Networking Exercise - Part One (3 MIN.

Imagine you want to make contact with someone who knows a lot about a field/company which interests you.
Develop a 60-second (approx. 40 word) script to introduce yourself and explain to the listener why you are calling
and what you’d like from her/him. (WRITE your script below).
Mention
• Your name
• Your program at MIT
• Who referred you, or how you got the contact’s name (i.e., advisor, Alumni Directory, met at a
conference, read an article, etc.)
• State your area of interest and how your background relates to that area. (Example: (“I have a
strong background in statistical analysis and modeling stochastic processes, and I want to learn
how Ph.D.’s become quantitative analysts on Wall Street.”)

Networking Exercise - Part Two (5 MIN. EACH)

Pair up with a partner.

1. Person A present self-introduction to your partner.

2. Partner give feedback to person A. First mention what s/he did/said well, then make suggestions
about how s/he might improve his or her self- introduction (make note of body language, eye
contact, handshake, rate of speech, focus).

3. Partner: use your “Developing Your Network” sheet to respond to Person A’s introduction. Do
you have any information or contacts that would help your partner?

4. Switch roles and repeat role-play and feedback.

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Forty Questions to Ask in Networking Interviews
BY MARTHA STOODLEY
Ms. Stoodley is a management consultant based in San Jose, CAand author of Informational Interviewing: What It
Is and How to Use It in Your Career (Garrett Park Press, 1989).

Most job hunters, realizing that networking is critical to their search, work hard to arrange face-
to-face meetings with contacts. But setting up appointments with all the friends, professional
acquaintances and corporate bigwigs you can is just the first step. More important is knowing
what to say once you arrive. Since wasting contacts’ time is a no-no, you should prepare an
agenda before each meeting. Decide what you’d like to find out from your contact, then prepare
questions to elicit that information. To simplify the query writing process, review the following
list of questions. Pick those that are most appropriate, then tailor them to fit your personal
situation and speaking style. Formulate some of your own as well, but don’t try to squeeze in too
many questions.

What Work Is Like

1. Could you describe a typical workday for me?

2. What skills are required in your position on a day-to-day basis?
3. What parts of your job do you find most challenging?
4. Despite these challenges, what motivates your to remain? What do you find most enjoyable?
5. Are there any dangers I should be aware of?
6. How often do you work past 6 p.m. and on weekends?
7. Which seasons of the year are the toughest in your job?
8. I’d like to walk through and see with my own. Can that be arranged?

State of the Industry

9. Is this field growing enough that there’s room for someone like me?
10. Are there too many or too few people entering this profession?
11. What developments on the horizon could affect future opportunities?
12. This industry has changed dramatically in the past five years. What have you seen from
inside your company?
13. How frequently do layoffs occur? How does it affect the morale of employees?
14. Why do people leave this field or company?
15. Who are the most important people in the industry today?
16. Which companies have the best track record for pomoting women and minorities?
17. Are there opportunities for self employment in your field? Where?

Money and Advancement

18. What would be my earnings potential if I entered this field?

19. To get promotions, is job hopping necessary?
20. How did you get your job?
21. If you could start all over again, would you change your career path in any way? Why?
22. How long does it take for managers to rise to the top?
23. What is the background of most senior-level executives?

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Forty Questions to Ask in Networking Interviews (contd.)

Skills and Experience

24. What educational preparation would you recommend for someone who wants to advance in
this field?
25. What qualifications do you seek in a new hire?
26. How do most people enter this profession?
27. Which of my skills are strong compared to other job hunters in this field?
28. What do you think of the experience I’ve had so far? For what types of positions would it
qualify me?
29. What do you think of my resume? How do you suggest I change it?
30. Can you recommend any courses I should take before proceeding with my job search?
31. What companies might be interested in hiring someone with my background?

Fitting In

32. Considering my background, how well do you think I would fit into this company and/or
profession?
33. How does your company compare with others?
34. Would the work involve any lifestyle changes, such as frequent travel or late-night business
entertaining?
35. What personal attributes are essential for success in this field?
36. Taking into account my skills, education, and experience, what other career paths would you
suggest I explore before making a final decision?

More Information

37. Where can I get up-to-date information on salaries, employers, and industry issues?
38. What professional journals and organizations should I be aware of?
39. Is there anything else you think I need to know?
40. Who else would you recommend I speak with? When I call, may I use your name?

