31 Comments Add your own

• 1. Matt Eves  |  November 19th, 2008 at 6:05 pm

  With regard to the WSJ article, I couldn’t help but be reminded of attending professional tennis tournaments when I was a kid. I was a huge Andre Agassi fan. Determined to get an autograph, I knew the court he was warming up on, the gate he would leave when he finished, and the path he would take to the locker room. This required doing my homework, strategizing, and being prepared at all times. As Brandon Gutman cautions in his article, “Don’t expect to just show up and bump into these people.” To set yourself apart you need to be able to get your face in front of key personnel, and this takes some work.

  Secondly, as much as I have enjoyed being at Cal Poly this year, I am still a proud Trojan and can second Dr. Carr’s comment about USC’s emphasis on networking and the acclaimed Trojan Family. It is amazing. The price for the education is a hefty one but in addition to the degree, the student is connected to the Trojan network for life. I think that there is a lesson to take from this. Networking is quite possibly as important as the actual education because it allows you to be mentored by those with more experience. While in the case of USC you can purchase your membership in the Trojan Family once being accepted to the school, it may take outreach and effort to make those connections in another college with fewer high powered and networked alumni. It takes time to communicate with others, listen to others, send thank you cards or send a follow up email. I don’t think it’s the $2.00 card but the 20 minutes it might take to write it and send it out that prevents us from doing so on a regular basis. It is great to be a part of a program (Cal Poly) that gets the hammer out to bust blockheads like myself from missing out on the opportunities we have as MBA students. I know I need the reality check.

  To end on a lighter note, reflecting on the topic of networking reminded me that the best and most memorable times I’ve spent on this planet have been getting to know other people and putting myself out there to start a relationship and let it grow.

• 2. Rob Belloni  |  November 30th, 2008 at 9:12 pm

  It could be easy to read the WSJ article as a snub to LinkedIn, but I think the author’s real point is that to get value out of networking - you have to do more than just add someone as a “friend” on a social networking site.

  Case in point… I set up the Cal Poly MBA LinkedIn group and pre-approved this year’s class. Many people joined - which is great. But when I acted as a host and interviewer at the Chevron onsite recruiting event two weeks ago, I did not receive any emails from Cal Poly MBA candidates (I understand that there was at least one). To make a good old boy network work, you need to call on the good old boys. Please call on me any time.

  -Rob Belloni
  Cal Poly MBA Class of 2008

• 3. Chris Carr  |  November 30th, 2008 at 10:50 pm

  Rob,

  Good to hear from you. Thanks for check in.

  I could not agree with you more and that was one of the exact points and messages I was trying to send by this post.

  I have come to conclude that personal growth is a decision to invest in oneself.

  Via this trip I/Cal Poly provide a vehicle for people to get out of their comfort zone and grow, learn about different business environments and business opportunities, develop their network base, etc. but at the end of the day if one is not hungry to chase those things that person has nobody to blame but himself/herself.

  As Wayne Gretzky once said, if you never shoot you will never score (paraphrased).

• 4. Katie Moeller  |  January 11th, 2011 at 6:39 pm

  I know networking is important and I don’t do it enough. It’s essential to do especially in a tough job market like this. It’s all about who you know. The article made the point that you have to network but also stick out. I was able to secure a job with the Best Buy headquarters from a job fair. My college stressed the importance of the 30 second elevator speech. I memorized and practiced it. It must have worked, I got the job. I think dress, confidence, and sticking out among others are critical at events like job fairs.

  I think future implications in SLO and China are to have a memorable conversation and exchange business cards. Follow up with a “nice to meet you” email or phone call and continue to keep in touch. You never know when you’ll need a job. Networking is on-going and it can be a lot of work but hopefully it’ll help build solid connections.

  I don’t know of programs that excel in networking off hand. I think my undergrad, Hamline University, tried to prepare us for networking. We would have events that focused on how to build relationships. One way they would do this was to have alums come in and socialize with the undergrads to make for a more informal setting to work on the networking skills. For many it’s practicing and becoming more familiar with meeting strangers and having conversations. It’s harder for introverts than extroverts as we learned in OB but everyone needs to practice.

• 5. David Hart  |  January 15th, 2011 at 10:53 am

  Networking is one of the most important skills one can develop. I think it is important to talk to and get to know as many people as possible. You never know who may help you out in the future with career opportunities, good advice, or developing a good friendship.

