Expand Your Network: How to Identify Advisors, Mentors, Sponsors and Collaborators for a Successful...

Expandyournetwork:Howtoiden3fyadvisors,mentors,sponsorsandcollaboratorsfora

successfulcareerMaryGarcía-Cazarín,Ph.D.

YaiharaFor6s-San6ago,Ph.D.KerminMar=nez-Hernández,Ph.D.

NahyrRovira-Figueroa,Ph.D.MónicaFeliú-Mójer,PhD.

SACNASNa3onalConference2015

Na3onalHarbor,Maryland

Objec3ves•  Mechanicsofnetworkingand1-minutebiosketch•  Understandhownetworkingandmentoringhelpyourcareer

•  Self-assesyourcurrentnetwork•  Commonmistakes

MechanicsofNetworking

1-MinuteBiosketch/ElevatorPitch•  Introduceyourself:beprofessional

Hello,mynameis...

•  Interest/school/job:beconcrete Iamasenior/juniorat_____highschool/college Iwanttobe… Iaminterestedin…

•  Hook:everywordcounts,soREHEARSEthispart! Discussyourshorttermgoals(geZngintocollege,poten6almajor) Discussotherrelevantac6vi6es:sports,extracurricular

•  Conclusion:Askforabusinesscard,emailorothercontactinforma6on Showinterestinkeepingintouch(andKEEPINTOUCH) Askaques6onortwo

Re-thinkMentoring

Havingmentorsisgreatbut….

…youalsoneedadvisorssponsors

collaborators

Youarehere!

Highschool

College

Youneedotherstoreachyourgoals!Nobodycandoitalone

Differencebetweenmentors,sponsorsandadvisors

Mentors Sponsors Advisors

Amentorcanbeasponsorandanadvisor

Usuallyhaveposi6onsofpower

Some6mesyouhavenocontroloverwhoyouradvisoris

Usuallybuildspersonalrela6onshipswithyou

Theycanputinagoodwordforyou

Mostofthe6metheycanonlyguideyouthroughacademicproblemsorspecificissues

KnowsyourculturalbackgroundTheyusuallydon’tknowyouthatwellonapersonallevel

Theymightnotknowotheraspectsofyourlife

Knowsyourchallenges,goals Knowyourstrengths,accomplishments

Powerdynamics(controloveryourcareer)

LISTENStoyou! Connectors=opendoors Havehis/herowninterestinmind

Networking

You

A set of relationships that assist in effectively and efficiently completing one’s tasks and in advancing one’s career.

Buildingyournetwork

•  Havegoalsandstayfocused•  Findmentors,sponsorsandadvisors•  Becomeamentorifpossible•  Joinprofessionalassocia6ons•  Haveanonlineprofessionalpresence•  Engageinorganiza6ons/eventsatyourins6tu6on•  Carryyourbusinesscardsatall6mes

Professionaldevelopment

Emo6onalSupport

IntellectualCommunity

RoleModels

AccountabilityforwhatREALLYmafers

Substan6veFeedback

Accesstoopportuni6es

Sponsorship

YOU!

Professionaldevelopment

Emo6onalSupport

IntellectualCommunity

RoleModels

AccountabilityforwhatREALLYmafers

Substan6veFeedback

Accesstoopportuni6es

Sponsorship

YOU!

Assessyourcurrentnetwork

Professionaldevelopment

Emo6onalSupport

IntellectualCommunity

RoleModels

AccountabilityforwhatREALLYmafers

Substan6veFeedback

Accesstoopportuni6es

Sponsorship

YOU!

Futurenetwork

CommonMistakesofNetworkingDifferen3atetheidealfromwhat’sreal

“It’sreallyallaboutthework,soIfIjustearngoodgradesandworkhardIwillbesuccessful”

Reac3vevs.proac3ve “Everyoneissobusy,Idon’twanttobotheranyone”

Hyper-individualism “Icandoeverythingmyself,Idon’tneedothers”

Wai3ngfortheperfectmentor

“Iamlookingforapersonwhocanmeetallmyneedsformyen6relife(career,collegeplans).IfonlyIcanfindthatperson..”

Narrowbelief “Mostpeopleoutsidemycommunity/schoolcan’tunderstandmyuniquecircumstance(race,immigra6onstatus,socio-economicbackground)”

CommonMistakesofNetworking

Stayingsafe IonlysocializewithpeoplethatlooklikemeorthatIlike

Inabilitytotalkaboutmyself

IavoidtalkingaboutmyselforfutureplansbecauseIdon’twanttoseemarrogant

Self-isola3on Ionlyspend6mewithpeopleIalreadyknow

Notaskingforhelp Idon’taskforhelp,assistance,and/orsupport

Perfec3onism Iwillbeisolatedun6lIgetmylifetogether

Askingmentors/sponsorsforrecommenda3onleWers

•  Givethemspecificdeadlines•  Provideclearinstruc6onsand6melines•  Explainthepurposeoftheprogram/applica6on•  Senddocumentsaboutyourselfandprogram

– CV/Resume;Statementofpurpose;Biosketch•  Sendfriendlyreminders•  Writethankyouemailandfollowup(updates)

Finalremarks

•  Don’tbeafraidtoconnectwithothers•  Somepeoplewillsaynobutthemajoritywillsayyes

•  Beproac6veandprofessional•  Bereadytonetwork,especiallyatprofessionalconferences

•  BuildyournetworkNOW.It’snevertooearly!

ContactinfoMaryGarcía-Cazarín:marygacia.mx@gmail.comYaiharaFor6s-San6ago:yfor6ss@gmail.comTwifer:@yfor6ssKerminMar=nez-Hernández:kmar6nez-hernandez@sjfc.eduNahyrRovira-Figueroa:nrovira-figueroa@sjfc.eduMónicaFeliú-Mójer:moefeliu@cienciapr.orgTwifer@moefeliu