Waldron Career Insights: Networking
This episode of the Weinberg in the World Podcast features stories from Alumni from the Career Summit and previous alumni conversations focusing on lessons related to networking. Alumni speakers share their thoughts on how to network with your peers in college and the lessons it provides, developing relationships by networking with those who interest you, and the value of networking in person at large events!
Timestamp Details for Alumni Speakers:
0:45 - Anthony Ward ’06 (Psychology)
3:35 - Machel Mills-Miles ‘98 (Cognitive Science), Marc Tetel '86 (Biological Sciences), and JJ Guajardo '97 (Psychology)
10:40 - Kelly Choi ’94, '98 MD (English) and Mark Stovsky '86, '91 MD (Sociology)
Cassie Petoskey:
Welcome to the Weinberg in the World Podcast, where we bring you stories of interdisciplinary thinking in today's complex world. This episode is brought to you by the Waldron Student-Alumni Connections Program, a resource in Weinberg College where we help current students explore career options through making connections with alumni.
In today's episode, we're excited to feature quotes from alumni from the Career Summit and previous alumni conversations, focusing on lessons related to networking. Our first clip is from the Weinberg College Career Summit's panel on healthcare.
Anthony Ward, who graduated in 2006 with a degree in psychology, talks about how networking with his classmates at school helped him connect with a wide variety of people. Anthony gives great insight into how to network with your peers and how he used those conversations to better understand people and the clients he works with as a clinical therapist today.
Anthony Ward:
Every class that I took had some kind of effect on me, like it either gave me information about the world or it gave me information about myself, what I'm good at, not good at, what I am passionate about, what I'm not passionate about, the things that I struggle with. So I think that that's one aspect of it.
I think the other thing is that there's a cross-pollination of ideas, right? So in different spheres of what you are learning about from the arts, the sciences, it helps you kind of just weave them together in new ways. To me, there's a constellation that kind of forms the different points of information, allow you to see a picture that you wouldn't have seen if you only knew one siloed information set of things.
So I think just being as diverse as you can in your experiences and in what you're learning and what you're seeing, and taking as many of those extra classes as you can that are diverse, I think that's also helpful.
And then the other piece that as a clinician, as a therapist, as a person trying to connect with new people daily, I have to have what I consider different ports of entry for me. So if you can think of the surge protector that you have under your computer table where it has multiple places you can plug into, I think that that's what allows me as a clinician to be helpful, is that I have multiple places that people can plug into who I am.
So that's knowing yourself, that's knowing what you're good at and all those things. And I think through experience at university can allow you to do that. And I think not just simply having the classroom experience, but also the experience I consider like that cafeteria thing where you're sitting down and philosophizing across the table with other people from other majors, I really enjoyed that for myself.
So whether it was sitting in Sardin Hall and sitting down there for two hours as people come in and out, entering your table and leaving your table, those conversations allowed me to see the world through the eyes of other people.
And then it's not that you put people in boxes, but you start to... As different as we want to be, we're very similar. So you start saying like, "Oh, you remind me of this person, and that person like this. Okay, and this is a way that I entered into the conversation with them." And you throw it out there and you see what sticks.
So I think, yeah, learning as much as you want to learn and as diverse as you can and just realizing that you're learning about yourself through the process is what I would say.
Cassie Petoskey:
The next quote is from another Career Summit alumni panel in research and education where all three of our speakers go around the horn giving great insight on networking.
Michelle Mills-Miles, who graduated in 1998 in cognitive science, Mark Teitel, who graduated in 1986 with biological sciences, and JJ Guajardo who graduated in 1997 with a psychology degree, dive into developing relationships and building your network by connecting with the people around you now, students, professors, and alumni alike. Network with people that interest you and it will benefit you personally and professionally.
Speaker 3:
Awesome. Thanks, JJ. And so with those careers and getting started in your industry, for all of you, is there any networking advice that would be helpful specifically for your industry or for just looking for jobs as a whole? So we'll go back to Michelle again.
Michelle Mills-Miles:
Yeah. As far as the networking advice, I would say do it. You just can't underestimate the power of relationships in life in general. But I certainly have found that I've benefited professionally from the relationships that I've developed personally and also professionally.
It could sound bad, but I think in a way people learn to trust you and they learn who you are. And so I think to view networking as getting to know people more at the forefront than trying to advance your career, I think that always feels, whether it's spoken or unspoken, feels a little greasy.