  My undergraduate institution, BYU, has a group that alumni can join. The BYU Management Society is an organization for business professionals designed to help develop careers and provide networking opportunities.

  Our graduate studies speaker series on January 13 was helpful. We learned about networking etiquette. We learned several useful tips on how to handle networking aspects such as dining, handshakes, conversation, and other important topics.

  One of the takeaways I got from the WSJ article was that the “bar has been raised.” We need to make sure we are not taking networking lightly. We need to work extra hard to stand out in a positive way. The article said we need to be the only person like ourselves in the room. It also mentioned that we need to have a memorable elevator pitch. This reminded me of Dr. Whittaker’s class where he emphasized the importance of being able to introduce ourselves clearly and concisely.

  There are networking opportunities all around us, even in San Luis Obispo. You never know when you may run into someone that could provide opportunities. It is important to always be looking for the chance to network and meet new people.

• 6. Jessie Wilkie  |  January 17th, 2011 at 9:55 pm

  The idea of networking is very important because often times the saying is correct–it’s not what you know, but who you know. The US Bureau of Labor statistics said that 70% of jobs were found through networking in 2008. I thought the article brought up some good points about utilizing web 2.0–LinkedIn and SurveyMonkey type websites. One could even use FB or Twitter to help them plan out meetings at events like mentioned in the article. I really liked the idea of surveying my friends to get an idea of what my strengths and weaknesses are. I think that insight would be invaluable. I also like the idea of coming up with a good elevator pitch or a description of my talents like the “body detective” description of that massage therapist. Something short and clever that I could put on one of those business cards that I’m working on for China.

• 7. Chris Bruns  |  January 29th, 2011 at 9:36 pm

  I can be honest about myself: I am absolutely horrible at networking.

  It is a skill that I have yet to acquire, but it is something I recognize that is a necessity and I should be doing. From this blog I have gathered that there are so many aspects and facets of networking that can be adopted, and I want to find a niche way to do it similar, to the ‘body detective.’ After reading this article my goal is not to just network for networking’s sake, but to develop a small base network to start from and to begin developing myself as a product to sell.

  I wanted to end with a quote from the blog by Dr. Stybel which really stuck with me and is something I am hoping to achieve: “Be the only person like yourself in the room.”

• 8. Cassie Bettencourt  |  January 31st, 2011 at 4:43 pm

  I truly believe that half the battle of effective business is effective networking. It is a skill that is needed for a business to be successful as well as to market yourself in order to get a job. It is a very important skill that universities must strive to teach well so that their alumni gain advantages in the real business world.

  A few takeaways from the WSJ article were that online ties are just a starting point and it might be helpful to include a personalized offer of help once connected online. People too often go into networking wondering how the encounter will help them and forget that it is a two-way street. Offering helpful advice in someway can help open the lines of communication and really solidify an relationship. I also thought the point that you should schedule specific appointments during trade group meetings was really relevant and practical. If there are people you wish to connect with at these types of events the most proactive way to do this is to plan ahead. Finally, the “elevator pitch” idea reminded me of Whitaker’s class where everyday he’d walk up to someone and shake their hand and say his catchy one-line pitch. This is a great way to make sure someone remembers who you are when they meet you.

  In order to develop networking skills, it is important to practice. We can also learn from the Chinese and their idea of guanxi. One example of a program that networks well is my high school. I went to an all girls, part-boarding/part-day school. They are constantly having alumni gatherings in all different cities of the U.S. and world so that alumna in those/from those areas can gather and reconnect with old friends, meet new friends, and exchange both social and practical information. When you apply to the school, one of the things they advertise is that you will leave with the “Catalina Connection” - essentially a network of strong, educated women.

• 9. Brady Haug  |  February 2nd, 2011 at 10:58 pm

  Networking is area that I have not been avid to improve upon. In our Effective Communication Skills for Managers class, with Professor Whitaker, he did stress the importance of networking constantly. Whether doing so between classmates or local businessmen, I need to be more proactive in networking. That class also taught me incredibly important writing and speaking skills that are intertwined in networking.

