Approach and Practice: Networking 101

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Last week I received this tweet (right):

Many folks either love or hate networking. I have rarely met people who have ambiguous feelings on the topic. The ones who enjoy it are often self-proclaimed social butterfly's, "Woo's" or extroverts.

The ones who are not particularly fond of this may view it as fake, unimportant or might not simply feel comfortable approaching new people for the sole purpose of building their professional network.

No matter where you fall on the spectrum of comfort with networking most can agree that it can serve a purpose. The three ways I have found it most useful are:

1) Resource-sharing: As you move up you will often be asked to "make XYZ happen" or "create this _________ (fill in the blank-program, policy, resource, etc.).

Ummm, OK. Where to start? Begin with your own intellect and experiences and sprinkle liberally with the knowledge of others. Reaching out to my network for ideas, a second opinion or simply having another set of (fresh) eyes on a proposal has made all the difference in my experience.

2) Building a colleague base at, below and above your current professional role: In my current role I have no direct peer who is doing exactly what I am doing (unlike previous roles I have had). Making connections with other people who lead Residence Life staffs has been incredibly useful.

My peers and I often marvel to each other "How come no one tells you that leadership at this level is so hard??" Having other colleagues who are similarly situated in their career builds a strong sense of community across folks at the same level. There are days where having a quick conversation with folks like Torry Brouillard-Bruce (University of the Pacific), Carolyn Golz (Lake Forest College) or Romando Nash (University of Southern California) reaffirm, refocus and restore your belief in your work and yourself!

Building a network with people at less-experienced levels is valuable because it reminds you of the needs of the people you supervise and helps you to understand how your actions, goals and vision may be interpreted. Hearing about the professional journeys of people like Amy Boyle (Loyola University,-New Orleans), Shamika Johnson (Miami University), Matt Bloomingdale (Georgia Tech) and Terrance Smith (Purdue University) has been such a gift to me because it provides an outside perspective on the role of staff dynamics, how change is interpreted and what motivates employees on days when this information is needed most.

As always, we can learn much-needed lessons from people above our current professional level. They can share their perspective from their many years of experience and help you to anticipate and recognize potential pitfalls. I always walk away from conversations with folks like Cissy Petty (Loyola University-New Orleans) Norb Dunkel (University of Florida), Sumi Pendakur (Harvey Mudd College), and Beth McCuskey (Purdue University) feeling stronger, more confident and armed with new strategies to approach my work.

The common thread with everyone I mentioned above is that I have never worked with any of these exceptional professionals. We were first connected through social media, our work with professional associations or have been introduced through a mutual shared connection. My world and my work has been enriched though each of these relationships.

3) Professional development collaborations: I have written articles with people who live 3,000 miles away who I have never met (except via social media), and presented program sessions with colleagues I only met briefly at conferences.

While I do enjoy working with folks who are familiar with my writing and presentation style, it is a great challenge and opportunity to collaborate with a new person and potentially create a useful tool, resource and/or presentation.

I am grateful for these experiences because when I changed jobs and moved across the country I had already built a few relationships with folks who now lived in the same part of the country. It made my transition easier and it felt good to already know a few people in my new region.

A week after I accepted the offer at my current institution my new NASPA region called to offer me a leadership role with their annual conference. Turns out those new connections I had made through networking had advocated for me to serve in that position. Networking is about giving and receiving and I will be sure to repay the generosity bestowed upon me. “Pay it forward” it the key to networking.

OK, so now you have a few reasons as to why networking is important but how do you actually do it? A few tips for your consideration:

Create a plan for each conference you attend: My staff will confirm that I always ask them "What is your plan for this conference?" This means, 1-what coffee dates have you set-up to connect with new people, 2-what sessions do you want to attend both because of the content and the presenter and finally 3-what are your goals for learning, networking and bringing back info to campus?