But to the extent that you can just allow people to see you for your authentic self and get to know people for their authentic selves, then you will land, I think, where you are supposed to land. Yeah, sorry, that was a little flighty, but I think just be sincere, do your best to get to know people, and then the right relationships, those relationships will surface themselves in time when you need them, just kind of right when you need them to.
Speaker 3:
Awesome. No, that was great. Thanks, Michelle. And Mark, any networking tips or? I think also sometimes students are confused on how to even get started. I think sometimes they're like, "Well, what is my network?" So I'd love to hear from you.
Mark Teitel:
Sure, thanks. I can't agree with Michelle more. I think you really said it beautifully, Michelle. I think it is about relationships and getting to know people. And I choose to network with the people who I want to hang out with, not who I think could gain me something.
But I do want to give some examples, and I would encourage students to realize that I think their network is starting right now. It's really the people they're hanging out with now. And I'll give some examples.
Because it's hard to see when you're in it, but there was a classmate of mine, Claudia Lucchinetti, who I started studying with freshman year chemistry and we were friends all through Northwestern, and now she's actually the chair of neurology at Mayo Clinic. She's the first female chair of neurology department, she oversees five campuses of the Mayo Clinic and she's on the board at Mayo Clinic.
So I just sort of like to brag about her because she's a alumni of all of ours, but who would've known that in freshman year when we started being friends that she would be a colleague and part of, I guess, my network?
And then through the pandemic, we started an NU Zoom where I Zoom with about nine people from Northwestern. And to JJ's point about interesting people have interests, and I sort of am always amazed when I think about this group of friends who I still keep up with.
And so actually very few of them are scientists, I think only one is. One is a very successful author, Dan Pink, who maybe some of your parents know, his students. He actually spoke at Northwestern's graduation a few years ago.
Another is a guy and my best friend from college who's in private equity and very successful in New York. And another guy is a very successful opera singer who was in the School of Music and is now a twice Grammy-nominated singer. And one is a woman state senator from Maryland. Another is a woman literary agent in New York City who's very successful.
So I think your network is starting now, and Northwestern just has so many interesting people. And so I really encourage you to stay connected with the people who you're meeting now and carry it through, carry it forward, and build on that network, and I think Michelle said it best, just network, get to know the people.
I believe in personal relationships, so I'm not so good about networking through social media. I'm more about getting to know people personally, but I'm sure there's great value in that. I'm just sort of old-school in that regard. But your network is starting now.
And I also encourage you to get to know your professors and reach out to them. I've talked about this one professor, Jon Levine, a couple of times, so I still see him in meetings every year. We go out for dinner and it's great to stay connected with him.
So I think if there are professors who are responsive to you, then really try to connect with them and stay in touch with them even after you leave Northwestern, and they'll love to hear from you after you've graduated, for sure.
Speaker 3:
I appreciate that emphasis on that face-to-face networking as well. I think sometimes we think it all has to be online in such a technologically-heavy era, but a lot of those face-to-face relationships are so important too. Thanks, Mark. And JJ?
JJ Guajardo:
Yeah, I mean, not to belabor the points, so I'll 100% agree with everything that Mark and Michelle just said. I'm not going to say any more about that, because they said it so well.
I'm going to just add one thing though. Just in my own career, whenever I get the LinkedIn little ding-dong things, I usually accept them no matter what, whenever someone needs something. I've got no problem, if any student at Northwestern or UChicago would hit me up and say, "Hey, you got 20 minutes to chat about something?" Absolutely. I've never said no to that, right? I'm always happy to take a conversation.
I think I can speak for a lot of alumni who are still engaged that we're all ready and available, right? I kind of see this as my duty, my giving back to the community, to Northwestern, because I feel like it gave me so much, it put me where I am or helped me on the path that I'm on that I genuinely am happy with, and so I feel like I want to give back.
And so taking a 20-minute, 30-minute phone call or a Zoom meeting or whatever it is for anyone who asks for advice or just wants to hear a story or whatever, I'm more than happy to do that. I think most alumni probably are in the same boat.
So with networking, my piece of advice is don't be afraid to reach out. We're here, we're available. The worst that can happen is we ignore you, but that's probably not going to happen.
Cassie Petoskey:
Next is a clip from a previous alumni conversation on non-linear career paths in sciences. Kelly Choi who graduated in 1994 with a degree in English and finished med school in 1998, along with Mark Stofsky who graduated in 1986 with a degree in sociology and finished med school in 1991, both share their experience on the value of networking in person and heading to larger events. Both speakers agree that conferences and other large networking events are great ways to meet with the biggest players in your field and to ask questions.