  One interesting comment made in the wall street journal article was that the current networking situation is vastly different than years ago. “Networking is perceived to be a zero-sum game.” People are generally worried about their economic standing and are “hoarding” good jobs and promotions to themselves. In order to be effective at networking, you must take into the account how the current job market has changed. I think this means that I need to dramatically improve upon my networking and differentiate myself in doing so. It is also mentioned that you should, “Be the only person like yourself in the room.” In a market where jobs are increasingly hard to come by, the article makes a great point that you must be memorable in meeting people. Giving yourself a tagline or sort of elevator pitch could be the edge you need.

• 10. Tim Easton  |  February 12th, 2011 at 9:19 pm

  This post really hit home with me. I know that I need to work on my networking skills and selling myself. My parents have probably told me this at least once every week for the last year. I have made some good connections, but selling myself and convincing them that I am the right person has been difficult for me. I have had the belief that they know who I am and what I have done, and they will make their decision off that information. The WSJ article just reinforced the point that finding a job in extremely difficult and you need to find a way to stand out. Another interesting point from the article was the perception that networking is a zero sum game. I used to have this perception as well. During my undergrad at the University of Arizona, there were multiple times when classmates would not tell other classmates about job opportunities because they were worried about the competition. I understand not wanting the extra competition, but they didn’t get the job anyways, and there could always be the possibility that the other person would do them a favor in the future.

• 11. Randy Camat  |  February 14th, 2011 at 3:37 pm

  My takeaways from the WSJ article, Networking? Here’s How to Stand Out, are (1) the old fashioned networking technique of simply having some sort of connection is not going to cut it in this competitive economy, (2) you need to be offbeat but effective in order to be memorable, and (3) do not be afraid of asking what is wrong with what you are doing.

  In my opinion, I am not very good at networking and keeping in contact with people. In the past, all I would do was add as a friend on Facebook or a connection on Linkedin, but I finally realizing how crucial it is to maintain in contact with those in my network. I am finding out the hard way on the importance of having a good network as many of my friends are getting jobs from the people they know or have met in the past and have kept in touch with. I have never been taught the art of networking other than making friends or connections online. I’ve always thought that I may be too annoying or seem desperate if all I wanted talk about was if there was a job opening at one’s company. My question is where do you draw the line of looking/sounding annoying? In other words, how do I stand out and at the same time seem friendly and professional?

  I also agree with you, Dr. Carr, on having a similar course to Effective Communication Skills for Managers taught in the regular curriculum for all students. I would suggest merging it with the speech class that we all have to take for our general education. GSB 529 was closely related to SCOM 101 with a more in your face twist to it and in my opinion, that’s what made it more effective. It challenged me to get out of my comfort zone and try new things.

  As far as the programs, I know that joining and participating in professional groups looks really well on one’s resume and serves maybe as a conversation starter in networking situations. In my experience, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the National Honor Society of Civil and Environmental Engineers (aka Chi Epsilon) are two perfect examples.

• 12. Matt Streiter  |  February 18th, 2011 at 7:19 pm

  Networking for me is an area of needing improvement. This includes not only making new connections but also maintaining the ones I have already made. I have a bad habit of losing touch with people when I do not see them regularly. I feel that this being the case has significantly reduced the amount of contacts that I could potentially have today.

  The article brings up the importance of an elevator pitch. This is an area I would definitely like to work on being that I typically am not very good at coming up with impressive arguments off the top of my head. By practicing I think I can come up with a good outline of what could create a good elevator pitch. Also by practicing while not being on a time constraint I will be able to come up with a much more clever and effective shpiel. Beyond that, I slowly have been pushing myself out of my comfort zone in order to come in contact with more people. When I go golfing at the club now for example, I try to create a substantial rapport with the people I am playing with or the ones that I see regularly in the clubhouse. I recognize that this may just be a baby step in the big picture but in comparison to my networking capabilities from a year or two ago, I have definitely taken a step in the right direction.

• 13. Sarah Weinzapfel  |  February 18th, 2011 at 7:19 pm

  As important as I know networking is, I don’t do enough to improve my networking skills. For the internships turned jobs that I have had, I have come to realize how important networking is in the interior design business.

  My first internship I got when I was just a freshman in college because my dad was on the school board of my elementary school which was working with an architecture firm to build a new school in the area. My dad had had many encounters with the principal architect and had relayed my interest in the industry. I told my dad to ask him if I could contact him and I did the rest from there. I got an informational interview and he liked me so much that he hired me. A year later I was back in Fresno working on my undergrad and the firm was opening an office there. They hired me because the manager from my internship had so many good things to say about me. I had another internship with an interior designer who I met through my roommate’s mother.

