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Letters to the editor
Networking tips
Credit: Shutterstock/C&EN
During my 30-year career in industry and in the subsequent years, I have career mentored hundreds of colleagues, friends, students, and clients. Effective networking is indeed among the favorite topics, as is the elevator speech (“You’ve got just 10 seconds!”).
May I complement the article “Networking for Introverts” from the May 3, 2021, C&EN issue (page 38)? When university lecturing, I suggest to students that “What you know should get you a job. But who you know is not as important at who knows you!” Sometimes they think this is a simple word spiel. I suggest this simple process: This is who I am (say your name slowly); this is what I know (degree, field, experience); this is what I can do (a career highlight, one success sentence). Then ask, “How do people like me help you succeed?” to get the other person speaking. At the end, thank the person, of course, and ask, “Who else should I talk to?” and “May I follow up with you in 2 weeks?” (a benefit of still using business cards).
Introverted folks can even write a script for such a conversation. Talk less. Listen more.
Heinz Plaumann
Brownstown, Michigan
Chemical & Engineering News
ISSN 0009-2347
Copyright © 2025 American Chemical Society
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