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A Successful Informational Interview – Tips from the Institute Career Assistance Network

Meeting with the ICAN career advisor in person can be an important aspect of your job search or
career development plan. You may select specific advisors to meet because of their educational
background or their current place of employment. Before asking for an informational interview you
should feel comfortable with basic knowledge of the advisor's background and career history. If you
are specifically seeking a job in his or her company, you should know the company's major products
or services, financial status, and total number of employees. Acquaint yourself with its profitability,
financial strength, and its status in the industry. These visits should be kept brief, about 20 minutes,
and are not the same as job interviews. You should go prepared to ask questions to learn about the
advisor's experience and his/ her organization. These visits may give you an opportunity to decide
which organizations you would like to return to for formal job interviews. Informational visits are
easier to arrange than actual interviews and can lay the groundwork for your ultimate job-hunting
success. Follow up with thank-you notes or email to everyone you talked with about your job search.

Helpful Questions for Networking and Informational Interviews

1. How did you break into the field?

2. Where do you see a person like me fitting into this field (industry, company)?

3. What professional associations should I join?

4. What professional publications should I read?

5. Who are other recognized MIT alumni in this field?

6. What are some of the problems and issues your organization faces?

7. What are the most necessary skills for these types of jobs?

8. What are the trends affecting your business?

9. How is the hiring done? (direct ads, search firms, contacts, friends?)

10. What kind of compensation could I expect in the first year?

11. Is there formal or on-the-job training?

12. How should I prepare for job interviews in this field?

13. What's a typical career path for someone coming in at my level?

14. What are some of the obstacles I would face in this job?

15. Whom would you suggest I talk to next? (Be sure to keep a list and ask the advisor if he/she could
provide introduction or if you could use his/her name when making contact.)

16. Can I keep in touch with you and let you know my progress?

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 Hidden Information Sources for Your Job Search

Alumni Directory Online

Postdocs: To access the Alumni Directory you must first provide a letter from your supervisor
stating your length of time as a postdoc, the type of postdoc, etc. signed by the supervisor, to the contact
person listed below. Postdocs must have been at MIT for at least 2 full semesters (academic year) in
order to be eligible for Infinite Connection access. Questions? Contact: Kimberley Balkus, Manager,
Alumni Records Data Entry Services at (617) 253-8272, kbalkus@mit.edu.

Alumni Directory http://alum.mit.edu

• Register to set up your login and password

• Choose “Alumni Directory” after you login
• Use the “MIT” and “Work” tabs to customize your search or use the search
option at top of screen to search by keyword, e.g. “Renewable”
• The MIT tab allows you to search by course and degree level, for example. See
what career paths other graduates of your program have pursued.
• The Work tab allows you to search by State or Country, Function or Industry.
Also (under the Work tab) see Career Advisors (nearly 3000 alums who have
volunteered to provide career information to students or alums). You need not
restrict your contacts to these advisors, however, as many alums may be willing
to respond to your questions about their career field.

Alumni Job Listings on http://alum.mit.edu

Also see a database of jobs posted by alumni. Choose the “Career Services” button at
TOP of screen. Then choose “Find a Job.” This list, maintained by the Alumni
Association, is regularly updated.

Corp Tech Database

http://www.corptech.com

This database allows you to search for smaller high tech companies (1-1000
employees) based on geographic location, type of industry, or product, or key words.
Also see Names of Companies that Match Your Search, Number of Employees
Comparison of Recent Years (Growth, Decline), Names of Key Executives, e.g.
Director of R&D, List of products, Link to company’s website.

MIT Graduate Career Web Pages

See this workshop online at

http://web.mit.edu/career/www/services/workshops.html

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Choose For Graduate Students: Jump Start Your Job Search - Making Use of
Hidden Resources

MIT Graduate Career Web Pages (continued)

Use http://web.mit.edu/career/www/graduate/fieldinfo.html (the “field specific”

link) to find information on careers in:

• Management Consulting
• Other Types of Consulting
• Start-Ups
• Biotechnology and Medical Devices
• Energy and Environmental Policy
• Finance and Banking
• Intellectual Property
• Science Journalism
• Internships and Postdoctoral Fellowships
• Policy Analysis
• International Develoment, NGO's, and Related Careers

Consult a Reference Librarian http://libraries.mit.edu/ask-us/

Especially if you are targeting a specific geographic location, a reference librarian can
help you to find references that will allow you to identify any relevant local employers.

Also see http://libraries.mit.edu/dewey/index.html (choose “Tutorials” tab” at top of

page) for links to online workshops on Researching Companies and Researching
Employers.

See also Dewey’s Business Database Advisor (http://libraries.mit.edu/bda), a useful tool for
identifying databases for researching prospective employers and industries.

Also see The Riley Guide http://www.rileyguide.com/ A bibliography of websites for job
seekers. Developed by Margaret Riley, a Librarian and early user of the internet!

Other Career Resources

If you are sending out resumes but not getting interviews, or if you are getting interviews but not
receiving job offers, make an appointment with a graduate career advisor to discuss your job
search concerns. To schedule an appointment to discuss any career concerns, call the Careers
Office at 617-253-4733. Our staff will help you schedule an appointment to meet with a career
counselor.

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 Updated 4/08