April 14, 2025 • 31 mins
Tell us what you thought of this episode - send us a text!
Networking isn't about schmoozing with random people or handing out business cards—it's about building genuine relationships rooted in curiosity, generosity, and mutual benefit that can transform your public health career journey.
What we talk about in today's episode:
- Up to 80% of jobs are filled through networking connections rather than job boards
- Your network already exists—start by auditing connections from school, past jobs, and online communities
- Approach informational interviews with genuine curiosity and specific questions after doing your research
- Be active in online communities like LinkedIn groups or the Public Health Career Club
- Follow up consistently and look for ways to provide value to your connections
- Everyone has something to offer regardless of career stage—fresh perspectives are always valuable
- Networking doesn't require extroversion—one-on-one conversations and quiet consistency work just as well
This week, take one small action: reach out to someone you admire with a genuine, specific question about their work and see where the connection leads. Join the Public Health Career Club at phspot.org/club for more support in building your public health career.
Join The Public Health Career Club: A global membership community where public health professionals connect, learn, and support each other in building meaningful and impactful careers.
Go from feeling confused, alone and overwhelmed, to feeling confident and in control of your life and career!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to PH Spotlight, a community for you
to build your public healthcareer with.
Join us weekly right here, andI'll be here too.
Your host, sujani Siva from PHSpot.
Hey there, and welcome toanother episode of the PH
(00:24):
Spotlight podcast, a space forpublic health professionals like
you and me to be inspired, toshare their stories and to learn
from each other.
I'm your host, sujani, and I'mso glad you're tuning in.
Today we are going to be talkingabout something that has played
a huge role in my public healthjourney huge role in my public
health journey and that isnetworking.
(00:44):
And I talk about networking,building relationships, wherever
I get an opportunity.
If you follow me on LinkedIn,you've probably seen me write a
ton around networking and theimportance of building
relationships, and today we aregoing to be talking about
effective networking strategiesfor public health professionals.
(01:06):
And now, before you kind of youknow, roll your eyes or turn
off this episode or get thatknot in your stomach, because
you know you don't lovenetworking and you know I think
many of us get that feeling withthe word networking, because we
(01:28):
think about this idea of kindof like schmoozing with random
people or needing to hand outbusiness cards at a conference
or needing to be an extrovert orquote unquote, work the room.
To be an extrovert, or quoteunquote, work the room.
(01:49):
And you know, I've kind oftaken my own approach and my own
strategy to make it work for meand to make it work with my
strengths and interests.
And what I do want to start offwith is that effective
networking, and especially, youknow, in our field, in public
health, it's about building real, genuine relationships and it's
(02:10):
about learning, it's aboutsupporting others, finding
mentors, collaborators, evenfriends, and I think it's one of
the most underrated tools forcareer development.
And I think the problem orshying away from networking is
not unique to public health.
I've facilitated discussions inother industries, other events,
(02:34):
and it seems like the theme isquite similar People just don't
love the idea of networking.
So I hope the strategies that Igive you and what we talk about
today can kind of make it seema little bit easier and make you
even excited about networkingand building your relationships.
(02:56):
So in this episode I'm going towalk you through why networking
matters, how to do it in a waythat feels authentic, and give
you some practical strategiesthat you can start using today.
Whether you're a student,you're early in your career or
you've been in this field fordecades.
I think networking and buildingrelationships is not just for
(03:17):
those early in our careers orlater in our careers.
I think everybody needs to doit, so it's an episode for
everyone.
So let's dive in.
So, first off, why doesnetworking matter?
Why is it so important?
So, as you know, public healthis deeply relationship driven.
(03:39):
Whether you are starting aprogram, you are writing a grant
, you're doing research, you'reworking with the community,
you're applying for a new role,who you know often influences
what you're able to do.
And it's not about favoritism,it's about trust, it's about
credibility and collaboration,right.
(04:01):
And so some studies show thatup to 80 percent of jobs are
filled with through networking,if we're just kind of talking
about finding jobs or your nextopportunity.
And it's not just through jobboards.
So think about that right,where the majority of
opportunities never even getposted and they're shared
(04:21):
amongst people who know eachother, right.
And so networking opens doors.
It helps you hear about newprojects.
It's not just finding the newrole.
Even within your organization,you talk to different people,
people you don't necessarilywork with on a day to day basis,
(04:41):
and they come up with a newproject idea.
They're trying to form a teamand you know you've you've
talked to the manager orsomebody on that team and they
just think about you, naturally.
So it definitely opens doors,it gives you opportunities, um,
it helps you find collaborators,even if you're the one kind of
(05:02):
putting together a project andyou need a good team.
You often, you know, canidentify individuals very easily
if you've been building thosedeep relationships within your
organization and it just makesthe work that you do feel less
alone when you can have thatcommunity and individuals around
(05:23):
you, right alone, when you canhave that community and
individuals around you, right.
But here's a thing is thatnetworking shouldn't be thought
of as something transactional.
Right, it's not about what youcan get, it's about a connection
you're building.
It's about building thosegenuine relationships, about
building that trust, thatcredibility, that collaboration,
(05:44):
so that when the time requiresyou to reach out to that person,
there's already an establishedfoundation there.
Okay, so that's the first part.
Second part I want to kind oftalk about is reframing
(06:05):
networking.
Right, I want you to thinkabout it as not a transactional
thing but more of a relationalthing, right?
New for the first time how do Isell myself.
(06:29):
How do I ask this person for ajob?
Like, take those questions outof your head and try thinking
okay, why do I admire thisperson and why do I want to
learn from them?
Right?
Or who's doing work that I findinteresting?
Or, if you've alreadyidentified that person, why is
it that I find this personinteresting, right?
