Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Networking/Elevator Speeches / Impromptu Speaking

We discussed in class the importance of developing career networks. Networks are important for developing identify, developing contacts for information, advice, and moral support as you pursue your goals. Kellly Pederson, a Career Specialist, at Rider University states that 75-80% of jobs are found through networks. And, a referral generates 80% more results than a cold call. We discussed that an important part of the networking process is developing a 30 seconds to one minute commercial of yourself. The commercial should contain your background information, current/prior roles in your responsibilities, education and knowledge, strengths and areas of interest and goals. Please post two parts to this blog. First, post your ideas for places that you can reach out to develop these network contacts (religious affliations, friends, prior work situations, etc.) Second part of the post should include your commerical script. Remember, our elevator assignments will require that you network and sell yourself in your 30 - 1 minute commercial. Use the lecture notes on networking during our impromptu speech lecture to help guide you in developing your self commercial.

13 comments:

  1. A.I have found that in my almost 20 years of nursing that networking occurs constantly in life. First of all I have never burned any bridges in my career. I am respectful to my superiors, and I get involved in any committees that I can within the hospital. Being as I am in a BSN program, I am with many nurses in my classes.... I talk to them. When I go to the doctor for a visit.... I network. I talk to the clerk at Shop Rite.I talk to everyone, and am respectful of people, because you just never know who you are interacting with. Networking is being comfortable with yourself,and being confident in what you have to offer.

    B. My commercial for myself, would be something like this:
    Hi my name is Suzanne Burns(handshake). I am a Registered Nurse in the Recovery room currently. I understand you are looking for someone to fill the position of Director of the Cardiac Cath Lab. I am so glad that I happened to run into you here, as I would love to be considered for the position. I have worked in Critical care for almost twenty years, with two years in the open heart unit at JSMC. I have the strength clinically to fullfill the position, as well as the fact that I will be graduating in May of next year with my BSN. I do have management experience in that I was Administrative Supervisor at Kimball Medical Center, and oversaw the running of the entire hospital on the weekends. I would love the opportunity to talk with you further and set up an interview at your convenience. If I could get your email, so we can stay in contact that would be great. I can then send you a copy of my resume for your review. I look forward to talking with you more about this position. (shake hands).

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  2. A. I agree with Suzanne, networking can happen any place at any time. As a bartender, I converse with a variety of people on a regular basis. It is important to always be friendly and approachable to EVERYONE because you never know who you are really talking to. Blowing people off because of a bad day or a bad mood could be at the cost of a wonderful opportunity.

    B. For my commercial I would probably say things along the lines of:
    Hi, I'm so glad I ran into you! I'm Danielle Kiewra. I'm currently an English/Education major at Kean University. I understand you are looking for someone to fill the position of teacher's aid at your school and I am above and beyond interested in the job. I've worked with children my entire life so I am more than confident that I am the person you are looking for to fulfill the aid position. On top of that, I will be graduating with my Bachelor's Degree next spring which will only open more doors for both us professionally. I really would like to continue this conversation. What is a phone number or e-mail address that I can reach you at so we can set up an interview? Here's my phone number and e-mail address too. I really look forward to continuing this discussion with you. I hope you have an excellent day! ::Shake hands::

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  3. A. My family always inspired me to be courteous to others, because you never know when you will receive your chance of a lifetime. I come from a family of professionals, and I am certainly not going to miss my chance to get my foot in the door so to speak.

    B. I would approach my commercial, so I would come across in a professional manor. For instance I would say, my name is Debra (handshake)it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I was just in the area,and I would love to apply for the opening in substituting. In fact, you know my dad he use to work at this school for about thirty years. I am so happy that we finally met, and I have heard that you are an exceptionally hard working administrator. I would love to give you my resume and phone number. (Shake hands) Thank you.

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  4. Hello everyone,
    The blog flower 777 has been issued by Debra P. The date is April 12,2009 .

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  5. Maria Souders



    A. When it comes to respect, my mother taught me to never be disrespectful to anyone. You do not get anywhere in life if you do not use your manors. As a dental office manager of 27 years, I have spent a lot of time meeting various people. I really am a people person. Not only do I manage an office, I also bartender for 25 years, and I have my own cleaning business. I have encountered all types of individuals in my life. Yes, I have networked, and yes, it has got me what I wanted in life. When it comes to being respectful, I am.