  The main lesson I have learned from this article and my past experiences is that you should never close doors on potential relationships with anyone because you really never know who they know. My contacts were all so random and I would have never thought anything could come of them, but you just never know. My biggest take-away from the article would have to be that you can’t rely on simply having someones contact information. You have to do work to make a relationship. In regards to SLO and China, meet as many people as possible and make the meeting and follow up memorable.

• 14. Jason Jay Sharma  |  February 19th, 2011 at 3:37 am

  Based on my real world experiences, networking is the one trait most people lack in business arena. I’ve met many people who aren’t interested in attending professional events or trade gatherings, and every time it confuses me. Isn’t everyone interested in meeting new people? To me, every person is a new opportunity to learn and expand your breadth of possibilities. I can attest that networking is the most significant reason for my successful transition from accounting to marketing with no actual marketing experience.

  I think networking needs to be instilled in business (if not all) students much earlier. Instead of really focusing on networking for students as part of the MBA program, it should be taught to students at the undergraduate level. I don’t think that’s something that will happen very soon, so in that case we should start with a required program on networking in the MBA program. Effective Communication Skills for Managers was a wonderful class and one my favorite courses of our program so far. I think it would be a great idea to create an accelerated course for the summer session that focused only on networking to complement Prof. Whitaker’s class. I would suggest not focusing on only in-person events and opportunities, but making the most of social media for your career (using LinkedIn, Facebook, and even YouTube to accelerate your path). Prof. Carr, has this ever been considered? Many times these small things can make or break your interviews. I was really impressed by the WSJ article’s suggestion of using Survey Monkey to help find suggestions of problem areas to fix. I actually might use this!

  Not to preach about the pros of undergraduate accounting program (again), but they did a great job integrated networking musts through CPAC and SAAC. It might be worthwhile for the GSBA to have open meetings more often and discuss such things. How many people know which side their water or bread is on when sitting at a round table during a professional dinner? Believe it or not, if you have too many faux pas at an interview, it comes off as very unprofessional and IS noticed.

  Prof. Carr, you mentioned something early on that I don’t think should be overlooked by anyone. As an undergraduate, a large number of business students I had courses with (mainly in accounting) would meet at the bars in downtown SLO on the weekends on a regular basis. Over the course of about a year, we got to know each other better and some of us became good friends. If I wanted to move back into accounting, I could list off a number of these people that I could call up and would find me an opening. The point I want to make is that those students who passed on every coming out missed out on a great networking opportunity. It might not necessarily be the bars or drinking, but there’s a much stronger connection you can make with your fellow peers if you spend non-class time with. I would like to remind everyone that the people sitting with us in class each day could your next partner in business.

• 15. Will Moeller  |  February 19th, 2011 at 6:29 am

  To answer the last question asked, I don’t have personal business cards yet, but I am considering it. Like many ideas, I will probably take a while to give it serious thought.

  My biggest takeaway from the WSJ article was to try unorthodox methods of networking rather than mere conventional ones. LinkedIn helps. Having friends to tap on the shoulder helps, but nothing beats getting out and meeting people face-to-face. Trade shows came highly recommended by the article. Furthermore, when you’re at a trade show or conference, have an unusual but effective and memorable elevator speech.

  Perhaps what the article overlooks, though, is that the best way to network is just to start by being a good professional or a good student. If you win the respect of those around you, it will be easier to get people to promote you with unconventional means. The marketer discussed at the beginning of the article had people falling all over themselves to promote his services.