Who do I want to build arelationship with over time?
If you've identified the person, it's about asking yourself
(06:54):
what is it about this personthat I really admire and I find
interesting and why do I want tobuild that relationship over
time?
So, rather than thinking aboutnetworking as a one-off thing
where you are going to go andask somebody for something,
think about a much more longerterm relationship where there's
(07:16):
mutual benefit to both partiesand you can genuinely create a
sort of professional friendship.
If you will Right in that mindshift, it makes a huge
difference.
You're not trying to.
I think the discomfort that weget sometimes networking is we
(07:36):
think that, you know, I feellike I'm just going to this
person to ask them for something, or I feel like I, you know
they may think I'm using them,but rather than that, you know,
kind of turn it around and thinkabout, like, okay, I'm trying
to connect with this person whoshares my values and interests
and goals, and how can I makethis interaction enjoyable for
(07:58):
both of us?
Right?
So when networking is rooted incuriosity and generosity, it
feels a lot less awkward and itbecomes something that you want
to do, not just something youfeel like you should do.
So, for example, I love goingto just random events,
networking events to try to getto know people, because that
ends up being the motivator forme.
(08:20):
It's like, ok, I just get verycurious about people's journeys
and I just want to know you know, how did they do what they did?
There's really often nothingthat I'm looking for when I talk
to this person.
You know, maybe there's along-term vision I have on a
project I'd love to collaboratewith them, like decades down the
(08:42):
road maybe, but the initialinteraction often is me being
very curious and genuinelyinterested in that person's life
.
So try that mindset shift andand see if that makes it a lot
more I want to say, tolerable,but also enjoyable for you,
(09:04):
right?
So I want networking to beenjoyable, okay.
So yeah, we talked about whynetworking is important and we
talked about the mindset shift.
So now let's jump into how to dothis thing called networking
effectively.
So I'm going to share somestrategies and steps you can use
.
And so, whether you're startingfrom scratch, like you've never
(09:27):
, um, jumped into meetingsomebody, or reaching out and
and, uh, meeting somebody, uh,brand new, um, hopefully these
uh tips are going to help you ormaybe you have been doing a
little bit of networking and youwant to get more intentional
about growing your network, Ithink these strategies will also
help you.
Okay so, number one, start withpeople you already know.
(09:51):
So your network already exists.
You just might not be thinkingof it that way.
Even if you are brand new inpublic health and this is the
first time you're kind of likestepping into public health from
day one, I guarantee you thereare people in your network that
(10:11):
you can leverage and tap into totry to grow your public health
network.
And so think about formerclassmates, people you went to
school with, past colleagues.
Maybe they never worked inpublic health, but somehow you
find some sort of a connection.
So, brainstorm, go back as farback as you can.
(10:34):
So classmates, colleagues,professors or mentors, people
you met at events.
I remember one time I went to aconference and there was
somebody I had met and Iremember hitting it off really
well with this individual andyears later I ended up finding
that she was working at thiscool organization.
(10:56):
I reached out to her to be likehey, do you remember like we
sat beside each other at thisevent?
So really think back to kind ofyour whole journey and where
you've gone and who you've metum, people in linkedin groups or
online communities.
Maybe you are like alwayscommenting on somebody's post
and they always reply back toyou and you guys always have
(11:19):
like really great conversationin the comments.
Like that's a great person toalso reach out to and should be
added to the people that youalready know quote unquote
already know.
So think about this, and Isometimes call this like your
network audit.
So people you went to schoolwith, people you worked with,
professors, mentors, people youmet at events, people you
(11:40):
socialize with online these areall great individuals to start
with.
So your network already exists.
You just have to look and be alittle bit intentional about it
and what you can do is you canreach out and reconnect and
check in, and I think this isone of the easiest groups of
(12:01):
people to network with and youcan say something as simple as
hey, I've been thinking of youbecause, you know, such and such
topic came up.
I love to hear what you'reworking on these days.
Do you have, you know, maybe 15minutes, 30 minutes?
At some point this week we canjump on a Zoom call or, if you
(12:22):
live in the same region, maybegrab coffee or lunch or
something, right?
So this is a group that's veryeasy to reconnect with because
there's that common it's likecommon history that you both
have.
Number two is another way,another strategy to kind of
(12:44):
network Um, and that'sleveraging informational
interviews.
Um and uh.
So it's one of my favoritetools, and I also think, though,
that you have to do it in amean, like you need to offer
them something huge or anything.
It's mostly being respectful.
(13:19):
I think that's where it has tocome from.
So informational interviewsessentially they are short,
intentional conversation whereyou are the one asking questions
to learn about someone's careerpath or their work or their
organization someone's careerpath or their work or their
organization, and it's not aboutasking for a job.
It's purely to learn abouttheir journey to build a
(13:46):
relationship, and it's reallylike assessing if this is
somebody that you'd like tocontinue having a relationship
with right.
And when I said, ensure thatthis has value for the other
person as well, it surely will,because I think majority of the
people love helping people out.
They love talking about theirwork.
So I think if you root thisrequest in curiosity and respect
(14:11):
and you've done your research,it will be valuable for the
other person.
Respect and you've done yourresearch, it will be valuable
for the other person.
So when you approach someonerespectfully, you want to tell
them why you're reaching out.
Keep it short and I guaranteeyou they'll usually say yes, and
(14:32):
I think the one piece aboutdoing some background research
that I find important is ifsomebody has talked about their
journey on several podcasts orblog posts or on LinkedIn or
Instagram and they're oftensharing all that information
already you reach out to themand have a vague request that
(14:56):
says, hey, I'd love to learnmore about your career path or
I'd love to learn more aboutwhat you do for that individual,
it doesn't really come off as agenuine curiosity in their work
, and I get this type ofrequests a lot, and I think
that's why I'm reflecting onthis a little bit.
