Building Power - Expanding Your Network (1/3)

The main focus of this workshop is to help students find techniques to Expand Their Network

For one to expand their network, one must know how to establish connections, be an active member of the community, and the tangible and academically beneficial aspect includes reaching out to inquire for a letter of recommendation:

In our scoping review we found research that supports how the lack of finding and having  a mentor for women contributes to their career disparities. Without the right connections and equally important without proper support, women do not feel confident in their abilities.

By establishing connections and being active in the community, students learn to put themselves in an environment they normally would have shied away from: this will aid them in fostering meaningful relationships and help them find the right mentor. This is what our first speaker will cover.

However, it is not always easy to put yourself out there and form relationships, many times students are brushed off or disregarded. With our second speaker, we will build on this. We want to highlight this reality and encourage our audience to develop momentum should this be the case. Building this momentum is essential in teaching students to stay confident and recognize that 5 “no’s” does not mean the next person will not say “yes”.

Without the development of confidence and momentum, preparation for denial, and without a mentor and alike credible relationships it is very difficult to pursue a higher education or transition from an academic to professional setting. With our third speaker, we aim to bridge together experience and skills with a more tangible approach for students to expand their network. We want to give our audience the skills for requesting a strong letter of recommendation.

Main themes/topics to cover:

• Establishing connections
• Being an active member of the community
• How to write a letter of recommendation

Skills we want to equip our audience with:

1. Confidence (well-being - self confidence)
2. How to navigate demotivation, how to develop momentum and consistency
3. Relationship skills (communication, outreach, finding mentors)