If you can see a full list of presenters and/or attendees prior to the start of a professional conference you can reach out to structure your schedule in a way that allows you to meet all of your goals. I typically divide my conference time between sessions, volunteer hours for the association (where you can meet all sorts of new people) and pre-scheduled coffee dates with folks who I have asked to connect with or they have asked to connect with me. At a four-day conference you can easily fit in 6-8 of these kinds of meetings.

Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up: I email and/or send a note to every person who gives me their business card throughout the year (on-campus, at a conference, etc). I typically send another piece of communication three months after the initial meeting to say hello and re-connect. That way (the next time you see each other) the conversation has been continuing throughout the year and it feels more authentic than simply the once a year "meet and greet."

Reach out to connect with people individually: Whether on your own campus or through a professional association don't be shy about reaching out to someone you want to connect with. I wrote about this experience a couple of years ago and my professional relationship with this woman has absolutely continue up and enriched my life.

Take a chance-it just might change your life :)

Start locally, then act globally: At my previous university I got connected with our on-campus women's network for faculty and staff members. I met terrific new colleagues--many of whom grew to be good friends! This helps to build your confidence to network outside of your institution.

Remember that the keys to networking are approachability/friendliness (say hello, smile, shake their hand), courage (approach folks you may not know to simply introduce yourself) and commonality (try to find a common thread, mutual acquaintance, etc.) during the initial conversation.

OK, let's practice!

When you see someone across the room who you want to meet consider doing one of two things:

1) Find someone who know that person and ask if they would be so kind as to introduce you: Simply say "I believe you know (fill in the name) and I have really been hoping to meet him/her. Would you feel comfortable making the introduction?"

2) Gather your courage and make the introduction yourself: As long as the person you seek to meet is standing in a group (i.e. not with just one other person) you should feel free to approach him/her. Example intro: "Hello, I'm sorry to interrupt but my name is Ann Marie and I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself. I attended your program session on assessment at the NASPA conference and I really appreciated your information—we are hoping to implement something similar at my school.” This is one of many friendly, brief introductions that establishes a common experience.

Networking may seem daunting but it is all about approach and practice! What tips do you have to sharpen your networking skills?

"Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

My recent post on readiness prompted several people to ask about why people decide to leave their current position.  Most people leave their current job for one of five reasons.  Some reasons have to do with being ready but many do not.  Consider which reasons may apply to your current situation.

1) The Boss Factor: People don’t leave their jobs, they leave their manager.  No other relationship is as important as the one who is responsible for providing feedback and approving your paycheck.  If working conditions become strained, employees will often seek new opportunities. Is your current supervisory relationship working in a way that is beneficial both to you and to your boss? How can you improve this?

2) Geographic Constraints:  Small-town guy living in NYC?  Urban professional working in a rural community?  Are you working far away from your family and wish you lived closer?  Sometimes the best jobs may not be in the locations that we would personally prefer.  While the allure of a great job may be attractive, the position itself might not be enough to keep you if your personal values are not congruent with your current living conditions.   Will living in a certain area improve your quality of life?  What are the market realities of being able to find a position in this specific area?

3) 3 Years and Up?: Sometimes people job search because they are adhering to a traditional model of career progression.  The old notions of spending three years in an entry-level job and five years in a mid-level role, etc. are no longer relevant.  Based on family commitments, continuing education and geographical constraints, there are no rules anymore for creating a professional timeline.  Yet, practitioners often seek to move before they are ready (or similarly stay too long at one particular place) based on antiquated notions of career progression.  The only timeline that matters is your own. If you are happy at your current job, drown out the voices that keep telling you what you "should" do.

4) Boredom: Can you do your job in less than 30 hours a week?  Are you feeling unchallenged in your work?  While people often leave when they feel this way, the key should be to gracefully depart before you feel the symptoms of boredom creeping in.   By this time, people are usually hoping that you would leave the department any way J.  Be self-aware.  Know when you start to feel yourself not being as effective or interested in your current job duties.   Are you still invested and excited by the work you do each day?

