Speaker 1: Networking. This can seem like such an intimidating word, but I know how difficult it is to put yourself out there and actually go and have a conversation with someone. So if you are somebody who wants to get started with networking but don't know how to begin, this video is for you. Hi my friends, my name is Meher Sindhu Batra. I am your career coach and mentor, helping you accelerate your career through my videos and tips and tricks. As someone who studied in Delhi University and then went on to do my CA and then an MBA in another different country, I have met people from across the world. But it has been challenging for me to put myself out there and go and have that conversation with someone. But don't be afraid, I am going to share tips and tricks with you and make the whole process of networking way way easier. So without wasting any more time, let's jump right into it. My friends, please don't forget to subscribe to my channel and like and share this video with your friends if you find it useful. Also don't forget to follow me on my Instagram page, MSB Vision and sign up for my weekly free newsletter through the link below. In this video, I will be covering the following topics. The first is exactly what is networking? Second is with whom should you be networking and where can you find the opportunities to network with people? And lastly, 10 tips from me to you to make the most out of your networking experience and make it as fun as possible for yourself. So let's begin. So firstly, my friends, what exactly is networking? Like I said, it can seem very overwhelming. It can seem intimidating like a chore or you may be thinking it's something that only extroverted people are good at or do a lot. But that's really not the case, my friends. Networking is basically meeting new people, talking to people, building relationships with them, interacting to exchange ideas and information to develop some sort of personal or social connections. You're building those relationships with people so that they can help you in your future and you can help them as well. So it's like building any other relationship in your life. My friends, networking is not about meeting as many number of people as you can, but it's actually doing the work to maintain those relationships so that you can benefit from them. So why is meeting people so important? My friends, there's a famous quote that goes like everyone you will ever meet knows something that you don't because each new person that you meet will have some ideas or information that you have no knowledge about right now. When you actually start engaging with people and developing meaningful relationships and having those deep level conversations, you learn so much about some internship opportunities, some full time job openings, events happening around college, things happening in different fields or industries. You'll be able to find mentors and even find future business opportunities if needed. Networking is especially important if you are in college because this is the time when you're building a solid foundation for the rest of your career. And 85% of jobs are found through networking, my friends. And I'm sure that percentage is even higher in India. Networking can happen online through virtual events and so many of them are happening now thanks to the pandemic and offline on campus, etc. But we will talk about where you can find those networking events very shortly. So my friends, now that we've talked about how networking is important and that you should be doing more of it, let's talk about where and whom you should be networking with. So the people you should be networking with, my friends, are students. So basically, if you are in college, you should be networking and talking to people who are in your class, in your batch, maybe doing other courses in your university or people from other universities. So students from other universities you have to be in touch with. Next have to be your professors or lecturers. Then the alumni, the people who have already graduated from your college or university, getting to know them and asking them what are they up to. And obviously you need to be in touch with founders of startups that you are interested in working in or the HR professional or recruiters of big companies that you want to be a part of. And also the working professionals of these target companies that you have on your mind. The list is endless, my friends. You can be talking to anybody and you will be able to build either social or professional connections with them. So now that we know these are the people we should be talking to, where can we actually go and find these people? And my suggestion to you, my friends, is that just get involved on campus, join your universities, clubs and societies, become a member, take up leadership positions. Then the opportunities will come to you to meet and engage with new types of people and attend and organise different types of events. Next, get to know your faculty or lecturers a little bit better. Stay back after class and have a conversation with your professors. Tell them what are you enjoying about their classes and what would you like to learn more about. Next is start attending university-wide events. So not just things that are happening for your batch or your class or your college, but things that are happening around different universities in your city. Why should we restrain ourselves? Let's go out there and explore the world and see what else is out there. Another great place to meet people is actually volunteering at NGOs for causes that you are interested in. You'll have that common ground, that passion for that particular cause, and you'll get to learn more about these people and what drives them. Next is do some extracurricular activities. Don't just be a book nerd who's only focusing on studying. Your college years are important. This is the time when you should be learning and doing different types of activities. So whether that's dance class, singing class, swimming class, tennis class, that is another great place to meet people from other universities or even people who are older or younger than you. And then one important forum for your generation in particular is using online social media tools. You should be making the most of these online tools such as LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook to literally sliding into people's DMs or cold emailing them when you can. And last but not least, my friends, we all shy away from using this form of networking and that is using your personal connections. You'll be surprised with the number of people you already know. So reach out to your family and friends or your friends of friends or your family members, friends and get talking. Okay, my friends, now that we've established that you are going to reach out to these type of people and you know where to reach out to them, let's talk a little bit about what are the tips that you need to keep in mind when you do go and have that conversation with someone or you go for that networking event. So here are my 10 tips if you are planning to attend a networking event. Firstly, my