Networking Is about Giving
Many people think that networking is an activity to get something from others, but it really is a way to give to others rather than taking. If we can teach students to approach it from that point of view, they will find it easier to do and far more enjoyable.

Sharing information, bringing people together, providing advice, opening a connection, referring a person to someone else are all examples of ways that students can give to each other and to industry professionals. Finding another potential employee, recommending a student for an internship, helping to train another student or sharing an article from a class are ways that students can make a difference in the lives of industry professionals. Sometimes, just paying attention to an industry professional and really listening to the person can be a powerful gift to them. And writing thank-you notes is a gift, as well.

If we can get students to think of networking in these terms, it can be less overwhelming for them and often interesting and even positive.

Networking Can Be Fun
Although many people think that networking is a difficult and often scary activity, it can be fun if it is approached in a positive manner. It is a chance to meet new people, find out what is happening at various companies, check out job possibilities and broaden connections with others. However, if students feel like they have to make a certain impression or capitalize on every time they have a chance to meet an industry professional, it can become very intimidating.

One way to help students overcome this fear of networking is to promote lots of networking activities—in classes, among peer groups and in a range of situations so that they practice their social skills and grow comfortable talking with strangers. One activity I have used is an autograph mash-up in class at the beginning of the year. Students get a list of activities with a blank line beside each one for a student to sign; they have to mix and mingle among the students in the class to find out who has completed each activity and obtain a signature for that activity. By limiting the number of times a person can sign another’s sheet, this activity forces them to talk to other students and encourages asking a wide range of questions of each other—a beginning step in networking.

In small programs, there might be fewer opportunities to meet new persons; in those cases, help students find ways to meet students, staff or faculty in other programs at the college or create different activities to get them used to talking to strangers. In most cases, more experience leads to more comfort and more ease in asking questions and less fear about deciding what to say. They might even discover they like networking!

Networking helps everyone
A great advantage of networking is the new opportunities created, the doors opened, the connections made and the new experiences that become possible. It actually helps everyone—students, staff, faculty and industry professionals—because industry professionals want to hire our graduates and want to hear about what is happening in our programs; students want to meet industry professionals, find jobs and expand their range of contacts in the industry; and we want to expand our connections to help our programs grow and link with all aspects of the industry in our regions and nationally.

So have some fun helping students practice networking and try to do more yourself; remember that if you think it is about giving, it can be done more easily and with more pleasure. If it is about taking, it is harder and more anxiety provoking.

Summary
Thank you for reading this column on networking. Next month we will discuss elevator speeches, a great tool for students to learn and practice since elevator speeches provide them with a structure and set of ideas about how to introduce themselves to others.

If you have comments about this topic or suggestions for others, send them to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and I will include them in future Mayo’s Clinics.

Dr. Fred Mayo, CHE, CHT, is a clinical professor at New York University and a frequent presenter at CAFÉ events nationwide.