Posts tagged with ‘networking’

  • PRSA Boston Fast Five: Networking v Connecting. Which Works Best?

    In Career, Fast Five on

    As a member of Xennial Nation – that nuanced demographic between Gen X and Millennials – Boston-based business ignitor Ryan Paugh resists typecasting, especially where his skill of cultivating social-based communities is concerned. First, he’s a self-described introvert. Yet he’s made a career of guiding individuals and organizations to purposefully pursue relationships of mutual benefit for career and business upside. His secret sauce? Quality and discernment over the less meaningful metric of questionably valid ‘followers.’

     

    Debunking conventional ‘networking,’ a word he thinks should be retired, Ryan has now added the book, ‘Superconnector to his portfolio of influential entrepreneurial tribes. When she saw it on Entrepreneur.com’s top reads for 2018 list, Loring Barnes, APR, PRSA Fellow, sought him out on LinkedIn to ask how all of us can become more successful at creating connections that count.

     

    Q: There are a lot of gurus who write about connecting, and there are influencer-like
    bloggers who actually do it, like Gary Vaynerchuk. As a networking expert, who are the voices you’ve turned to, whose wisdom you respect or find affirming to your own? Do you have some top podcasts that impart wisdom about networking?

    A: Jayson Gaignard is someone who we really look up to. He’s the founder of The Community Made Podcast and has been touted as being two-degrees of separation from everyone you want to meet. He’s a master curator in the entrepreneurial world, but his lessons can help reshape any community into something better than it once was.

     

    Believe it or not, we all know “superconnectors.” My favorites aren’t the ye olde internet celebrities you might expect. In the book, we showcase a wide variety of relationship-building all stars from a CPA in Homestead, Florida to a successful home services contractor in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We want people to read this book and think, “I can become a superconnector too.” Anyone who tries can attain this.

     

    Q: LinkedIn is the essence of a networking democracy. Still, too many people don’t use it, or don’t use it to maximum effectiveness. What advice would you give them that is actionable?

    A: Video is the hot new thing on LinkedIn and using it seems to boost higher search algorithmic weights, or more simplistically, raises your visibility. It’s as simple as using your smartphone to post commentary or insightful musings that shares your knowledge and your charisma.

     

    Q: Do networking successes break down along gender lines? If so, how and what advice do you offer in your book, ‘Superconnector’, that makes networking an easier, more familiar memory muscle?

    A: I can only speak to my experiences as a man, but it’s clear that many women don’t feel like they’re playing on a level playing field in business. I’m sure to an extent that imbalance relates to networking success (or failure) as well.

     

    The good news is that superconnectors, our new archetype for relationship-building success, see gender as a non-factor.  They investigate someone’s story below the headline, or in the “gray area.” You have to be the Sherlock Holmes of discourse to really make a powerful impression. So, whether you are reaching out cold to a CEO or entrepreneur (a rising number of which are women!), its likely your demonstration of that under layer of their biographical information that will make your overture more likely to bear fruit.

     

    Q: What is your daily networking routine? What do you read, how many outreaches do you make? How do you measure the return on your time?

    A: Connecting is fun and rewarding, like a puzzle. That’s why I outline a disciplined approach to it so that anyone can reap the benefits without having it overtake your day. I restrict my travel radius for introductory meetings. This allows me to actually give back more of my time to family and community.

     

    I’m also both strategic and immersive in planning how to network at meetings, receptions and conferences. This all starts with self-awareness. I’m actually an introvert, and I know that I won’t thrive as a participant in a crowded networking event without a plan. But at in a smaller group, like a dinner, I can be a terrific guest who emerges with some very viable connections. Knowing yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, and where you thrive is so important to making meaningful relationships.

     

    Q: Will networking continue to evolve? If so, how do you see it changing in the future?

    A: Social media has been a blessing and a curse. It’s important to understand the distinction between connected as a profile hyperlink, and evolving a purposeful relationship with someone who you come to know, reciprocally. Data shows that we’re beginning to see a preference shift from open networking to more focused curated environments where with a greater likelihood of meeting great people because thought was put into who’s actually in the room. I expect to see this trend continue in years to come. Knowing how to approach these situations is going to make it far more likely that you’ll advance your pitch, open up a dialog or even open the door for a future job discussion. We spend more time planning vacations than we do planning our networking. But if we reversed that, we’d have more time for enjoying vacations that are made possible by our networking success.

     

    You can read the first chapter of the book HERE!

     

    About Fast 5

    This is a feature of PRSA Boston’s Hot Topics blog page. The expert subject is someone who is clearly in demand, on the go, and nailing them down for a conversation is about as easy as … winning Powerball at $1.5 billion! But we know leaders like to share, so check back for insights, wisdom, author’s books about to hit the stands and other valuable tips. @prsaboston #prsabos

     

    Do YOU have a candidate for a FAST 5 interview? Email: Joshua Milne at josh@joshuamilnepr.com and pitch your subject expert!

