Being involved in a well-functioning professional network is essential for today’s managers. Sharing information, finding out who will be able to help you and knowing what you can offer in return can be of vital importance to be successful. Therefore it is essential to start building your professional network now.

Additionally, you are supposed to do an internship in the third year. Finding a company that suits your needs and offers an experience that nicely fits your pathway to a successful career might be attained through networking.

a.       What

A documented report on your networking skills so far and a professional LinkedIn profile.

You will produce a report that will include your personal networking goals, your personal elevator pitch, a critical report on your LinkedIn profile and experiences, other real-life networking experiences and a reflection on the real life networking experiences of at least one of the attended seminars or a meeting with a business professional during your study trip or at a trade fair.

  • Part 1: Personal networking objective

Write down your goals for networking in the coming year. Write them in a SMART way (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound). Start from your talents and the characteristics of a good networker (see annex 1. Talent description cards) and mind the long-term perspective. (workshop assignment and portfolio December)

  • Part 2: Write down your elevator pitch and enclose a link to your video pitch
  • Part 3: LinkedIn profile

You have learned how to create a professional LinkedIn-profile and have started creating your own profile.

Write a short Linkedin report, heading this part with a direct link to your LinkedIn profile: describe the action you took and why + describe 3 new insights or 3 action points you developed through these activities.

  • Part 4: audit your social media accounts from the point of view of a potential employer. Check your privacy settings. Which changes will you carry out? List and explain which social media accounts you have and explain your choice. What could convince you to use other social media? (portfolio December)
  • Part 5: at one of the seminars you have to attend for this TMD2-course, engage in real life networking activities introducing yourself and following-up your contact. As an alternative for the seminar, you could engage in real life networking activities with business professionals during your study trip or at a trade fair. (portfolio May)
  • Describe who you approached and how you made him/her part of your network.
  • What difficulties did you encounter? How much time did you need to introduce yourself?
  • Does your contact now have a clear idea of your main strength/characteristic?
  • How was the non-verbal behaviour?
  • Was your objective clearly formulated in advance?
  • What did you find the hardest during the conversation?
  • What would your future approach at such events be?