[TEXT: Young African Leaders Initiative Online Training Series]
Sadhana Hall: I’m Sadhana Hall, and this is “Networking to Get Ahead.” [TEXT: Networking to Get Ahead]
In this lesson we will learn how to [TEXT: Learning Objectives]
identify important networking skills, [TEXT: How to identify important networking skills.]
how to develop networks [TEXT: How to develop networks.]
and how to maintain your network. [TEXT: How to maintain your network.]
[TEXT: Sadhana Hall Deputy Director, Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College] It’s important to network thoughtfully and effectively.
To be the best at what you do, you need to surround yourself
with people who inspire you, [TEXT: Inspire] who motivate you, [TEXT: Motivate]
and who challenge you. [TEXT: Challenge]
People who ask you difficult questions and provide
honest feedback. [TEXT: Honest feedback]
Networking is the practice of intentionally seeking
out these people.
Your personal network is your resource — it’s just as tangible [TEXT: Your personal network is a resource]
and necessary as your technical skills.
Let’s go over some of the important, necessary
networking skills.
First, just be open to meeting new people, listening to new [TEXT: Be open to meeting new people]
ideas, and engaging [TEXT: Be open to listening to new ideas] with people outside of
your specific business or industry. [TEXT: Be open to engaging with people outside your industry]
Be authentic in how you present yourself and your business. [TEXT: Be authentic]
Networking requires a genuine interest in others.
They deserve your respect and your attention.
Be a good listener for common goals and interests and [TEXT: Be a good listener]
establish useful relationships.
Be punctual and respect how much time your contacts are [TEXT: Be punctual]
able to give you.
Be proactive and conduct research on the individual, [TEXT: Conduct research]
the employer or the industry with whom you would
like to connect.
Here are some ways to develop your network. [TEXT: Developing your network]
Reach out to friends, family members and alumni —
they are a rich pool of people with connections.
Seek to connect with people informally at conferences and [TEXT: Conferences and meetings]
meetings or at formal networking events.
Begin your conversation with what you know about the person
or the organization, talk about your common interests, [TEXT: Talk about common interests]
and build your conversation from there.
Let them know how you possibly can help them.
Make connections through social media such as LinkedIn. [TEXT: Connect on social media]
LinkedIn can connect you to others with similar interests,
it can help you establish wider networks, and is a rich resource [TEXT: Establish wider networks]
of information for professional development.
When you communicate with people through face-to-face interviews,
over the phone or through Skype or some other system,
be prepared with questions. [TEXT: Be prepared with questions]
Use the Internet, if you have access.
Choose and adapt questions that will be personally and
culturally relevant to you, that’ll help you to network.
If a chance meeting offers you an opportunity,
ask for contact information and a business card. [TEXT: Ask for contact information]
Reciprocate — be a resource for those in your network. [TEXT: Be a resource]
Your network is built over time because all connections
you make become part of your personal and
professional network. Think about it as something that is
alive and that requires time and your attention to
stay healthy and relevant.
Here are some ideas on how to maintain your network: [TEXT: Maintaining your network]
Reach out to your contacts when something reminds you of them. [TEXT: Reach out to your contacts]
Let them know you are thinking about their needs
and not just what they can do for you. This will help
you build a strong foundation for a continued relationship. [TEXT: Build a strong foundation]
Send along occasional updates or interesting relevant information [TEXT: Send occasional updates]
about yourself.
Reach out to your contact in advance of coordinated job [TEXT: Reach out before job searches]
searches. Send your resume and the job description to the
position that you are applying.
Keep your contact informed about the outcome and write them a
thank-you note if they in any way help. [TEXT: Write thank you notes]
Remember what you talked about with your contacts when you met [TEXT: Remember what you talked about]
them. A good way to remember is to write quick notes on their
business card.
Be sure to follow up with a new contact within 24 to 48 hours. [TEXT: Follow up with a new contact]
If your contact connects you to a valuable resource, please let
that person know what happened as a result of this connection.
Be sure to thank both of them.
Networking can be a powerful tool.
After you’ve completed all the units in this course at YALI dot [TEXT: Test Your Knowledge YALI.state.gov]
State dot gov, you can test your knowledge and earn a
YALI Network certificate. [TEXT: YALINetwork Produced by the U.S. Department of State]