     

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    Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author or the individual being interviewed and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of PRSA Boston, PRSA National, staff or  board of directors of either organization. 

     

  • networking

    Yes, Fellow Students, Networking Really Does Pay Off

    In Career on

    Katherine BlessisRewind to Fall of 2015: I am President of Stonehill College’s Public Relations Society.  The club officers and I are about to hold our second meeting of the semester.  In walks our guest speaker, Hollywood Public Relations Account Manager and Boston’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) Co-Chair, Brooks Wallace.

    Brooks talks with club members about pitching reporters, agency life and PRSA Boston’s Emerging Leadership scholarship.

    After the PR Society meeting was over, I connected with Brooks on LinkedIn and sent her a thank you note for attending the meeting.  She encouraged me to apply for the PRSA Boston Emerging Leadership scholarship.

    A few days after I apply for the scholarship, I receive an email from Brooks saying she was impressed by my application.  I did not win, but am proud to say I was one of the top four applicants.  Brooks then asks if I am interested in applying for an internship with her company, Hollywood Public Relations.  Four months and one invaluable experience later, here I am.

    Pause at May of 2016: I just completed my spring semester internship at Hollywood Public Relations.  How was I able to land such an incredible opportunity?  You guessed it … Networking.

    Looking back on my senior year, I realize just how valuable networking can be.  By connecting with Brooks, I got my foot in the door with an industry I am passionate about, and writing samples from my PRSA scholarship application circulated through the PRSA Boston Board.

    Interning at Hollywood PR also opened up countless connections with PR specialists, journalists and other business professionals whom I otherwise never would have met.

    In addition, this spring semester I organized a “Networking Night” hosted by Stonehill’s Public Relations Society.  We were lucky enough to have Jacqueline Dunn, Hollywood Public Relations’ Assistant Account Executive (and a Stonehill alum!), attend the event on the agency’s behalf.  It was a great networking opportunity for students and employers alike.

    To my fellow students who are either skeptical about the whole networking thing, or who don’t know where to start, I hope this shows a little insight into the benefits of it.  My advice is to try to do at least one networking activity a day, whether it be connecting with someone on LinkedIn or sharing a blog post written by an industry professional.  Here are five more tips to help you stand out in the wide world of networking:

    1.  Participate in organizations like PRSA and PRSSA.  Everyone who is there wants to be there for the same reasons you do.  Members often share the same interests and goals as you.  Getting to know other members and learning from them will benefit you now and in years to come.

    2.  Join a club on campus and make it a goal to be on the club’s leadership board.  Attend meetings, engage in conversations and participate in club events.  The time commitment and hard work it takes to be involved is absolutely worth it.  It may not seem like it now, but the work will pay off.  It will, trust me.

    3.  Find an excuse for interaction.  If you have a guest speaker at a club meeting, are attending a job/internship fair or have an interview, find ways to spark up conversation.  Research the person you plan to meet and try to find common conversation topics.

    4.  Leverage yourself as the “event planning expert” or the “marketing guru” on campus.  Promote your knowledge and skills to other clubs or individuals who could use social media or marketing help.  You’ll be the “go-to” resource if someone needs advice or assistance.

    5.  Send thank you notes and follow up emails.  Don’t let your first impression be forgotten!  A hand-written note goes a long way and will make you stand out in employers’ eyes.

    6.  Bonus tip: Introduce others and help them network! Connect two people on LinkedIn you think should know each other.  Be sure to follow up with them to see if the connection was worthwhile.  You might be the reason someone lands his or her dream job!

    Fast-forward to the future: Upon graduating and completing my internship at Hollywood Public Relations, I am happy to say my network has grown tremendously.  I hope the network I’ve built over the past four years will help me reach my professional goals and advance my career.  Looking ahead, I know the size of my network will only get bigger.  I plan to join industry-related organizations such as PRSA, take part in learning opportunities such as conferences and workshops, and of course I plan to connect, connect and connect some more with professionals on LinkedIn.

    I owe much of what I’ve learned about networking to Brooks Wallace.  Because of her guidance and encouragement, I am beginning to understand what it takes to make it in the public relations field.

    To Darlene and the rest of the Hollywood team, thank you so much for everything you did to make my internship experience extremely rewarding and valuable.  Not only did I sharpen my writing skills and learn the ropes of PR, I was also lucky enough to work with a fantastic group of people.  I admire your work ethic and can tell you truly love what you do.  Thank you for being great mentors, teachers and colleagues.  I will miss Hollywood Public Relations so much!

    Please share your networking stories and connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kblessis!

    – Katherine Blessis

    Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on Backstage, Hollywood Public Relations’s blog.