• 16. Jessica Shayler  |  February 19th, 2011 at 2:06 pm

  One of my personal goals for this program is to go to more events where I can practice networking. So far, I am happy with the progress I’ve made, but I still have a ways to go before I could call myself good at it. I’ve noticed I am much better at networking in A) a one-on-one or small setting and/or B) if I know who I want to talk to and what I want to talk about. I am not adept at stepping into a crowd and talking to random people about ______.
  Case in point:
  I went to one of Cal Poly’s Entrepreneurship Forums for the elevator pitch competition and one of the main events was an opportunity to network. I was so uncomfortable at first. I wondered around aimlessly trying not to look like the looser who is standing alone because she has no one to talk to. But the gathering was not big enough to hide my efforts because I passed some of the same people more than once. Maybe I walk too fast… I was just about to give up and go sit down when I saw someone I met through one of my one-on-one appointments I made the previous quarter. He was able to introduce me to a few other people I did not know and we had some very useful conversations. Sadly, this is one of the moments I did not have my business cards on me. Still living, still learning…

  I hope you find my little story encouraging or at least amusing…

  Aside from developing contacts to help you in the job search, another reason to practice networking is to help you with interviews. Your conversation in a networking setting can be a mixture of prepared (e.g. your value-add) and spontaneous (e.g. current events) topics. This is very similar to an interview: there are things you don’t want to leave the room without mentioning and there are things you need to be able to answer cold. In addition, networking allows you to practice showing your personality through facial expressions, body language, voice tone timbre pitch rhythm, appropriate jokes, etc… In my meeting with Betsey Nash at United Staffing Associates, she talked about recruiters and interviewers desire to see who you are, not just your qualifications. Networking can be another way to practice this skill.

• 17. Robbin Forsyth  |  February 23rd, 2011 at 9:05 pm

  What I take away from the WSJ article is that thinking out of the box in self promotion is important. The ideas of a personalized elevator speech and mass collaboration of references are novel. In design school you are required to build a portfolio or your work as a graduation requirement. The hardest part of this process is making your presentation unique. It can be excruciating trying to present you work in a way that stands out. I like the idea from the WSJ article about utilizing in impersonal survey to get objective feedback about strengths and weaknesses about yourself. I’ve used survey monkey for research projects, but never considered using it analysis myself.
  Traditional networking is tough for me. Non organic situations always seemed forced and I quickly lose interest. Walking into a room and “selling” myself never seems to lead to opportunity. I have always made better, lasting connections by dealing openly and honestly with people. Finding a common ground such as current events or non work activities - sports - is a good way break the ice in traditional networking situation. To that end, the best networking I’ve experienced has been through sports. I started my career working in the orange county surf industry. It’s very typical to surf with coworkers and meet other industry vets in the water. This same vibe translates into the mountains for snowboard industry types. As an example, in 1996 I was lucky enough the make the first morning tram at Jackson Hole during a Transworld Media conference. In that tram was Jake Burton Carpenter, Bob McKnight, Paul Naude and several other industry CEOs. I still have all of their numbers and they actually take my calls!
  There is a job at IDEO that I am interested in and I can’t find a connection in my current quiver of associations. I am currently working to find a second or third tier connection in order to find out more about the realities of opportunity. I guess there really is no way around networking in some form in order to pursue opportunities.
  I have a couple of drafts of business cards ready, but nothing that I’m happy with yet. I think I’m going to post a few on a survey and get some input from the crowd.

• 18. Kristine Spencer  |  February 23rd, 2011 at 10:22 pm

  Networking stresses me out. I feel like I can’t be myself when I feel like I have to “network.” I’ve tried to read other articles about networking, but in my opinion, it’s like reading an article about how to ask someone out on a first date. The article may give a couple tips, but you really just have to do it on your own and you get better as you go along. I know this is something I need to work on, and I think I have really improved over the past couple of years. I do better and am more myself when I view opportunities more as casual parties, which I happen to be dressed professionally for and am trying to meet new professional people. Networking will be extremely important in the near future considering I will be starting from scratch looking for a job, and we’ve all heard that it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

  I did take a couple new things from this article which I appreciate. The first is the idea of having a plan or strategy for an event. The article suggests scheduling appointments with executives at tradeshows or events, because you “can’t expect to just show up and bump into these people.” I did think it was a great idea to utilize the internet to get real and honest (anonymous) advice from friends and family. It is also helpful to have a stash of current events or predetermined topics to discuss that are relevant, interesting, and reflect something about who you are.