friends research well and go prepared. If you're meeting someone for the first time, it always helps if you do a little bit research about the event, about the people you're going to be meeting because it helps knowing them in advance so that you can ask them the right questions. So make Google your best friend and learn a lot about the event, the people, the organization, the career fair, the university that you're attending or the professor you're talking to before you actually go ahead and attend that event. One disclaimer, please don't overdo it and act like a stalker. If you give them all the details that you already know about them, it may sound very creepy and they wouldn't want to talk to you then. So the idea is to be subtle about the information that you know already. My second tip is my friends don't be afraid to make the first move. Let's say you go to a professional event or a social party, but you just stand and sulk there in the corner. That is a wasted opportunity. Do remember people are as nervous as you are. And I remember my first few days in London when I was so afraid to go ahead and talk to people from different countries, but you know, they were just as afraid as I was. Everyone has this imposter syndrome. So you can also go ahead and make that first move. Go and say hello to a few people and you'll be surprised. They'll actually want to talk to you. Be positive and confident. Smile. People would like to talk to such positive people. So make sure you put on that happy face and display some good manners. My third tip is my friends. Please don't forget to introduce yourself and prepare your 30 second elevator pitch. So basically just a short pitch about who you are, what you're currently studying, what you're doing outside of college and what you're planning to do after you graduate. Many a times we get involved in conversations and forget to talk and tell people about ourselves, our experiences. We've already done some great stuff. We just have to communicate it to others. My fourth tip is my friends. Please don't talk too much. It's better to be listening than talking too much. Sometimes the opposite happens that we introduce ourselves and then we end up talking too much and the person in front of us may lose interest. So it's not just important to always be pitching and sharing our ideas, but not listening to what the other person has to say. So listen more than you talk and ask intelligent questions. My fifth tip is my friends. Subtle flattery will take you places. People like to be appreciated. They love hearing about themselves and what they've done well. So if you make the move of actually complimenting someone, they will remember you because we all want to be noticed. We all want somebody talking about our achievements and accomplishments. Complimenting someone can help you make connections in a very effortless way. So saying something simple like, Hey, I read your blog post on this topic. It was interesting to hear your views. Thanks for sharing or professor. I really enjoyed your lecture today or saying something like I've been following your career for a while. It's so, so inspiring. And my sixth tip is an extension of this one. And that is connect with people on a personal level. You have to be genuine. My friends don't be fake. So find those small little ways of adding some type of personal touch to your conversations. So that could be like remembering people's names, taking their names when you're actually talking to them, finding common grounds of topics that you can both talk about, such as where they grew up, where they studied, what they're doing now, what are the other activities they like to do? My seventh tip is my friends. Don't be afraid to share your knowledge on a topic. Sometimes what happens is that we think that the person in front of us is an expert and we know nothing, but that's not the case. I'm sure whatever they're talking about, you will be able to add just a little bit about it. So for example, if I'm in a conversation with someone who's talking about football and I have no idea about football, but the only thing that I can add is that I can say, Hey, my husband is actually a very, very big football fan and I have to watch matches with him many times. So, you know, I may not have too much knowledge about football, but I've added that personal touch to it or just like adding my knowledge, such as yeah, my husband told me that Arsenal is playing really well this season. So even though you may know a little bit, it may be better than zero. Make sure you share that. My eighth tip is my friends, please don't talk to somebody only to get out of something or only with an agenda or a goal in mind. People get to know and sense it when you're solely talking to them for selfish reasons. So if you just want to extract information or ask them for a favor, they'll shut off. I would really suggest really invest the time and energy to get to know the person on a deeper level and build those deep connections before you actually go ahead and ask them for a favor. This is a proper networking etiquette 101, my friends. My ninth tip is my friends, please make sure to talk to different types of people. What happens at professional and social events is that we end up sticking to our friends or people we already know. And that again is a wasted opportunity. So when you go to such an event, make sure you talk to someone new who's from a different sector, a different course, a different age group. Talking to people from diverse backgrounds will only increase your knowledge and your awareness. For example, when I was doing my MBA from Imperial College in London, I spoke to a lot of people from different countries and that way I learned more about their culture and I spoke about my culture with pride as well. My tenth tip is my friends, please don't forget to connect with people on social media afterwards and follow up with them. So if you meet new people virtually or in person, you can go back home and connect with them on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn and send them a follow up message, email or tweet so that they don't forget you. And also make sure you stay active on social media and your profile is professional to the core. Those are my 10 tips, my friends. Please remember, it's not about attending all these events, but actually going to these events and talking to people. That is what is going to make all the difference. The possibilities out of networking are actually endless. I can't tell you how many jobs, business opportunities, clients I have found through just word of mouth or speaking to somebody. I know it's a social activity and it can be scary, but it takes time to build that skill. Start with talking to one person and then slowly and steadily push yourself to talk to more people. Trust me, it becomes better with practice. I have been there on this journey myself. Comment below if you're still watching this video till the end. I'm so grateful for all of you. I'll be back soon next Thursday with another video, but until then, keep smiling, keep talking to people and working hard towards your goals. I hope to see you soon. Bye.