    B. For myself, I would approach the situation like this: Hi, I am Maria Souders, remember me from PTA? My son Nicholas attends your school. How are you? (shake hand) It is funny that I ran into you, I wanted to speak to you about the position opening up in September. I have just graduated from Kean College with my Educational/English degree in teaching. I have worked with children for the past 40 years and it has been very rewarding. I know if I was given the opportunity to show you my resume and sit to speak with you, you would be very pleased. Could I give Gloria, your sectary, whom is a personal friend of mine, a call to set up and interview with you at your earliest convenience? Well, thank you for taking the time to hear me out, here is my business card, and have a great day. (shake hand goodbye).

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  6. A. I know that networking opportunites occur on a daily basis, and that these opportunities should always be taken advantage of. The old saying "It's not what you know, but who you know" is unfortunately (or not) almost always true. My networking opportunities usually arise while I am at school, with other students, current and previous professors, and numerous people in other departments and administration. I know that I should always keep contact with these people, because a time might come when they could help me to secure a job and ultimately a career.

    B. My personal commercial would go something like this: Hello Mr. ______, my name is Christina Walling, and I am so glad to have finally met you after hearing so much about you! I have heard all about the new programs which you have raised funding for, and I think they will prove to be beneficial for the college. The English student tutoring program is especially interesting to me, as I would love be a part of it. I am currently in pursuit of attaining my B.A. in English with a teaching certification in Secondary Education, and I believe that I am highly qualified for the position. I have tutored on campus before, I am a lifetime member of Phi Theta Kappa, I maintain a GPA of 4.0, and English is my forte. I have my business card here, but if I could also have yours I would appreciate it. I will e-mail you my resume, if you would have it. Thank you so much for your time Mr. _______, I look forward to meeting with you again! **Shake Hands**

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  7. A. Networking is surely nowadays a basic way of succeeding. It is done everywhere, sometimes in places where you never expected to find an opportunity. It could be said that networking is easy, just open your mouth and talk, sell yourself! But is this true? For someone shy like me this is a challenge, but I have to get the courage from inside of me and take the chance, it could be the only one that I have. It is for this reason that we must be prepared to talk to anybody who could make the difference in our professional lives. I must agree with all of you that we must maintain our good manners and respect every single person who we talk to.
    B. My commercial would go something like these lines: Are you (name), manager of the intensive care unit. My name is Diana Prieto (hand Shake). It is a great pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve heard that you have an amazing team and that the unit is expanding. I actually saw an open position and would love to be considered to become part of your team. I have been a nurse for three years and will be obtaining my BSN this may. I am a remarkably hard worker who believes in continuing education to improve my knowledge and skills. I would like to continue this conversation, could I treat you to lunch in a convenient time for you. I could send you my resume via email in the meantime. Here is my business card for my contact information; you can send me the time and date that is convenient for you to have lunch to the email in the card. I will follow up to your email as well. I am looking forward to meet with you again. (big smile, hand shake)

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  8. A.I would say that networking occurs everyday. In any conversation you should always think before you speak and always be polite. You never know who you might be talking to. Any conversation can influence a potential employer, first impressions are usually the lasting one's and you always want a person respect.
    B.My personal commercial would go something like this; Hello,(handshake)My name is Pat Barnosky and I heard that a new management position will be opening on your unit in the near future. I will be glad to summit my resume as soon as it is posted. You will be happy to know that when you hire me I will be bringing the benefit 28 years of nursing experience. I have a vast knowledge in medical,surgical, orthopedic and neurology. I am currently a chairmen to professional practice counsel and a support our unit counsel practice. I serve on the orthopedic planning committee and assisted with the planning for a review course. I am the motivator and go to person for knowledge and support.I frequently precept new employees, students,and act as resourse person on weekends.It will be my pleasure to sent you my resume. Thank you and it's been a pleasure talking to you.

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  9. A. For me I have had dual careers working as both an accountant and as a LPN for 13 years before becoming an RN in 1999. I have seen both the business world and the nuring world, however I beleive for me I have had to network more as a nurse than as when I was an accountant. In the past most of the jobs in nursing I had recieved througha family member or a friend, so I hadto sell myself with each interview and this would carry on after I was hired. Over the years, I no longer have to work so hard at selling myself because what I do on a daily basis speaks for itself. Nevertheless, I still network in search of the position that will better fulfill my goals and my past achievements. I feel the manner in which you carry yourself also means just as much as your resume.The most important aspect with me is because we live in a culturely diverse nation, not just in terms of nationality but of environment, I must always beware what is the culture I will be working in and so I research,before I open my mouth to speak.

