Networking is Fun Again!

If you would have told me as a freshman that I would be Facebook friends with my MU professors and employers from my summer internships, I would think you were out of your mind! But that is exactly what has happened. I guess you could say I've experienced networking at the cutting edge of technology.

When I came to college in 2005 I barely knew what Facebook was. More than 550 friends later it seems I can’t go a day, or even a few hours, without logging on to see what everyone is up to, and I know I’m not alone.

So how can students rely on social-networking sites to find mentors in the professional world? During my first internship I was scared to death to be caught on Facebook while at work until a fellow intern called it a “networking” opportunity. What was simply her way of justifying goofing off at work has now become a very acceptable means of communicating with fellow students and industry leaders.

I know you have heard it a thousand times before, but the key here is to be careful about what you put on your profile, or to only allow your professional contacts to see you limited profile. This applies to Facebook, MySpace or any other social networking tool. Just keep it professional.
Becoming friends with professors and industry professionals (or as I like to call them ‘potential employers’) can move you one step closer to bridging the gap between where you are, and those working where you want to be. Drop your ‘friends’ a line now and then to keep you on the top of their list when considering candidates for internships and full-time positions.

Any kind of networking you do is vital to making connections with people that can take your college learning experience far beyond the classroom. So take advantage of every opportunity, it may even be fun!

-Taryn Dameron
Agricultural Education, graduate student

Agricultural Journalism, December 2008 graduate

Stay tuned to the blog for a series of tips regarding Facebook Dos and Don'ts coming soon. Until then, visit CAFNR Career Services for any questions you have in your search for professional success!

The Power of Networking

The employer series continues with Robin Kim's take on the importance of networking.

When I was in college, mentors and peers always talked about the importance of networking. I’ve always enjoyed meeting new people, but I remained skeptical. How important is networking, really? Some studies say that at least 60% of jobs are discovered through networking, and a recent study by Stanford University sociology professor Mark Granovetter cites that 70% of jobs are discovered through networking. 70 percent? Doesn’t that seem high?

As I look at my own team, the power of networking becomes more real. On our five-person Branding & Communications team here at Adayana, all of us found our jobs through networking. Two had worked with current Adayana team members in previous jobs; one had gone to high school with our recruiter’s husband and reconnected through Facebook; another’s relationships at Purdue University brought her to us; and I had known part of the Adayana team through my FFA experiences. Even outside our team, two of our five most recent new hires came through networking!

So we know that networking is important, but how does it happen? Successful networking depends on your personal brand, which is the perception others have of you based on their experiences with you. In Karl Speak’s book Be Your Own Brand, he says “a strong personal brand will help you succeed because it means you are communicating the sense of purpose, vision, and values that reflects and embodies the real you.” When your personal brand is developed consistently with everyone you meet, you can capitalize on the power of networking. Social networking vehicles such as Facebook and Linked In can simplify networking and increase the importance of consistency in your personal brand, for potential employers have more ways than ever to learn about you!

Networking begins from the first time you greet someone at a job fair and continues through your summer internship and how you maintain relationships with those you work. It includes the relationships you build with your classmates, or those you meet in leadership organizations such as FFA and AFA. Once you’re working in your first career, those mentors can serve a crucial role in securing future job opportunities. Even if you find your job through traditional methods, networking makes your professional life more fun as your business connections turn into friendships and professional meetings become like reunions. Networking is important, and it can be your strongest advantage to getting the job of your dreams. The relationships you’re building today, and those you’ve already built, may be more beneficial than you ever realized.

Robin Kim brings experience in communications and a passion for the agriculture industry to her role as a Supervisor of Branding & Communications Associate at ABG. She works with organizations to define and brand strategies and develop targeted marketing tactics, and her internal communications initiatives at ABG have earned Regional NAMA awards. Robin served as a National FFA Officer and earned a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business at Iowa State University, where she also minored in Journalism.

Summer Daze

It may seem like a long ways off, but in internship terms summer is right around the corner. So how do find the right one?

I have been fairly lucky in this area because the internships have sort of found me. This isn’t always the case though. Of course there are always resources such as the Career Service Office and Career Fairs, but a good network of professionals in your field can help too.

When I say that my internships have “found me” I simply mean that all of my internships have come from and existing connection I had with someone in my field. When you work to build a reputation with people already doing the type of job you would like to have, they are more likely to think of you first when looking for an intern.

Making these connections is as simple as sending an email or showing interest in a current event that is affecting the industry you would like to be a part of. My role as a journalist made this easier because it was common for me to seek out professionals in the agriculture industry and ask them about their expertise. This creates a win-win situation. The student gets an answer to their question and the professional finds a potential future employee.

There are many ways to make these connections. Some obvious ones are going to Career Fairs or trade shows that you know the company you are interested in will have representatives at. The important thing to remember is to do your homework. Learn something about the company so you have something to talk to the representative about once you meet them. This can be particularly handy if you are looking for an internship outside of your major. They may not think that a person in your line of study could bring value to their company, but showing them you have an interest in the company and related issues can prove them otherwise.

The most important thing you learn from researching a company or internship will do is help you decide if it is the right one for you. Most students only have three summers to spend interning. That doesn’t leave much time to spend working somewhere that doesn’t suit you. So if do your homework and get to know professionals in your field, maybe the right internship will “find” you.

-Taryn Dameron

Agricultural Education, graduate student
Agricultural Journalism, December 2008 graduate

Don't miss the chance to make these important connections at the upcoming Career Fairs for Hospitality and Ag & Life Sciences on February 25. Visit CAFNR Career Services for more information!

Answer Carefully

It seems like I always find myself in a bad location with lots of noise when I receive an important call. The best thing to do in those situations, as hard as it may be to resist, is not answer! I love to be known as prompt and easy to contact, but oftentimes it can result in an unprofessional impression if the person on the other end of the call cannot hear you.


For example, being in the Royal Ten this year has presented numerous opportunities for me. As I love to sing, one of those opportunities was a chance to sing the National Anthem at various events. The auditioning group told me they would call me and have me audition over the phone. Because I am so anxious to answer each and every semi-important phone call, I got myself in a jam with my audition. I actually was walking to class, and I ended up singing my National Anthem audition to a bush along the sidewalk!

On top of that, after working in an office this summer as well as now communicating with my boss via cell phone several times each week, I am always nervous when it comes to answering phones. I think everyone has had the awkward phone call before—not sure when to say goodbye, not sure when to answer, nervousness about the content of the conversation.

Well the other day I took a few minutes to google phone etiquette to help ease some of my anxieties, and I found some great techniques that made me feel more comfortable on the phone.

Here they are:

• Answer promptly (before the third ring if possible).
• Before picking up the receiver, discontinue any other conversation or activity such as eating, chewing gum, typing, etc that can be heard by the calling party.
• Speak clearly and distinctly in a pleasant tone of voice.
• Remember that you may be the first and only contact a person may have with your department, and that first impression will stay with the caller long after the call is completed.

Hopefully now I won’t ever have a bad experience like the one with the audition. CAFNR Career Services offers more advice for students in terms of phone etiquette also. Check out more helpful tips for phone etiquette here.

-Charlotte Jackson
Sophomore, Agricultural Education