Licensee BadgeTraining Badge
Submitted by abrotman on
in

Forums

Hello MT Community,

Could anyone provide recommendations for building a network in the college environment?

I recently began work as an ROTC instructor at the University of Virginia. This assignment seems like a great opportunity to build my network through the wide variety of experts available at the school. I'd especially like to leverage the MT recommendation for the Networking Lunch.

Cheers,
Aaron B

tlhausmann's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

Aaron,

I work in higher education. I served as a professor before shifting to IT management and administration.

I enourage building relationships with faculty in the departments and schools where many ROTC students are majoring. It does not have to be as time consuming as meeting individually over lunch--though I did this with key employers of computer science graduates when I was teaching.

It could be as simple as setting aside time to visit with faculty during their office hours to introduce yourself--build relationships when there is not an urgent matter to address concerning a ROTC student. I have done this myself at a college where I had to restore relationships with faculty and the IT unit.

Feel free to PM me and we can talk more directly, if you wish.

pucciot's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

I also work at a University.

I have found difficulty setting up the networking lunch.

Where I have found the best opportunity is at various events and at those events they are often lunches - or other free food events.

There are usually tables where anybody can just plop down and introduce themselves.

That is my suggestion. 

* Go to as many University events as you can

* Introduce yourself to anybody & everybody

* Have a little elevator speech ready telling folks what you do - and asking them how you might be of service to them 

Here is a list of events :

* Training Sessions from Human Resources

* Library Receptions and events for various things such as opening exhibits

* Annual Picnic

* Annual Employee Rally event

* Lunch and Learn sessions - about various topics.   Grant Funding / New Medical Research 

* Guest Lectures around campus

* Take note of the Bulletin Boards

* And you make think it is stupid, but if it is stupid and it works, then it isn't stupid....-->   

Often there is a telephone and email grapevine that happens when lunches and meetings are over.   Usually, the message goes out that there is leftover free food in a conference room.   See if you can get on that grapevine .....    once you do you will start meeting lots of Administrative Assistants and clerical workers scavenging the left overs.

Take those opportunities to get to know those folks in a more casual environment.  Getting to know the Admin Assistants  and clerical workers around the university is a key component to future success.

 

My point is this ... Check every department and the libraries and look for the many Free employee events .

Show up and start meeting folks.

 

Here try these :

http://www.hr.virginia.edu/other-hr-services/respectatuva/training/

and

http://www.virginia.edu/calendar

 

 

Good Luck

 

TJPuccio

abrotman's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

Thank you both for your insights. That's a long list and I'm eager to get started!

Cheers,

Aaron