• 19. j hurley  |  February 26th, 2011 at 5:48 pm

  Networking can play a huge rule in opening up available opportunities. It is definitely true that today’s networking is vastly different that what it was 10 or 20 years ago. There’s so many internet sites and forums that networking is available 24/7. This immediate availability of such resources is something i don’t or haven’t taken advantage of yet, but will have to in the near future.
  Unfortunately, I feel that networking has almost become so available that it has lost some of its value due to the ease of doing so in great amounts. I feel like it makes prospective contacts have to really weed through the crap.
  This quarter I have taken a couple entrepreneur classes and have learned how important the 30sec-1min elevator pitch can be. Its really true that first impressions are frequently the most important. Now if I can just improve my elevator pitch when I’m down town on a Saturday night….that’s supposed to be funny.

• 20. Tyler Sereno  |  February 28th, 2011 at 10:02 pm

  Networking is very important to become successful in the business world. This is definitely an area I need to work on. The WSJ article illustrates the importance of networking. There are many different methods of networking. It is very important to make as many connections as soon as possible. To develop a networking skill set in SLO students across the campus can connect with professors and classmates on Linked In. It will also be important to network while in China. As China becomes an increasingly important player in business, it will help to have connections there. It is crucial to make yourself stand out from others. I plan to bring business cards on our trip to China to assist me in the process of networking.

• 21. Ashley Ogden  |  March 2nd, 2011 at 6:43 pm

  When I hear the word networking, I get excited and nervous at the same time. I like to meet new people and build relationships with people. The uncomfortable part is introducing myself to people for the first time. Especially if there is no one to introduce me; I guess that is when you ask a friend to introduce you. In the article, the applicant had asked many friends for referrals and I would be very uncomfortable doing that. I have decided that networking is an uncomfortable thing that I have to get used to. Perhaps it gets easier the longer you are in the work place and therefore have proven yourself worthy of referrals and introductions. Maybe I’ll create a survey monkey to send to everyone I know. In China I will get a lot of practice networking and get better at it. We will be meeting new people and talking business so maybe I will feel better about my networking skills after China.

• 22. Amanda Podesta  |  March 2nd, 2011 at 11:14 pm

  While I appreciate where the WSJ article is coming from, one of my pet peeves are people who network crudely and at a surface level. They’re the ones whose eyes wander 30 seconds into a conversation, leave before they make a personal connection, and then facebook “friend” you that evening. What absolute tools!

  I don’t know if I believe that Chinese/Indians are truly better at networking than Westerners in general. I think it is much more likely that what we’re reading as adept networking is in actuality a cultural relic: for the Chinese because they were collectivist and Indians because they were caste-based.

  … Also, filling out a survey monkey about a colleague/friend? Awkward! It doesn’t bode well for Diane, a networking specialist (?), that she needed how to look professional spelt out for her. I think she has deeper problems than a purple pantsuit.

• 23. Tara Millard  |  March 5th, 2011 at 11:18 pm

  This article served to reinforce the importance of networking and strategically staying in touch with those people who can aid your career. I am currently working at a great job that allows unheard of flexibility in schedule and duties. This job was attained through creating lasting relationships in a previous internship. This job never had an application or an opening but it was created for me by a person in my professional network. In this day and age, networking is everything. The way I see it, a college education is only worth something if you are able to network and find people who care and who will pay you.
  As a future manager, I see the importance of joining educational groups, attending school trips, meetings etc. Social participation with your colleagues is equally important as the education we receive. Furthermore, it is important to pay it forward. You cannot expect others to keep an eye out for job openings that might pertain to you if you don’t offer the same for your colleagues. Careers are difficult to start and are nearly impossible to sustain without networking.
  In regards to our trip to China, networking seems to be of utmost importance in our travels. While China is flourishing economically, and may be ready to hire fresh MBAs, it will be nearly impossible to even hear of job openings without a contact in the area. While our trip will serve as educational in many regards, it should be a top priority to establish as many contacts and start professional relationships with as many people as possible while we are there. Adding a few successful Chinese businessmen to your professional network can do nothing but great things for our careers in the United States or China.

• 24. Tara Millard  |  March 5th, 2011 at 11:19 pm

  This article served to reinforce the importance of networking and strategically staying in touch with those people who can aid your career. I am currently working at a great job that allows unheard of flexibility in schedule and duties. This job was attained through creating lasting relationships in a previous internship. This job never had an application or an opening but it was created for me by a person in my professional network. In this day and age, networking is everything. The way I see it, a college education is only worth something if you are able to network and find people who care and who will pay you.