(15:18):
So when people send me ageneric request like that and I
will get lots and lots and lotsof those.
It's hard for me to filterthrough those and say yes to
everyone Because you know, whenI try to do this in a scalable
(15:39):
way, where I write about myjourney on LinkedIn, I share it
through the podcast, and so forme it's not an immediate yes or
a pull for me to be like, yeah,let me tell you about your
journey because I'm alreadydoing it.
But the individuals who havesomething very specific that
they ask me and I can tell thatthey've been following my work,
(16:05):
they're respectful of my timethey acknowledge that they kind
of know everything about mebecause I'm fairly open and I've
shared all of that.
They've done their research.
That that shows me they've donetheir research and the request
that they have is very, very,very specific.
(16:26):
It often makes it easier for meto say yes.
So that's what I mean by makesure you do your research so you
know about the person enough toask them for that 15 to 20
minutes and it ends up beingvaluable for them as well as for
you.
(16:46):
Ok, but I think the majority ofthe people that you reach out to
probably won't have a podcastor won't have a blog or they
don't write too much about theirjourney.
So I'm thinking like thegeneral rule of thumb, to just
ask people for their a littlebit about their career journey
(17:07):
works, but just make sure you doyour work, do your research
right.
So look them up on Google, seeif there has been any bios
written about them, justanything you can find.
So you are aware that these aresome things that they've
already done, they've shared,and it's nice for you to mention
that in your reach out to saylike, oh, I read your blog or I
read your bio on this websiteand I love to learn more about X
(17:31):
, y, z.
Like something very specific,right, so right.
So you know.
A message can look somethinglike hey, I'm sujani and I came
across your work on linkedin andI'm really interested in what
you're doing at organization x.
I'm currently exploring careerpaths as a senior advisor and
(17:52):
I'd love to hear more about yourjourney.
I really want to learn how tomake this role as a senior
advisor valuable for the peopleI'm advising as well as for me,
especially jumping from being anepidemiologist into a new role.
So something very, veryspecific helps them say yes,
(18:16):
right away, right, and then youthen ask would you be open for a
quick 15 minute chat sometimenext week?
Short, kind, clear, and that'sall you need for kind of a reach
out for these informationalinterviews.
Okay, so that was the secondstrategy.
Third strategy is to be activein online communities.
So, right now, third strategyis to be active in online
(18:37):
communities.
So right now, we live in adigital world, which is amazing
for networking, and if you'repart of our community like the
Public Health Career Club,that's one great example for you
to show up there, comment onposts, share your thoughts, ask
questions, support others,because this community that
(18:58):
we've created, the Public HealthCareer Club, has been
intentionally created for publichealth professionals to meet
other people, to get supportfrom their peers, to build their
careers, to just helping eachother out right.
So if it's the first timeyou're hearing about it, do
check it out.
At phspotorg slash club, as ofthis year, enrollments into the
(19:22):
Public Health Career Club isalways open, so we no longer
close it down.
We have two tiers the lightmembership and the premium
membership, so do check it out.
Other online communities andplatforms you can leverage are
LinkedIn, whether it's on yourfeed, kind of writing and
(19:43):
engaging in comments of otherpeople's posts, but also
LinkedIn groups, where they'reintentionally created for
certain things, for certainthings Lots of great public
health groups that I've seen onLinkedIn.
So if you search for that, youcan find that Slack groups are
also great.
There are other, you know, paidor unpaid groups for public
(20:05):
health professionals, or maybeyou're in like data science or
you're in tech and public health.
So look for these kind ofgroups and just try to find
where your professional peersare hanging out, Right.
So you want to make sure thatthis is the right group that you
want to connect with, and beingactive there is very, very
(20:29):
important, right.
So just being part of the groupis not enough.
You need to be engaged, youneed to connect with people, you
need to do a little bit of work, right, and so networking
doesn't always have to beone-on-one.
You can engage in conversationsonline.
That it builds visibility andit can then lead to deeper
(20:51):
connections later.
I remember I'm part of thisSlack group and there was a
question somebody had asked andit was about I think it was
about kind of juggling work andafter becoming a mother and I
kind of provided my input, whichthen had a few other people
jump in and add their thoughtsand we had some back and forth
(21:15):
happening in that conversationand then we had an online like a
virtual event and theindividual who's facilitating
that event was also part of thatconversation online and we were
able to take that conversationfrom the chat into our virtual
(21:38):
Zoom conversation.
And it was really cool becausewe had already all established
some sort of a initialrelationship through those back
and forths in the comments andthen seeing each other on Zoom
made it a lot easier.
Seeing each other on Zoom madeit a lot easier.
So it just shows the power ofnetworking online, or even like
(21:59):
all the amazing people that Ihave been able to connect with
on LinkedIn because of thecontent that I put out, and then
they engage in my comments andthen we become friends and then
we jump on Zoom calls and I'vebeen able to meet a few of them
in person when they've visited,like where I live, where I
visited, where they've lived.
So that's also, you know, showshow powerful the online world
(22:24):
can be and I have so manyfriends that I've made through
online networking and a lot ofthem I still haven't met in
person, but I still feel veryconnected to them.
Ok, so that is strategy numberthree.
Strategy number four, kind of,is related to all three of the
(22:45):
strategies that I've talkedabout.
You know, you can reach out toindividuals in your existing
network.
You can ask people forinformational interviews, you
can be active on onlinecommunities, but then there's a
very important part, which isfollowing up and staying in
touch, and this part is oftenmissed, right?
(23:05):
So you meet someone, have agreat conversation and then you
never talk again and that's nota relationship, that's just a
one-off conversation, right?
