{"id":6570,"date":"2014-11-25T11:47:25","date_gmt":"2014-11-25T16:47:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/?p=6570"},"modified":"2014-11-25T11:47:25","modified_gmt":"2014-11-25T16:47:25","slug":"how-to-network-your-way-to-a-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/2014\/11\/25\/how-to-network-your-way-to-a-job\/","title":{"rendered":"How to network your way to a job"},"content":{"rendered":"

Networking \u2014 trying to connect with people you don\u2019t know \u2014\u00a0typically holds little appeal. Yet, the concept actually makes sense and deserves more credit than it enjoys.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way I like to define networking is building relationships,\u201d explained Melanie Sinche, Senior Research Associate in Harvard Law School’s\u00a0Labor and Worklife Program. \u201cWe build relationships every day, in everything we do, particularly in research.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can be up front, be transparent.\u00a0You can say you\u2019re finishing up and you\u2019re on the job market \u2013 that\u2019s OK. But, don\u2019t ask for a job and put pressure on someone.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Hosted by RI NSF Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), Sinche shared key networking skills with Rhode Island science, technology, engineering, and mathematics faculty, staff and graduate students during a recent workshop held at the University of Rhode Island.<\/p>\n

\"Melanie
Melanie Sinche<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here are a few key points to remember:<\/p>\n

Develop an\u00a0elevator speech<\/strong><\/p>\n

Think about riding in an elevator and having that brief period of time to explain to someone who you are and what you are about: I am a (graduate student) at (the University of Rhode Island) focusing on (genomics research). I will finish in (May 2015) and I am looking for (a research position) in (a start-up company).<\/p>\n

Expand your network<\/strong><\/p>\n

Think of a diagram with you in the center. Directly around you are the people you know, who fall into these categories \u2014\u00a0family, friends and professionals.<\/p>\n

Then, work outward to include: professors, advisors, committee members and post-docs; labmates and department cohorts; and department faculty and administrators.<\/p>\n

People you may not know, but provide networking opportunities include: conference speakers, journal editors, grant administrators, collaborators, and bloggers.<\/p>\n

Places to network include: alumni and career gatherings, employer events, student or professional association meetings, and LinkedIn.<\/p>\n

How\u00a0to approach people<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whether communicating in person or via email, introduce yourself and briefly note how you came across this individual. Explain you are interested in his or her work and request information. Set up a mock informational interview, and:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Ask about career planning \u2014 how did you decide on your focus, how did you get into the field, what specific skills and personal qualities are necessary to your job?<\/li>\n
  • Ask about the job search \u2014 how do people get into your field, is any method more effective than another, what kind of information should students or trainees highlight on resumes or CVs and during job interviews?<\/li>\n
  • Ask about the career field \u2014\u00a0what is your day like and what are you responsible for, what is the common career path, what does it take to be good at your job, what do you like or dislike about your job, what types of problems or pressing issues occur, what type of training is needed, what is the beginning salary?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Do not ask for a job<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u201cYou can be up front, be transparent,\u201d advised Sinche. \u201cYou can say you\u2019re finishing up and you\u2019re on the job market \u2013 that\u2019s OK. But, don\u2019t ask for a job and put pressure on someone.\u201d<\/p>\n

    If you ask for a job and the answer is no, Sinche says, it is very hard to regain your footing in the conversation.<\/p>\n

    Instead, seek advice \u2014 ask what they are looking for and what kind of relevant experience is necessary to land a job.<\/p>\n

    Finding a job<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Sinche says there are 12,000 occupations in the United States. And, for every occupation, there is a professional association.<\/p>\n

    And, the people who belong to the professional association \u2014 whether plant biologist, plumber or pipefitter \u2014 are open to meeting those interested in their profession.<\/p>\n

    Bottom line? Wherever you are, on a plane, in a meeting or, yes, riding in an elevator, if you meet someone whose career interests you, introduce yourself and explain what you are seeking.<\/p>\n

    By Amy Dunkle<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Networking \u2014 trying to connect with people you don\u2019t know \u2014\u00a0typically holds little appeal. Yet, the concept actually makes sense and deserves more credit than it enjoys. \u201cThe way I like to define networking is building relationships,\u201d explained Melanie Sinche, Senior Research Associate in Harvard Law School’s\u00a0Labor and Worklife Program. \u201cWe build relationships every day, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6570","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6570","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6570"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6570\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6570"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6570"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6570"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}