    B. My commerical script would be, Hi my name is Eunice Santiago (hand shake) I am an RN working at a adolescent treatment facility. I was looking at the states employment bulletin that was posted and saw you are looking for a director at your building to implement polices pertaining to the interdiscipinary teams there. I realize the position requires an MSN, however currently my responsibilitis is that of a quality compliance officer and training. Therefore I feel I am perfect for the job. A plus for you I am bilingual in spanish/english-reading and writing and I am currently learning to speak creole as I understand your facility is having an influx of Haitian clients. I will have my BSN at the end of this yearand will be going on to achieve my masters degree. Here is my business card and I will forward my resume to you by this afternoon. Thank you its been a plearsure to talk to you.

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  10. Networking seems easier than ever with technology, especially blogging or networking sites like facebook. Clothing companies, restaurants and businesses use facebook to spread their merchandise and message. Using technology this way for free is efficient. Networking can also happen at work or at a party. I network all the time at the school where I work. I talk to everyone and I go by the saying "you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar". I'm trying to get my foot in the door so I can get a teaching job there when I graduate.

    My personal advertisement would go something like this:
    Hi I'm Ellen. Aren't kids great? Ive been working at Holy Family school in the after-school care program for three years and I love organizing crafts, activities and snacks for the kids. It would be great if I could use those skills in the classroom setting. Ive been teaching volleyball to the JV boys as well and I love giving my knowledge to the kids. Teaching kids in the classroom would be a great job for me because I love kids and have experience in dealing with them as well as teaching them.

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  11. Networking can transpire in a myriad of situations. The circumstance we are using in class, the elevator, is a perfect example of a condition apt for introductions, networking and a thirty second commercial for your marketability. Depending on your surroundings and the goal of your possible networking efforts, such interactions can be prompted while simply walking on the street, at the supermarket (shopping), waiting in any sort of line (maybe waiting for a table to clear at a restaurant or at the Post office/DMV), or any other type of casual meeting. My personal commercial would ideally be relaxed and conversational. I would like to present myself in a fashion that compels my audience (prospective employer, program director…) to generate a genuine interest in me as a person, while considering me as a serious investment or positive presence. I would aim to introduce myself assertively and confidently as if I had already won my audience’s interest and approval. Communication is a two way transaction, so I would attempt to read my audience’s feedback and alter my physical and vocal approach towards achieving my goal (job position, letter of recommendation…). In accordance with my own quick and personal judgment concerning my interlocutor’s conversational horizon of expectation, I would present my qualifications; why I am an intelligent investment or that which makes me marketable. I also think it important, even though I may be looking for self advancement and using my audience as a means of achieving some goal, to respect the individual as a person and not a solely a means to an end.

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  13. A. Networking can occur anytime and anywhere. It occurs unexpectedly. We have to be prepared for it. My mother is a nurse. Through her connections I got to volunteer in a doctor's office. When I worked there I got to meet a lot of different people. My Church is one of the best places to do networking. There are a lot of church members who are students of science and health professionals. Through them I get to know people who work in colleges I'm planning to apply for graduate school. Family members are also valuable tools. My family members who are health professionals help each other get jobs in various hospitals. I've also seen classmates make connections with each other to get a job. Technology has made networking even easier especially with people you never know in life. Couple of days ago, while I was blogging on a sports website, I noticed that two previously unknown people, who were frustrated at the moderator of the website for deleting messages that were not abuse, were making connections to get a job as a moderator of a website discussion board.

    B. My commercial: I'm meeting a Professor who taught me a couple of years ago. I'm asking him for a recomendation letter for graduate school.

    Hi Professor, I'm Shirlin. I hope you remember me. I was in your Bio 1 class couple of years ago in my freshman year. Now I'm a junior, I'm planning to apply for Dental School. I would like to know if you could write me a letter of recommendation. I got a high A in your class. You even said that I top scored in your class. I've a GPA of 3.74. I finished all my pre-requisites for graduate school. I've the experience of working in a doctor's office. I'm also planning to work in a dentist office this summer. I've your email address and Iknow where your office is located in the Science building. I can email you my resume and any other information you need. I will also waive my right to see your letter. Thank you Professor.

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