So instead, a few things thatyou should be doing is the
obvious one is sending a thankyou note or a message after
you've had your conversation andthen keep them posted on how
(23:26):
things go right.
So, if they gave you advice,can you give them an update as
to whether you took that adviceor you didn't take that advice,
and how did it go?
You don't have to text themevery day, but I think
periodically, just to let themknow like, hey, you know, you
told me about this and Iactually jumped in and I tried
(23:47):
it, and this is how it's goingright.
You can even share an articleor an event they might like.
So maybe in your conversationthey mentioned that they are
looking for opportunities todevelop some sort of skill, and
you come across an article or acourse or an event or a
conference, you know, you go,hey, like I just saw this and it
reminded me of the conversationwe had here you go.
(24:07):
That's another great way to likefollow up and stay in touch or
have some sort of like a regularcheck-in to.
You know, in your calendar,just put it in every few months,
make sure you say hello to thisperson because you love the
conversation you had and it issomebody that you like to build
that ongoing relationship with,right.
So relationships, whetherthey're the professional ones,
(24:30):
personal ones, they needmaintenance and that doesn't
mean just sending newsletters orconstantly reaching out.
It means like connecting withthem purposefully.
Okay, so this is strategynumber four you need to follow
up and stay in touch.
And number five is give as muchas you get right.
(24:55):
So be generous.
And it goes back to what wejust talked about.
Number four um.
If there's something that theymentioned that they're working
on, um, see if you can behelpful and be resourceful and
share things with them, right,whether it's a job posting.
Introduce somebody in yournetwork, to them celebrate their
(25:16):
work, and I think themisconception is that you're
early in your career, maybe, andyou feel like you don't have
value to offer, and I thinkthat's not true.
Everybody has something theycan offer.
You just have to find that andoften, if you listen carefully
during your chats with thisperson, they will give hints as
(25:38):
to like areas that they needhelp with.
Maybe you're great at socialmedia or you know about funding
opportunities, or you canrecommend great tools for the
other person.
So just be creative and seewhere your strengths are and
where this person may need thathelp.
Okay, and when you show up withgenerosity, not just curiosity,
I think curiosity helps forthat initial uh, meet, um, show
(26:02):
up with generosity and you andyou becomes um, someone that
people want to know.
They want to continue thatrelationship.
So you need to make it so thatit's a it's a two way thing,
right?
You're not the only one who'swanting this relationship.
You want that other person toalso want that relationship.
Okay.
So those are kind of my fivestrategies or tips for
(26:24):
networking, effective networking, and before we wrap up, I just
want to touch on very quicklysome common fears that I hear
all the time and I hope justquickly talking about it and I
think I've probably mentioned um, all of these uh throughout
today's podcast episode.
(26:44):
But I think it's helpful tojust kind of call it out and and
briefly about it.
First one is people say youknow, I'm shy, introverted.
Networking isn't for me.
Totally hear you, I am somebodywho did not love talking to
people.
If you followed my podcastingjourney, you know that I started
(27:06):
podcasting because I washorrible at speaking in public,
speaking to people, so nervous.
So I hear you, but rememberthat networking doesn't have to
be loud or public One-on-oneconversations, emails, quiet
consistency that's networking.
Second kind of common fear isthat I don't want to bother
(27:28):
people and I want you to knowthat you're not.
Of common fear is that I don'twant to bother people and I want
you to know that you're not.
If you're respectful, you'rebrief and you're kind, most
people are happy to help, and ifthey can't, they'll just simply
say no and that's okay.
Okay.
And then another and final fearis people often think I don't
have anything to offer and wejust talked about this.
This is not true.
Everyone brings something tothe table Curiosity, kindness,
(27:53):
fresh perspectives.
That's a big one.
These are all very valuable inevery field.
So get curious about yourstrengths, things that you can
offer, and I guarantee you thata fresh perspective is often
always valued.
Okay, so let's recap.
(28:13):
Networking is not aboutrelationships, sorry.
Networking is aboutrelationships, not transactions.
You should probably start withwho you know, so you do that
network audit of people that youknow and then branch out from
there.
Use tools like informationalinterviews, online communities
and consistent follow-up toensure that your networking
(28:36):
efforts are effective andefficient.
Be curious, be generous and beyourself.
It will be appreciated.
And networking isn't just aboutadvancing your career.
It's about feeling connected,learning from others, building
the support system that lastsbecause when you do need it,
it's there for you.
(28:56):
Right?
You're doing all of thisgroundwork, this initial work,
for when you will eventuallyneed it at some point.
Right, but make it fun for you.
Make it something thatenergizes you.
And I think one of the bestthings of networking is knowing
that you have a supportivecommunity around you that you
(29:19):
can lean on, that you can reachout to when things get tough.
And if there's anything thatyou take away from today, it's
that it's essential for yourpublic health career.
It's essential for you as ahuman being to have that support
group or that network aroundyou, because you can't do it
alone and you shouldn't.
(29:40):
So I hope this episode inspiresyou to think of networking a
little bit differently and maybeeven get excited about it,
right?
So here's a small action stepfor you.
This week, after you listen tothe podcast, I want you to pick
(30:02):
one person you admire, someoneyou follow online, someone from
a past class, someone in yourorganization, and reach out to
them.
Just do the one with this newmindset and see how it goes
right, and let me know if youlistened to this podcast episode
and you did reach out and youdid take this small action step,
(30:22):
and let me know how it went.
I would love to hear your story.
So thank you so much forspending time with me today.
If you found this episodehelpful, please do leave us a
rating or review and share itwith someone in your network.
And if you're not already partof the Public Health Career Club
, definitely join us.
It's a space built forconnection, for support, for
(30:45):
growth in your career career.
