Networking Skills (page 1 of 2)	
Networking Skills	
Networking is the process of talking to people to create friendships, co
llect names of contacts (people to 
go for advice or help), and learn information to help you succeed in yo
ur career.  A network gives you two 
advantages: 1) You will be among the first to hear about good job 
openings from your network contacts.  2) You will be among the first 
to learn important career information about your industry and future 
trends.  Knowing how to build a network is an important career skill.  
Here are some tips to help your networking skills:
  
Tip #1:  Find People for Your Network.  Include people you know 
in your network — friends, family members, relatives, people you 
meet on the job, as well as those you meet in school — teachers, 
counselors, secretaries, janitors, etc.  You may include people you 
meet in school clubs, sports, and hobbies — or even while working 
out in the gym.  In addition, you may network on social media with 
career professionals using Facebook, Telegram, Instagram, Linkedin, and other websites.  
Tip #2:  Clean up Your Social Media Reputation.  When you use social media sites for your career, you 
need to keep a professional social media identity.  Keep your social media privacy settings high. Do not fill 
out your social media profile with details about yourself.   Remove any posts, comments, photos, and games 
that an employer may see and not like.   Join groups that will add positive to your internet career identity.  
Follow news groups in your career area to meet and mingle with others in your career area. 
 
Tip #3:  Organize Your Network Note Files.  Make a network note file (on cards or computer).  Include 
every person mentioned in Tip #1 and #2.  Write down information about each person such as name, 
address (if known), place of employment, and extra information (socia
l media site where met, birthday, 
food liked, hobbies, and current happenings in his or her life).  You may be thinking that this is an extreme 
measure to take — keeping network notes.  Many professionals (doctor
s, dentists, lawyers, accountants, 
interior designers, retail store owners) keep note files on customers.  
For example, when you visit a dentist and the dentist talks to you about
 an event that you discussed 
during the last visit, it is not because the dentist has a good memory.  The dentist writes down notes  about a conversation with a patient so that the dentist can continue the
 
conversation during the patient's next visit to make the patient feel sp
ecial.   
Keeping network note files allows you to: 1) Impress people with your skill to 
remember things about them; and 2) Makes people feel special and import
ant so 
that they will want to give you advice or help when you need it. 
Tip #4:  Respect the People in Your Network.  To have friends, be a friend.  
Networking is not a one-way road where you do all the taking and none of
 the 
giving.  The most successful networks include people who feel the flow of give 
and take — or of advice and help going both ways.  How can you be a f
riend to

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Networking Skills (page 2 of 2)	
you can be a friend to those in your network.
9.  List 2 things to do when your network person 
joins your group. 
10.  a) What is an elevator pitch?  b) How long 
should your elevator pitch be?  c) List 4 things 
it should cover.  d) What can you then give the 
person?  e) For what can you then ask? 
11.  Write a short elevator pitch to answer a business 
person who says, "Tell me about yourself."
12.  a) List names of 4 networking clubs.  b) Who do 
college student clubs invite as speakers? 
13.   List 3 reasons to attend a college major's club.
14.. a)  When  will  you start your network note files?
  b) Give a reason for your answer.
1. 
What is networking?
2.  A network gives you what 2 advantages?
3.  a) List 5 people to include in your network.  
  b) List 4 social media sites for networking.
4.  List 3 things you can do to maintain a 
  professional social media identity. 
5.  List 5 pieces of information you can write down 
about each person in your network note files.
6.  Why do some dentists write down notes about a 
conversation with a patient?  
7.  List 2 things that keeping network note files 
  allow you to do.
8.  a) How can you have friends?  b) List 2 ways 
the people in your network?  Send "Happy Birthday" text on a birthday.  Make brief call, email, or text 
to wish the person well for a project in process.  Send thank you text, email, or note when the person did 
something for you.  When your network person joins your group, always  greet your network person by 
saying "Hi" along with their name — and  introduce the person to others in the group.  In general, treat 
your network people like you want to be treated.  
Tip #5:  Prepare Your Elevator Pitch.  An elevator pitch is a short speech to quickly sell 
yourself to another person.  At a meeting you may meet a business person who asks, "Are 
you attending this meeting?"  Your answer (or elevator pitch) should be less than one
minute and cover what you need important people to know about you: your job or school, 
your skills, current projects, and what you plan for a future career .  "Yes, I am attending 
this meeting.  My name is Joe Smith.  I'm a student at Careerville College majoring in 
Computer Technology.  My plan is to work as a computer technician and coder after 
graduation.  May I give you my business card?"   Then, give the person your business card (yes, college 
students have business cards for networking).  Your business card needs to be professional-looking, and 
provide your name and contact information (e-mail and cell number — 
do not include your address).  You 
may ask the person for his or her business card.  After you give an elevator pitch and exchanged business 
cards — You have made a network contact!  An important person knows about you, has your business card 
in case the person wants to contact you about a job, and you have a business card also for your network file. 
Tip #5:  Join Networking Clubs.   Use the internet to search for networking clubs to attend — Rotary, 
Kiwanis, or Lion's Clubs (service clubs for business persons) or  Toastmasters 
(club to teach business speaking skills).  Also, you may discover that your college 
major (such as business, graphic arts, public relations, other) has a student club.  
Student clubs invite men and women who work in the career area as speake
rs.  
Attend your college major's club meetings to: 1) Get contacts for your network.  
2) Add the college's              club name to your application and resume.  3) Learn 
more about types of jobs and job openings in your major.