  As a future manager, I see the importance of joining educational groups, attending school trips, meetings etc. Social participation with your colleagues is equally important as the education we receive. Furthermore, it is important to pay it forward. You cannot expect others to keep an eye out for job openings that might pertain to you if you don’t offer the same for your colleagues. Careers are difficult to start and are nearly impossible to sustain without networking.

  In regards to our trip to China, networking seems to be of utmost importance in our travels. While China is flourishing economically, and may be ready to hire fresh MBAs, it will be nearly impossible to even hear of job openings without a contact in the area. While our trip will serve as educational in many regards, it should be a top priority to establish as many contacts and start professional relationships with as many people as possible while we are there. Adding a few successful Chinese businessmen to your professional network can do nothing but great things for our careers in the United States or China.

• 25. Anthony Kallioinen  |  March 9th, 2011 at 7:46 pm

  I agree with Carr on this post: I don’t feel that networking was ever stressed as hard as it should have been during my time here at Cal Poly. I did my undergrad here and I was under the impression from the beginning that Cal Poly grads were the best and would be fought over by employers after graduation. Of course this only applied during the good economy we had when I started in 2005. I understand now how important networking is and I need to jump on every opportunity I can. It’s not what you know but who you know. This year to date, I have conducted several informational, mock, and connection interviews with people I know who can help to establish my career.

  I enjoyed the last part of the article when is talks about the physical therapist who describes themselves as a ‘body detective.’ Short concise phrases and elevator pitches are so critical to communicating who you are and what your value-add is to a potential employer. I’m shocked to note that this has ‘at least doubled her practice;’ that really helps to quantify the effect of a solid networking plan. I also liked the surveymonkey feedback idea. I know that email can be a better venue for someone to hint at a possible change that you need to make. I remember when I was applying for an internship after my third year at Cal Poly, I didn’t get the job and I inquired to the HR rep as to why. Among other things, said that little things like having my sunglasses on my head during the interview did not come off quite as formal. This was a common practice for me at the time and I’m embarrassed to say that it didn’t even occur to me at the time to take them off. Needless to say I have come a long way since then and I will not make the same mistake again.

• 26. Ben Raymond  |  March 9th, 2011 at 10:35 pm

  I’ve always been told “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” In my personal experience I have also found this to be true for the most part. In my previous internship I knew the past intern and he was able to connect me with the hiring manager. After one relatively stress free interview, I got the position. I know that having my friends recommendation made it a lot easier for me. There are only so many ways to differentiate yourself on a piece of paper, so having contacts to help you get a foot in the door can make all the difference.

  Networking is a skill that I can definitely improve upon. I fear awkward conversations so often times I over think simple interactions and am so afraid of it getting weird it can actually get weird. Once I have a contact I am pretty good about maintaining it but that initial interaction is something I can definitely approve upon. One way I could make that initial interaction easier would be to make a more conscious effort to stand out. I think the article did a good job of stressing the importance of standing out and some useful strategies and examples for doing so.

  I think the Chinese value of relationship is a networking aspect we can really learn from. We go through so many interactions without establishing any sort of relationship. An established relationship makes it much much easier to effectively network.

• 27. Kyle R.  |  March 12th, 2011 at 12:40 pm

  First off I’d like to say that I enjoyed your quote, “Taxpayers don’t pay me to be another government bureaucrat interested in keeping the status quo.” It would be nice if others in this state felt the same way you do, as I doubt we’d be in this horrible economic situation if that were the case. In regards to the networking article, it seemed to emphasize some important issues regarding networking for business. However, everything presented, (except the Survey Monkey suggestion) should be common sense for business students. I completely agree that it is very important, and depending on how it’s utilized, it may hold the key to your future. I have a few friends who were not by any means the top student in their class, (actually far from it) but they currently are in very high positions primarily due to their ability to network. I’ve heard of so many scenarios where students come directly out of school into a high paying position just because they knew someone in the company. As MBA students, I feel this is a critical skill to have and must be implemented whenever possible. The company I work for allows me to meet so many new people here in SLO County. I take advantage of it not only because I enjoy socializing with people, but also because it may lead to more business in the future.

• 28. J Vail  |  March 14th, 2011 at 12:28 pm

  This post resonated a lot with my experiences thus far – I am guilty of hanging in the comfort zone and not going out of my way to network (especially standing out). I definitely see the value in these skills – the WSJ post was a good confidence booster in going into networking situations with a game plan. I definitely have been told repeatedly of the value in networking, but 90% of that information was ‘why it’s important’, not ‘how you do it effectively’.