And, like I said, there are twomembership types you can find
out more about on our websitephspotorg slash club and until
next time, keep showing up, keepgrowing and remember your
network is your net worth, notjust in opportunities, but in
community.
(31:05):
Okay, talk soon.
And you've been listening tothe PH Spotlight podcast.
I'm Sujani and I'll catch youin the next episode.
Welcome to PH Spotlight, a community for you
to build your public healthcareer with.
Join us weekly right here, andI'll be here too.
Your host, sujani Siva from PHSpot.
Hey there, and welcome toanother episode of the PH
(00:24):
Spotlight podcast, a space forpublic health professionals like
you and me to be inspired, toshare their stories and to learn
from each other.
I'm your host, sujani, and I'mso glad you're tuning in.
Today we are going to be talkingabout something that has played
a huge role in my public healthjourney huge role in my public
health journey and that isnetworking.
(00:44):
And I talk about networking,building relationships, wherever
I get an opportunity.
If you follow me on LinkedIn,you've probably seen me write a
ton around networking and theimportance of building
relationships, and today we aregoing to be talking about
effective networking strategiesfor public health professionals.
(01:06):
And now, before you kind of youknow, roll your eyes or turn
off this episode or get thatknot in your stomach, because
you know you don't lovenetworking and you know I think
many of us get that feeling withthe word networking, because we
(01:28):
think about this idea of kindof like schmoozing with random
people or needing to hand outbusiness cards at a conference
or needing to be an extrovert orquote unquote, work the room.
To be an extrovert, or quoteunquote, work the room.
(01:49):
And you know, I've kind oftaken my own approach and my own
strategy to make it work for meand to make it work with my
strengths and interests.
And what I do want to start offwith is that effective
networking, and especially, youknow, in our field, in public
health, it's about building real, genuine relationships and it's
(02:10):
about learning, it's aboutsupporting others, finding
mentors, collaborators, evenfriends, and I think it's one of
the most underrated tools forcareer development.
And I think the problem orshying away from networking is
not unique to public health.
I've facilitated discussions inother industries, other events,
(02:34):
and it seems like the theme isquite similar People just don't
love the idea of networking.
So I hope the strategies that Igive you and what we talk about
today can kind of make it seema little bit easier and make you
even excited about networkingand building your relationships.
(02:56):
So in this episode I'm going towalk you through why networking
matters, how to do it in a waythat feels authentic, and give
you some practical strategiesthat you can start using today.
Whether you're a student,you're early in your career or
you've been in this field fordecades.
I think networking and buildingrelationships is not just for
(03:17):
those early in our careers orlater in our careers.
I think everybody needs to doit, so it's an episode for
everyone.
So let's dive in.
So, first off, why doesnetworking matter?
Why is it so important?
So, as you know, public healthis deeply relationship driven.
(03:39):
Whether you are starting aprogram, you are writing a grant
, you're doing research, you'reworking with the community,
you're applying for a new role,who you know often influences
what you're able to do.
And it's not about favoritism,it's about trust, it's about
credibility and collaboration,right.
(04:01):
And so some studies show thatup to 80 percent of jobs are
filled with through networking,if we're just kind of talking
about finding jobs or your nextopportunity.
And it's not just through jobboards.
So think about that right,where the majority of
opportunities never even getposted and they're shared
(04:21):
amongst people who know eachother, right.
And so networking opens doors.
It helps you hear about newprojects.
It's not just finding the newrole.
Even within your organization,you talk to different people,
people you don't necessarilywork with on a day to day basis,
(04:41):
and they come up with a newproject idea.
They're trying to form a teamand you know you've you've
talked to the manager orsomebody on that team and they
just think about you, naturally.
So it definitely opens doors,it gives you opportunities, um,
it helps you find collaborators,even if you're the one kind of
(05:02):
putting together a project andyou need a good team.
You often, you know, canidentify individuals very easily
if you've been building thosedeep relationships within your
organization and it just makesthe work that you do feel less
alone when you can have thatcommunity and individuals around
(05:23):
you, right alone, when you canhave that community and
individuals around you, right.
But here's a thing is thatnetworking shouldn't be thought
of as something transactional.
Right, it's not about what youcan get, it's about a connection
you're building.
It's about building thosegenuine relationships, about
building that trust, thatcredibility, that collaboration,
(05:44):
so that when the time requiresyou to reach out to that person,
there's already an establishedfoundation there.
Okay, so that's the first part.
Second part I want to kind oftalk about is reframing
(06:05):
networking.
Right, I want you to thinkabout it as not a transactional
thing but more of a relationalthing, right?
New for the first time how do Isell myself.
(06:29):
How do I ask this person for ajob?
Like, take those questions outof your head and try thinking
okay, why do I admire thisperson and why do I want to
learn from them?
Right?
Or who's doing work that I findinteresting?
Or, if you've alreadyidentified that person, why is
it that I find this personinteresting, right?
Who do I want to build arelationship with over time?
If you've identified the person, it's about asking yourself
(06:54):
what is it about this personthat I really admire and I find
interesting and why do I want tobuild that relationship over
time?
So, rather than thinking aboutnetworking as a one-off thing
where you are going to go andask somebody for something,
think about a much more longerterm relationship where there's
(07:16):
mutual benefit to both partiesand you can genuinely create a
sort of professional friendship.
If you will Right in that mindshift, it makes a huge
difference.
You're not trying to.
I think the discomfort that weget sometimes networking is we
(07:36):
think that, you know, I feellike I'm just going to this
person to ask them for something, or I feel like I, you know
they may think I'm using them,but rather than that, you know,
kind of turn it around and thinkabout, like, okay, I'm trying
to connect with this person whoshares my values and interests
and goals, and how can I makethis interaction enjoyable for
(07:58):
both of us?