5) Success in most areas of current job role functions: Have you gotten all that you can out of your current role?  Have you accomplished the things you hoped to achieve when you started the position? While all of the aforementioned areas can be valid reasons to move on, this is the one that often feels the most comfortable because you can leave on your ownterms knowing that you are ready for the next challenge.  What does success look like to you?  What else can you get out of this experience?

In your experience, why else do people seek to move on?

What Does Being “Ready” Mean To You?

My recent blog post on the job search process resulted in several emails asking the same question about the concept of being “ready” for the next level.  Mainly, how do you know?  Do you need to ask someone?  How do you manage all of the uncertainties of moving on? Since I believe in the mantra of once is a question, twice is a discussion and three inquiries equals a blog post, I have decided to address this issue based on the volume of questions about this issue.   

The Readiness Factor

What does “ready” really mean?  Ready means you feel professionally comfortable in tackling the duties required at the next-level position. It also means you are looking for enhanced responsibilities in your professional portfolio in all areas—especially supervisory and budgetary oversight.      

Who decides if you are ready?  Only you can truly determine this but your performance appraisals combined with feedback from peers and supervisors can help you see the full picture.  Are you being tapped for progressively responsible duties in your department or division?  This can often be a sign of confidence in your talents and skills.  

Do you need to ask your supervisor? Not necessarily.  But I think it is helpful to ask what they perceive as the biggest challenges for you at the next professional level.   Consult with the people who have worked with you in some sort of professional capacity.  Include mentors, peers and professionals currently at the level you aspire. What area of growth do you still need to consider?  Who will provide you with honest feedback? 

Have you mastered the core competencies of your position? Think about the skills and attributes needed to be successful at the next level.  While positions in higher education may vary a majority of us will need to have strong supervision skills, excellent administrative proficiency, a record of consistent collaboration with colleaguesand the confidence to lead effectively.    

Another concern echoed in the emails about this topic was about project management.  Are you involved in a project that is just getting off the ground and are worried about it getting dropped if you leave the institution?  The reality is that it probably won’t.  If the department is truly committed to it then it will continue to develop.  If it fails, it is not because you left.  The hard truth is that everyone is replaceable but sometimes in higher education we feel like everything will fall to pieces if we don't take care of it.  Not true. 

I personally made the decision to start searching because I had achieved most of the goals that I set when I started at my current institution.  I enjoy my work but I could also feel that tug of “it’s time to move on.”   I spent this past year constantly challenging myself to think “as if”  I was already at the next level when dealing with certain situations.  Although this is not easy, I have become more comfortable in that frame of thinking.  Are you thinking about decisions from the perspective of the level above you? Think "as if" for the next week--you might be surprised at what you see!

The experiences that have helped to shape my professional philosophy are the  result of my work in this position.  I am now more self-aware and confident about my unique skills and talents and will be more purposeful about the career choices I make in the future.  Readiness is knowing that you have accomplished your goals and feel prepared to add value to a new position.  Because past performance is the best indicator of future success I know that I will be ready for the next step and anything that this role has in store for me.

One final concern about the readiness factor was the difficulty of leaving a staff that you have come to enjoy and care about.  We are a relational field.  But your professional ambitions and needs are also important and good people can be found wherever you go.  I know that my department will hire a (hopefully more) talented new person for my position and that our staff will move forward.  Our field is full of outstanding professionals waiting for the opportunity to shine at the next level!  

What concerns do you have about being ready for the next level? 

Trust the Job Search Process!

It has been wonderful to read about people navigating the Student Affairs job search process on Twitter. As usual, the #sachat community serves as a great mentor for those who ask for help—by reviewing resumes, practicing mock interviews or simply serving as a sounding board for people when they have questions. As we move into spring I have enjoyed reading the tweets from people about the final steps of the process--“I rocked the on-campus interview” or “The offer came and I said yes!”—are among my favorites that I have seen so far.

But this time of year can be tough if folks around you seem to be moving on a different timeframe (i.e., faster) or if you get the “thanks, but no thanks” email. It can be especially difficult if your dream school doesn’t offer you the job. Sometimes more than one school offers you and tough decisions have to be made.