  I think Professor Whitaker did a good job in getting people outside of their comfort zone, and more prepared to openly network. Other good points I learned from his class is the value of body language in networking situations, as well as phrasing in emails.

• 29. Chris F.  |  March 17th, 2011 at 11:24 pm

  We have all heard the quote “It’s not only what you know but who you know” about getting jobs and I think that is true. For me, I landed my undergrad internship through a buddy of mine who recommended me to his hiring manager. As far as networking goes, I am not the greatest. It’s one thing to ask friends if they would recommend me to a job or to someone who does, but it is harder to bring myself to talk to someone with the end goal that they will help get me a job, if that makes sense. I think I am an approachable person who can carry a conversation, but I feel that I am better at being friendly when not expecting to bring up the idea of employment to someone. Perhaps I just need to get out there and practice (because apparently practice makes perfect).

  I liked the WSJ article and the ways that you can position yourself to stand out from the crowd. I found the strategy of trying to see if people you’d like to converse with are attending an event and then attend that event to talk to them interesting. I never would have thought about doing that and it makes sense to go to things where the right people are. The elevator pitch is something that I need to develop as I can see the value it has in making you memorable, especially in an event such as a job fair.

  As far as this China trip is concerned, it will definitely force me out of my comfort zone. However I think the experience will be a good one (where else can you deal with international business employees here in SLO?). I think perspectives and insights about many things in life and business would be the main takeaways I would appreciate from this trip.

• 30. JP Salazar  |  March 17th, 2011 at 11:58 pm

  I definitely agree that while we are exposed to the benefits of networking early on in our MBA program, there is not enough emphasis placed on continuing this skill throughout our education and on into the business world. This would have to be my biggest criticism of Cal Poly. My experience in receiving my undergrad degree here gave me the impression that once you get your degree and step out beyond the doors of Cal Poly you are on your own. The university tries to provide programs like Career Services to help students begin to network and expose them to opportunities that they would not be able to find on their own, but in my experience this was not incredibly helpful overall. This could possibly be due to the timing of when I was trying to get their help (I graduated in 2007 and was seriously looking for a job in 2008, right as the economy tanked), but my opinion still remains the same. Now that I am in the MBA program, I am sorry to say that again I have been let down by this service. Career Services at Cal Poly is generally geared towards helping undergrads find a job and as a result doesn’t really have many resources available for graduate students.
  So who can we rely on to help us find a job? This is where networking really becomes important. It is often said that it is not what you know, but who you know. I would definitely say this statement is true. But Cal Poly doesn’t really help foster a community where people can network. As the title of this blog suggests, the mentality of most students here is that they do not need to be concerned with networking for their future. The fact that this school is made up of students who move here to come to school and then move away as soon as they graduate does not help this problem. There is no real forum, at least to my knowledge as of writing this post, for students to stay connected with each other and take advantage of the relationships we are building while we complete this program. In our initial group mentoring meeting with Chris Carr, Amanda proposed working on a database to help MBA grads stay connected. This is definitely something I could get behind as it would be a useful tool for a lot of people to help them find a job.
  The main benefit to networking is to learn of opportunities that are available that you would not have known about otherwise. While networking can’t always get you a job, it can often get your foot in the door so that you can at least present yourself as an option

• 31. Omar Pradhan  |  March 18th, 2011 at 2:38 pm

  The Cal Poly brand AND value are what attracted me to pursue my MBA here; I have a strong interest in finding work in California’s tech sector and not adding to my law school debt. I certainly have strong feelings about the statement: “(X) is not perfect and also has its own share of challenges like any institution.” Specifically, my business cards are ready to go and I’m eager to network moving forward in a way that reflects highly on both the Cal Poly brand my personal brand. I liked the WSJ article because it offered some practical advice on how to use LinkedIn more effectively…and how one could even create a surveymonkey poll to get useful insights on areas of weakness / growth opportunities.

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The posts, comments and/or views expressed on this trip blog, whether by a Cal Poly student or faculty or an outside guest to the blog, do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of Cal Poly, the Orfalea College of Business (OCOB), any of the OCOB's graduate programs and/or other students who participate in the trip.