Right?
So when networking is rooted incuriosity and generosity, it
feels a lot less awkward and itbecomes something that you want
to do, not just something youfeel like you should do.
So, for example, I love goingto just random events,
networking events to try to getto know people, because that
ends up being the motivator forme.
(08:20):
It's like, ok, I just get verycurious about people's journeys
and I just want to know you know, how did they do what they did?
There's really often nothingthat I'm looking for when I talk
to this person.
You know, maybe there's along-term vision I have on a
project I'd love to collaboratewith them, like decades down the
(08:42):
road maybe, but the initialinteraction often is me being
very curious and genuinelyinterested in that person's life
.
So try that mindset shift andand see if that makes it a lot
more I want to say, tolerable,but also enjoyable for you,
(09:04):
right?
So I want networking to beenjoyable, okay.
So yeah, we talked about whynetworking is important and we
talked about the mindset shift.
So now let's jump into how to dothis thing called networking
effectively.
So I'm going to share somestrategies and steps you can use
.
And so, whether you're startingfrom scratch, like you've never
(09:27):
, um, jumped into meetingsomebody, or reaching out and
and, uh, meeting somebody, uh,brand new, um, hopefully these
uh tips are going to help you ormaybe you have been doing a
little bit of networking and youwant to get more intentional
about growing your network, Ithink these strategies will also
help you.
Okay so, number one, start withpeople you already know.
(09:51):
So your network already exists.
You just might not be thinkingof it that way.
Even if you are brand new inpublic health and this is the
first time you're kind of likestepping into public health from
day one, I guarantee you thereare people in your network that
(10:11):
you can leverage and tap into totry to grow your public health
network.
And so think about formerclassmates, people you went to
school with, past colleagues.
Maybe they never worked inpublic health, but somehow you
find some sort of a connection.
So, brainstorm, go back as farback as you can.
(10:34):
So classmates, colleagues,professors or mentors, people
you met at events.
I remember one time I went to aconference and there was
somebody I had met and Iremember hitting it off really
well with this individual andyears later I ended up finding
that she was working at thiscool organization.
(10:56):
I reached out to her to be likehey, do you remember like we
sat beside each other at thisevent?
So really think back to kind ofyour whole journey and where
you've gone and who you've metum, people in linkedin groups or
online communities.
Maybe you are like alwayscommenting on somebody's post
and they always reply back toyou and you guys always have
(11:19):
like really great conversationin the comments.
Like that's a great person toalso reach out to and should be
added to the people that youalready know quote unquote
already know.
So think about this, and Isometimes call this like your
network audit.
So people you went to schoolwith, people you worked with,
professors, mentors, people youmet at events, people you
(11:40):
socialize with online these areall great individuals to start
with.
So your network already exists.
You just have to look and be alittle bit intentional about it
and what you can do is you canreach out and reconnect and
check in, and I think this isone of the easiest groups of
(12:01):
people to network with and youcan say something as simple as
hey, I've been thinking of youbecause, you know, such and such
topic came up.
I love to hear what you'reworking on these days.
Do you have, you know, maybe 15minutes, 30 minutes?
At some point this week we canjump on a Zoom call or, if you
(12:22):
live in the same region, maybegrab coffee or lunch or
something, right?
So this is a group that's veryeasy to reconnect with because
there's that common it's likecommon history that you both
have.
Number two is another way,another strategy to kind of
(12:44):
network Um, and that'sleveraging informational
interviews.
Um and uh.
So it's one of my favoritetools, and I also think, though,
that you have to do it in amean, like you need to offer
them something huge or anything.
It's mostly being respectful.
(13:19):
I think that's where it has tocome from.
So informational interviewsessentially they are short,
intentional conversation whereyou are the one asking questions
to learn about someone's careerpath or their work or their
organization someone's careerpath or their work or their
organization, and it's not aboutasking for a job.
It's purely to learn abouttheir journey to build a
(13:46):
relationship, and it's reallylike assessing if this is
somebody that you'd like tocontinue having a relationship
with right.
And when I said, ensure thatthis has value for the other
person as well, it surely will,because I think majority of the
people love helping people out.
They love talking about theirwork.
So I think if you root thisrequest in curiosity and respect
(14:11):
and you've done your research,it will be valuable for the
other person.
Respect and you've done yourresearch, it will be valuable
for the other person.
So when you approach someonerespectfully, you want to tell
them why you're reaching out.
Keep it short and I guaranteeyou they'll usually say yes, and
(14:32):
I think the one piece aboutdoing some background research
that I find important is ifsomebody has talked about their
journey on several podcasts orblog posts or on LinkedIn or
Instagram and they're oftensharing all that information
already you reach out to themand have a vague request that
(14:56):
says, hey, I'd love to learnmore about your career path or
I'd love to learn more aboutwhat you do for that individual,
it doesn't really come off as agenuine curiosity in their work
, and I get this type ofrequests a lot, and I think
that's why I'm reflecting onthis a little bit.
(15:18):
So when people send me ageneric request like that and I
will get lots and lots and lotsof those.
It's hard for me to filterthrough those and say yes to
everyone Because you know, whenI try to do this in a scalable
(15:39):
way, where I write about myjourney on LinkedIn, I share it
through the podcast, and so forme it's not an immediate yes or
a pull for me to be like, yeah,let me tell you about your
journey because I'm alreadydoing it.
But the individuals who havesomething very specific that
they ask me and I can tell thatthey've been following my work,
(16:05):
they're respectful of my timethey acknowledge that they kind
of know everything about mebecause I'm fairly open and I've
shared all of that.
They've done their research.
That that shows me they've donetheir research and the request
that they have is very, very,very specific.