A couple of things to consider:

1) If a school offers you a position and you turn it down, it does not necessarily close the door to working there in the future: I was offered a fantastic graduate assistantship at a school I admired and I turned it down because I had decided that I wanted to work full-time while getting my Masters degree at an institution closer to home.

I respectfully declined the offer and stayed in contact with the leadership of that department. Two years later, I had a Masters degree and felt ready to move on from my current position. This institution contacted me and said “let’s try this again!” and asked me to interview with them. Sometimes timing can be everything. I went on to take the job and was a Residence Hall Director for that institution for three years.

2) Getting a “no thanks” letter does not mean “no way,” it can mean “not now:” At my very first Oshkosh Placement Exchange (OPE) I applied for a graduate assistantship with a private school in a large urban area. I felt confident going into the interview. I did my homework on the school and had carefully prepared questions to ask the interview team. I left the interview smiling and rushed off to write the thank you note. I checked my mailbox about ten minutes after interviewing with this school and there was a letter in my mailbox saying “thank but no thanks” and that they were not going to pursue my candidacy at this time.

I slumped away, a little disappointed. What did this mean about me as a candidate? What I didn’t know then (and what I fully understand now) is that at 22 I wasn’t ready for this type of institution. The interview team (correctly) suspected that I would not fit with their department.

Did I ever cross paths with that institution again? You bet. I have been an Assistant Director for Residential Education at DePaul University for nearly five years now. The “no thanks” letter was a blessing in disguise. I went on to work at other schools and when the chance came around again I felt ready to pursue that opportunity. If you really like a school but it doesn’t work out right now don’t lose hope! It just might not be your time to be there...yet!

The bottom line is that you should have trust in the process! Do your best work, follow-up in a timely fashion with each school and have patience (easier said than done, I know!)

What have you learned from your job search process?

Are You Ready for Mid-Level? A Top 10 List to Consider Before Moving Up.

At the CAACURH conference this past fall I presented a program session for entry-level housing professionals who are considering the move to mid-level. After the conference I received several emails asking to talk more about the concepts I presented in the session. I decided to turn that conference program into a blog post in order to reach a broader audience and continue the career progression discussion. In the last five years the mid-level job search has changed dramatically. The old adage of “3 and up”—meaning a person could be in an entry-level job for three years and then obtain a mid-level position is not the norm anymore. This idea has shifted for several reasons including the trend of eliminating some mid-level positions due to budget cuts, the extended stay of some mid-level managers to obtain a terminal degree and the recognition of some senior housing officers that the level of complexity needed in managing and supervising entry-level staff requires more than three years post-Masters experience.

When constructing this presentation I consulted 15 other mid-level managers to discuss what skills are imperative for success after entry-level. Based on the feedback I developed a list of nine skills that are critical to the success of mid-level managers.

Next, I developed a list of experiences that entry-level staff should seek to obtain before moving to the next level. Within each experience I selected the skills that were enhanced by having that practical experience. While I developed this session primarily for housing officers, many of the concepts are applicable to several areas of Student Affairs and I hope you may find them useful as you consider the next steps of your own professional journey!

No candidate will have mastered all of these by the time they get to mid-level—I’m still working on several of these areas! But this list is a good evaluative tool to measure your skills and experiences.

List of skills for success in Mid-Level:

• Supervision: The ability to successfully manage multiple employees. Holding staff accountable, recognizing when appropriate and serving as an available, consistent resource to staff.
• Budget Management: Being a good steward of departmental resources. Have a basic understanding of fixed costs and the division of money within the department.
• Collaboration/Networking abilities: Consistently work with others outside of your department. Develop new resources that are mutually beneficial to a variety of university constituents.
• Technology skills: Enhance your technology skills by staying up-to-date with new processes and software that can enhance the productivity of your department.
• Political savvy: Understand departmental and divisional history and understand the institutional culture. Who are the gatekeepers? Who are decision-makers?
• Strong administrative skills: Keep good records and ensure that paperwork/reports reflect quality and timeliness.
• Have a long-term planning perspective: Think in terms of how decisions and programs will affect the department and future students 3, 5 or even 10 years from now. Think larger than just the current year.
• Know best practices and national trends: Stay up to date on national trends and new, innovative approaches in the field.
• Learn the departmental and divisional perspective and goals: The ability to make mature and departmentally-supported decisions while being mindful of the larger divisional goals.

