26 Feb Secret #6: SEAU Recap – Networking Strategies
Networking is often times one of the hardest things for engineers, but here are a few strategies (adapted from the presentation by Jennifer Anderson*) to help you…
What is your personal brand?
This is the why and the how behind what you do as an engineer. Every company has a logo that represents something. Nike for example and their swoosh signifies ‘Just Do It’. They don’t tell you what ‘It’ is that they want you do, they are just encouraging you to be active and ‘Just Do’ whatever it is that you want to do. I am certain that Nike had to put in some effort in order to build up their brand recognition, but now it is well represented throughout the world. Similarly, it is something that we have to work at continuously. So what is your personal brand as an engineer? Defining your personal brand or understanding your goals will help you to know what you should to do before, during and after a networking event. Remember this…. If you don’t have clarity about what you want to be known for in your career, then you will be known for nothing.
Where do you currently network?
Some great opportunities can be found for you in the following locations:
- Conferences
- Seminars
- Church
- School
- Lunch
- Normal Events (like a swim meet or neighborhood meeting)
You shouldn’t worry about going to any of these places and networking, everybody needs to know good engineers too. You never know who you will meet at these opportunities. Your network connections can lead to a new job or a new project.
The ‘Two I’s’ of Networking
While there is a lot for you to get out of networking, you should always have a service mentality. How can you be helpful or provide value to the other person? It will make you stand out as you show how you can give. There are two parts to the value that you can bring which are the ‘Two I’s’: (1) Information and (2) Introductions. While you are networking, try to get enough background on the other person so that you connect with them later by sharing information, such as articles that you read online, via LinkedIn or email periodically. Your network will continue to grow as you connect with more people. When the time is right, you can provide an introduction to another connection, such as an entrepreneur who needs a good graphic designer or an architect who needs a good realtor.
Networking Strategies
Here are a 5 quick strategies to implement in your next networking opportunity:
- Don’t talk about the weather!
- Don’t ask them ‘what do you do?’ instead ask ‘what brings you here?’
- Consistently attend scheduled meetings so that your face and name becomes familiar
- Keep business cards in your glove box, so that you are never left empty handed at an event
- Have fun!
Last but not Least
After you leave a networking event, don’t forget to follow up with a phone call or an email. A quick follow up will help you create lasting connections in your network.
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Keep on keepin’ on.
Life’s a garden… Dig it!
If you have any additional topics or subtopics that you would like me to cover, please contact me at josh@thehipsterengineer.com
*This information is adapted from Jennifer Anderson’s presentation entitled ‘Networking Strategies’ given at the Structural Engineers Association of Utah (SEAU) Conference in Layton, Utah on February 20th, 2018. Jennifer Anderson (www.CareerCoachJen.com) was born into a family of engineers, but focuses on the people side of engineering. With nearly 20 years as a career strategist for national and international companies, she hopes to “build stronger teams – one career at a time”. I personally enjoyed everything that Jennifer had to say during her presentation, and I have either used her strategies before or I plan on implementing them in the future.
I was not able to cover everything that she discussed, so I will have to periodically come back and revisit her thoughts another day. In the meantime, her presentation can be found here: Networking Strategies Presentation
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