Networking to Get Working

A Hack.Diversity x Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Workshop

There were two people, both of whom won a prize and were to be rewarded with anything they asked for. The first person requested an all-expense paid family vacation to a tropical destination. The second person requested that all of their bills and loans be paid off. Both were granted their wishes, but only one left happy. Why, after being rewarded with a free vacation, did the first person feel disappointed?

Answer: the first person wasn’t thinking BIG. Had they asked for more, they would have received a larger reward.

July 24, 2019 — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s Workforce Development Team shared the above scenario with the Hack.Diversity 2019 Fellows during a workshop on exploring, and following up on, new employment opportunities through informational interviewing. Their message:

“Think BIG. If you think small, you’re going to get small.”

Throughout the workshop participants learned where to start, whom to speak with, and what questions they should be asking. The workshop equipped participants to utilize informational interviews to further their knowledge, careers and aspirations.

What IS an Informational Interview?

According to the Right Management survey, 46% of people said they obtained their current job through networking. While networking is the #1 mode for landing a new role, few people know how to leverage their network most effectively when seeking employment. One way to do this is through the informational interview.

As BIDMC shared, there are several key differentiators between informational interviews and a job interview:

• Informational interviews, unlike typical interviews, are initiated by jobseekers
• They’re not necessarily geared towards a specific job opening: informational interviews are a great way to network with professionals in one’s field of interest and explore job opportunities.

How Do I Get an Informational Interview?

BIDMC encouraged Fellows to begin by identifying their dream job (“think BIG!”), and then dig into their networks to determine whom might be a good person to speak with along the way.

Critical to initiating the conversation is identifying who in one’s network can be a resource. As the Hack.Diversity Fellows have come to realize, that network is broader than they might initially think — their past colleagues, that entrepreneur they chatted with at the local tech meet-up, connections from Hack.Diversity (peers, alumni, employers, mentors, and friends of Hack) are all fair game. Second-degree connections are also in play.

It may feel uncomfortable to take the plunge, but asking a colleague to make a warm introduction is a great way to expand one’s own network and learn about new opportunities.

Acing the Informational Interview

BIDMC urged Fellows to be on time (aka 15 minutes early), dress professionally (consider what is typical attire of people working at the company you’re meeting with), and have their 30-second personal elevator pitches down-pat. Most importantly, Fellows should know the right questions to ask. Here are a few we’re keeping in our back pocket:

• Can you tell me a bit about your career path and what led you to the role you’re in today?
• What are skills you’d recommend I work on as I pursue a role in this field?
• What are some of the biggest challenges you face day-to-day? What about the biggest rewards?
• Do you have any recommendations for other people I should talk to or other resources I should explore?

A big thank you to Joanne Pokaski and Babak Bagheral for leading the session. This was the final session of a three-part series of professional development workshops designed to set Fellows up for success during critical transition points in securing employment post internship.

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