Each of these skills are areas that may be important in the daily work of a mid-level manager, depending on the scope of their position and role within the divisional hierarchy.

In order to develop these skills, there are a series of experiences that entry-level professionals should seek in preparation for their next position. I will connect each experience with one or more of the skills listed above.

1) Be a part of a mid-level search committee: This allows entry-level candidates to review mid-level resumes, experience the types of questions asked in the interview process and work with others in the division on the search committee.

Skills learned: Political savvy, collaboration.

2) Join a university/divisional committee: By joining a committee outside of your department you will serve as the departmental representative to this group. It allows you to work with others, learn more about the divisional and/or institutional goals and think about how other institutions approach student issues.

Skills learned: Political savvy, divisional perspective, collaboration, know best practices.

3) Gain an understanding of how your departmental budget works: As you move up you may gain additional budgetary responsibilities. Especially in tough economic times savvy managers are learning how to do more with less. This requires a keen understanding of how your department is funded and how it fits into the larger university budget.

Skills learned: Budget management, divisional perspective.

4) Join a national or regional committee: Find a professional association “home” and determine how you will contribute to it. The knowledge development, networking opportunities and ability to work collaboratively with regional and national colleagues will help you to gain a broader perspective of our field and the variety of student issues we face in our roles as housing practitioners.

Skills learned: Collaboration, know best practices and networking abilities.

5) Be responsible for a departmental process: At mid-level we often specialize in certain areas—programming, conduct and selection/training to name a few. By leading a departmental process you are getting hands-on experience that will prepare you for the next level. Consider leading a strategic planning goal for your department or planning RA training. Any process that requires long-term planning and/or budget management will assist in your leadership development

Skills learned: Administrative skills, budget management, know best practices.

6) Take a class/workshop regarding an area of technology: Use those newly acquired skills in your work. I will be the first to admit that technology is not my friend. However I have taken a few of the free technology workshops at my institution in the hopes of developing these skills. These skills can help you with several of the aforementioned experience such as budget management and being responsible for a departmental process.

Skills learned: Technology skills

7) Present a program at a regional or national conference: When I encourage entry-level staff to present they often say “I just started my career—what would I present on?” I know that entry-level staff are the closest connection to student staff and student issues on our campuses and therefore they have terrific insight on the changing needs of our students. Share your experiences with a broader audience!

Skills learned: Technology skills, know best practices.

8) Get critical feedback regarding your supervision skills: The most challenging and time-consuming part of my job is also the most rewarding—supervision. Entry-level staff need strong supervisors—we often learn how to be a supervisor based off of our own experiences with supervisors. Get critical feedback from your student staff and learn how you can become a stronger supervisor.

Skills learned: Supervision

9) Write for publication: Entry-level staff recently completed a degree and have a wealth of academic resources from their graduate experiences. Each day they are utilizing theory-to-practice models when working with students whether they recognize it or not! Consider sharing your experiences with a local or regional journal or publication.

Skills learned: Administrative skills, know best practices

10) Leave your mark—create something new for your department: What will you contribute to your department that will endure long after you leave the institution? Will you create a new website function for your department? Develop a new model of working with repeat offenders in the conduct process? Create a new model for the room selection?

Skills learned: Administrative skills, best practices and several others, depending on your initiative/project.

In conclusion, start thinking about your mid-level search and how you can get as many experiences as possible to prepare you for the next level. When we enhance our own skills we are adding to our own professional toolkit which ultimately benefits the students we serve!

What other skills and experiences would you add to this list? I look forward to hearing from you.