{"id":2915,"date":"2012-10-15T12:46:24","date_gmt":"2012-10-15T19:46:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.ups.edu\/cesblogs\/?p=2915"},"modified":"2013-04-01T19:35:23","modified_gmt":"2013-04-01T19:35:23","slug":"building-a-web-of-connections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/cesblogs\/2012\/10\/15\/building-a-web-of-connections\/","title":{"rendered":"Building a Web of Connections"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>What do you think of when you hear the word \u201cnetworking?\u201d<\/p>\n

A recent graduate told me about a time when she met an attorney while playing pool at the Parkway. The next summer, she interned at his office. The student hadn\u2019t set out to network that night, but she took advantage of an opportunity when it presented itself.<\/p>\n

Many times networking happens just like that\u2014you meet people in a variety of contexts, and strike up a conversation.<\/p>\n

Some people I know get nervous\u2014the idea of reaching out to somebody they don\u2019t know is scary. Others are energized\u2014they love connecting with people and finding that they have something in common. For me\u2026I like to think of networking as relationship building. I don\u2019t view it as a way to get an \u201cin\u201d for a job or internship; rather I see it as a way to make professional friends. You already build relationships all the time through your academic or social activities\u2014professional networking is just taking it up a notch in terms of focus and formality.<\/p>\n

Strategies for networking can include:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Using the Alumni Sharing Knowledge (ASK) Network:<\/strong> You\u2019re fortunate that at the University of Puget Sound, you have a ready-made list of prospective contacts waiting to hear from you! The ASK Network is a database of more than 2700 alumni who’ve said they’d like to talk with students about career-related topics.<\/p>\n

You can access profiles and contact information for your alumni volunteers via the CES menu on Cascade<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Attend <\/strong>ASK Night<\/strong><\/a> annually:<\/strong> It’s the friendliest networking audience you’ll ever encounter. Members of the ASK Network descend on campus to connect in-person with Puget Sound students. They’re excited to meet you, so choose to be there for them, too!<\/p>\n

ASK Night is an excellent way to learn about the variety of career fields our graduates enter and how their lives are enriched through their liberal arts education. For event details and a list of alumni attending, please visit the ASK Night webpage<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Let everyone know you\u2019re looking to connect:<\/strong> Think about who you already know that might know somebody you’d like to connect with…<\/p>\n