, colleagues, social acquaintances, professional and social organization members, fellow alumni, neighbors, executive recruiters, etc.

• Contact initially via email or mail referencing your common connection/referral
• Try for a short and focused meeting face to face as a result of this call; Set up a time to talk on the phone if meeting in person isn’t an option
• If you are deferred, ask permission as to when a good time would be for you to touch base with them again
• Be positive & upbeat; people will be more interested

• Practice with a friend
• Plan ahead by knowing what outcomes you want from this interaction
• Have your Elevator Pitch ready
• Write down questions beforehand
• Take notes during the meeting

• Respect your allotted time
• When drawing to a close inquire as to if there are others in your company/industry/ that you think I should be talking to?
• Ask if you can mention them as a referral and how best to proceed (ideally, the referring party would phone/email ahead but this may not always be possible)
• Ask if there ways you could help them
• Ask permission to re-contact them to let you know progress on leads they gave you. Even if they offer no contacts, ask if you may keep them abreast of your progress

• What has been your own career progression? How did you get into this field?
• What do you like most & least about this industry?
• What and where are the job opportunities in this industry? What types of training, qualifications or experience do I need for these positions?
• What are typical salary ranges for the industry? What would the range be for someone at my level?
• Are there other people in your department/group/firm/industry you think I should be talking to? May I mention your name when contacting them?

Come back next month for:
"Good Questions for Informational & Formal Interviews"