(16:26):
It often makes it easier for meto say yes.
So that's what I mean by makesure you do your research so you
know about the person enough toask them for that 15 to 20
minutes and it ends up beingvaluable for them as well as for
you.
(16:46):
Ok, but I think the majority ofthe people that you reach out to
probably won't have a podcastor won't have a blog or they
don't write too much about theirjourney.
So I'm thinking like thegeneral rule of thumb, to just
ask people for their a littlebit about their career journey
(17:07):
works, but just make sure you doyour work, do your research
right.
So look them up on Google, seeif there has been any bios
written about them, justanything you can find.
So you are aware that these aresome things that they've
already done, they've shared,and it's nice for you to mention
that in your reach out to saylike, oh, I read your blog or I
read your bio on this websiteand I love to learn more about X
(17:31):
, y, z.
Like something very specific,right, so right.
So you know.
A message can look somethinglike hey, I'm sujani and I came
across your work on linkedin andI'm really interested in what
you're doing at organization x.
I'm currently exploring careerpaths as a senior advisor and
(17:52):
I'd love to hear more about yourjourney.
I really want to learn how tomake this role as a senior
advisor valuable for the peopleI'm advising as well as for me,
especially jumping from being anepidemiologist into a new role.
So something very, veryspecific helps them say yes,
(18:16):
right away, right, and then youthen ask would you be open for a
quick 15 minute chat sometimenext week?
Short, kind, clear, and that'sall you need for kind of a reach
out for these informationalinterviews.
Okay, so that was the secondstrategy.
Third strategy is to be activein online communities.
So, right now, third strategyis to be active in online
(18:37):
communities.
So right now, we live in adigital world, which is amazing
for networking, and if you'repart of our community like the
Public Health Career Club,that's one great example for you
to show up there, comment onposts, share your thoughts, ask
questions, support others,because this community that
(18:58):
we've created, the Public HealthCareer Club, has been
intentionally created for publichealth professionals to meet
other people, to get supportfrom their peers, to build their
careers, to just helping eachother out right.
So if it's the first timeyou're hearing about it, do
check it out.
At phspotorg slash club, as ofthis year, enrollments into the
(19:22):
Public Health Career Club isalways open, so we no longer
close it down.
We have two tiers the lightmembership and the premium
membership, so do check it out.
Other online communities andplatforms you can leverage are
LinkedIn, whether it's on yourfeed, kind of writing and
(19:43):
engaging in comments of otherpeople's posts, but also
LinkedIn groups, where they'reintentionally created for
certain things, for certainthings Lots of great public
health groups that I've seen onLinkedIn.
So if you search for that, youcan find that Slack groups are
also great.
There are other, you know, paidor unpaid groups for public
(20:05):
health professionals, or maybeyou're in like data science or
you're in tech and public health.
So look for these kind ofgroups and just try to find
where your professional peersare hanging out, Right.
So you want to make sure thatthis is the right group that you
want to connect with, and beingactive there is very, very
(20:29):
important, right.
So just being part of the groupis not enough.
You need to be engaged, youneed to connect with people, you
need to do a little bit of work, right, and so networking
doesn't always have to beone-on-one.
You can engage in conversationsonline.
That it builds visibility andit can then lead to deeper
(20:51):
connections later.
I remember I'm part of thisSlack group and there was a
question somebody had asked andit was about I think it was
about kind of juggling work andafter becoming a mother and I
kind of provided my input, whichthen had a few other people
jump in and add their thoughtsand we had some back and forth
(21:15):
happening in that conversationand then we had an online like a
virtual event and theindividual who's facilitating
that event was also part of thatconversation online and we were
able to take that conversationfrom the chat into our virtual
(21:38):
Zoom conversation.
And it was really cool becausewe had already all established
some sort of a initialrelationship through those back
and forths in the comments andthen seeing each other on Zoom
made it a lot easier.
Seeing each other on Zoom madeit a lot easier.
So it just shows the power ofnetworking online, or even like
(21:59):
all the amazing people that Ihave been able to connect with
on LinkedIn because of thecontent that I put out, and then
they engage in my comments andthen we become friends and then
we jump on Zoom calls and I'vebeen able to meet a few of them
in person when they've visited,like where I live, where I
visited, where they've lived.
So that's also, you know, showshow powerful the online world
(22:24):
can be and I have so manyfriends that I've made through
online networking and a lot ofthem I still haven't met in
person, but I still feel veryconnected to them.
Ok, so that is strategy numberthree.
Strategy number four, kind of,is related to all three of the
(22:45):
strategies that I've talkedabout.
You know, you can reach out toindividuals in your existing
network.
You can ask people forinformational interviews, you
can be active on onlinecommunities, but then there's a
very important part, which isfollowing up and staying in
touch, and this part is oftenmissed, right?
(23:05):
So you meet someone, have agreat conversation and then you
never talk again and that's nota relationship, that's just a
one-off conversation, right?
So instead, a few things thatyou should be doing is the
obvious one is sending a thankyou note or a message after
you've had your conversation andthen keep them posted on how
(23:26):
things go right.
So, if they gave you advice,can you give them an update as
to whether you took that adviceor you didn't take that advice,
and how did it go?
You don't have to text themevery day, but I think
periodically, just to let themknow like, hey, you know, you
told me about this and Iactually jumped in and I tried
(23:47):
it, and this is how it's goingright.
You can even share an articleor an event they might like.
So maybe in your conversationthey mentioned that they are
looking for opportunities todevelop some sort of skill, and
you come across an article or acourse or an event or a
conference, you know, you go,hey, like I just saw this and it
reminded me of the conversationwe had here you go.
(24:07):
That's another great way to likefollow up and stay in touch or
have some sort of like a regularcheck-in to.
You know, in your calendar,just put it in every few months,
make sure you say hello to thisperson because you love the
conversation you had and it issomebody that you like to build
that ongoing relationship with,right.
So relationships, whetherthey're the professional ones,
(24:30):
personal ones, they needmaintenance and that doesn't
mean just sending newsletters orconstantly reaching out.
It means like connecting withthem purposefully.
Okay, so this is strategynumber four you need to follow
up and stay in touch.
And number five is give as muchas you get right.
(24:55):
So be generous.
And it goes back to what wejust talked about.
Number four um.
If there's something that theymentioned that they're working
on, um, see if you can behelpful and be resourceful and
share things with them, right,whether it's a job posting.
Introduce somebody in yournetwork, to them celebrate their
(25:16):
work, and I think themisconception is that you're
early in your career, maybe, andyou feel like you don't have
value to offer, and I thinkthat's not true.
Everybody has something theycan offer.
You just have to find that andoften, if you listen carefully
during your chats with thisperson, they will give hints as
(25:38):
to like areas that they needhelp with.
Maybe you're great at socialmedia or you know about funding
opportunities, or you canrecommend great tools for the
other person.
So just be creative and seewhere your strengths are and
where this person may need thathelp.
Okay, and when you show up withgenerosity, not just curiosity,
I think curiosity helps forthat initial uh, meet, um, show
(26:02):
up with generosity and you andyou becomes um, someone that
people want to know.
They want to continue thatrelationship.
So you need to make it so thatit's a it's a two way thing,
right?
You're not the only one who'swanting this relationship.
You want that other person toalso want that relationship.
Okay.
So those are kind of my fivestrategies or tips for
(26:24):
networking, effective networking, and before we wrap up, I just
want to touch on very quicklysome common fears that I hear
all the time and I hope justquickly talking about it and I
think I've probably mentioned um, all of these uh throughout
today's podcast episode.
(26:44):
But I think it's helpful tojust kind of call it out and and
briefly about it.
First one is people say youknow, I'm shy, introverted.
Networking isn't for me.
Totally hear you, I am somebodywho did not love talking to
people.
If you followed my podcastingjourney, you know that I started
(27:06):
podcasting because I washorrible at speaking in public,
speaking to people, so nervous.
So I hear you, but rememberthat networking doesn't have to
be loud or public One-on-oneconversations, emails, quiet
consistency that's networking.
Second kind of common fear isthat I don't want to bother
(27:28):
people and I want you to knowthat you're not.
Of common fear is that I don'twant to bother people and I want
you to know that you're not.
If you're respectful, you'rebrief and you're kind, most
people are happy to help, and ifthey can't, they'll just simply
say no and that's okay.
Okay.
And then another and final fearis people often think I don't
have anything to offer and wejust talked about this.
This is not true.
Everyone brings something tothe table Curiosity, kindness,
(27:53):
fresh perspectives.
That's a big one.
These are all very valuable inevery field.
So get curious about yourstrengths, things that you can
offer, and I guarantee you thata fresh perspective is often
always valued.
Okay, so let's recap.
(28:13):
Networking is not aboutrelationships, sorry.
Networking is aboutrelationships, not transactions.
You should probably start withwho you know, so you do that
network audit of people that youknow and then branch out from
there.
Use tools like informationalinterviews, online communities
and consistent follow-up toensure that your networking
(28:36):
efforts are effective andefficient.
Be curious, be generous and beyourself.
It will be appreciated.
And networking isn't just aboutadvancing your career.
It's about feeling connected,learning from others, building
the support system that lastsbecause when you do need it,
it's there for you.
(28:56):
Right?
You're doing all of thisgroundwork, this initial work,
for when you will eventuallyneed it at some point.
Right, but make it fun for you.
Make it something thatenergizes you.
And I think one of the bestthings of networking is knowing
that you have a supportivecommunity around you that you
(29:19):
can lean on, that you can reachout to when things get tough.
And if there's anything thatyou take away from today, it's
that it's essential for yourpublic health career.
It's essential for you as ahuman being to have that support
group or that network aroundyou, because you can't do it
alone and you shouldn't.
(29:40):
So I hope this episode inspiresyou to think of networking a
little bit differently and maybeeven get excited about it,
right?
So here's a small action stepfor you.
This week, after you listen tothe podcast, I want you to pick
(30:02):
one person you admire, someoneyou follow online, someone from
a past class, someone in yourorganization, and reach out to
them.
Just do the one with this newmindset and see how it goes
right, and let me know if youlistened to this podcast episode
and you did reach out and youdid take this small action step,
(30:22):
and let me know how it went.
I would love to hear your story.
So thank you so much forspending time with me today.
If you found this episodehelpful, please do leave us a
rating or review and share itwith someone in your network.
And if you're not already partof the Public Health Career Club
, definitely join us.
It's a space built forconnection, for support, for
(30:45):
growth in your career career.
And, like I said, there are twomembership types you can find
out more about on our websitephspotorg slash club and until
next time, keep showing up, keepgrowing and remember your
network is your net worth, notjust in opportunities, but in
community.
(31:05):
Okay, talk soon.
And you've been listening tothe PH Spotlight podcast.
I'm Sujani and I'll catch youin the next episode.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Intentionally Disturbing
Join me on this podcast as I navigate the murky waters of human behavior, current events, and personal anecdotes through in-depth interviews with incredible people—all served with a generous helping of sarcasm and satire. After years as a forensic and clinical psychologist, I offer a unique interview style and a low tolerance for bullshit, quickly steering conversations toward depth and darkness. I honor the seriousness while also appreciating wit. I’m your guide through the twisted labyrinth of the human psyche, armed with dark humor and biting wit.