Speaker 7:
What advice do y'all have for networking within your various industries?
Kelly Choi:
I'm actually a big believer in in-person events. I think it's really hard to replace human-to-human connections. And so I found that participating in conferences, meeting, going up to whether it's if you're in the vendor area, there are companies that you're interested in speaking to or scientists or clinical researchers, I have found that conferences are, I think, one of the best ways to do that.
The other ways now of course, I think if you want sort of more of a lighter touch, maybe faster type of way of connecting, I would certainly encourage people to utilize LinkedIn. So I think many of the alumni out there I'm sure would be willing to have a conversation or give helpful advice. So if I were in college, that would be sort of an avenue I would utilize.
And then affinity groups. If there are sort of activities you like to do, you never know who you meet in these different affinity groups. So I guess that would be my advice.
Speaker 7:
Can definitely relate to the power of in-person feeling a lot more in touch than virtual. Mark, do you have any advice?
Mark Stofsky:
No, I agree with all those things. I am also a firm believer in in-person networking. Hopefully we're coming out of this COVID nightmare and everyone's getting vaccinated. In my field, medical conferences are going back to in-person now.
In my world, in the biomedical innovation space, there are a couple kind of preeminent conferences. The J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference that's in January every year. The Cleveland Clinic puts on an innovation symposium in October of every year. There are a couple things that are just very well-known.
And it's amazing, you think that the biggest players in this space in the venture capital world will be standoffish to you, but honestly, they're generally not. But I do agree that the in-person touches is just much better, much better way to do it.
Cassie Petoskey:
Thanks for listening. If you want to hear more of these conversations, links to the full videos and podcasts are below.
For more information about Weinberg College and this podcast, visit weinberg.northwestern.edu and search for Waldron. As always, we would love to hear your feedback. Please email us with your thoughts on the program. Have a great day, and go Cats.
Welcome to the Weinberg in the World Podcast, where we bring you stories of interdisciplinary thinking in today's complex world. This episode is brought to you by the Waldron Student-Alumni Connections Program, a resource in Weinberg College where we help current students explore career options through making connections with alumni.
In today's episode, we're excited to feature quotes from alumni from the Career Summit and previous alumni conversations, focusing on lessons related to networking. Our first clip is from the Weinberg College Career Summit's panel on healthcare.
Anthony Ward, who graduated in 2006 with a degree in psychology, talks about how networking with his classmates at school helped him connect with a wide variety of people. Anthony gives great insight into how to network with your peers and how he used those conversations to better understand people and the clients he works with as a clinical therapist today.
Anthony Ward:
Every class that I took had some kind of effect on me, like it either gave me information about the world or it gave me information about myself, what I'm good at, not good at, what I am passionate about, what I'm not passionate about, the things that I struggle with. So I think that that's one aspect of it.
I think the other thing is that there's a cross-pollination of ideas, right? So in different spheres of what you are learning about from the arts, the sciences, it helps you kind of just weave them together in new ways. To me, there's a constellation that kind of forms the different points of information, allow you to see a picture that you wouldn't have seen if you only knew one siloed information set of things.
So I think just being as diverse as you can in your experiences and in what you're learning and what you're seeing, and taking as many of those extra classes as you can that are diverse, I think that's also helpful.
And then the other piece that as a clinician, as a therapist, as a person trying to connect with new people daily, I have to have what I consider different ports of entry for me. So if you can think of the surge protector that you have under your computer table where it has multiple places you can plug into, I think that that's what allows me as a clinician to be helpful, is that I have multiple places that people can plug into who I am.
So that's knowing yourself, that's knowing what you're good at and all those things. And I think through experience at university can allow you to do that. And I think not just simply having the classroom experience, but also the experience I consider like that cafeteria thing where you're sitting down and philosophizing across the table with other people from other majors, I really enjoyed that for myself.
So whether it was sitting in Sardin Hall and sitting down there for two hours as people come in and out, entering your table and leaving your table, those conversations allowed me to see the world through the eyes of other people.
And then it's not that you put people in boxes, but you start to... As different as we want to be, we're very similar. So you start saying like, "Oh, you remind me of this person, and that person like this. Okay, and this is a way that I entered into the conversation with them." And you throw it out there and you see what sticks.
So I think, yeah, learning as much as you want to learn and as diverse as you can and just realizing that you're learning about yourself through the process is what I would say.
Cassie Petoskey:
The next quote is from another Career Summit alumni panel in research and education where all three of our speakers go around the horn giving great insight on networking.
Michelle Mills-Miles, who graduated in 1998 in cognitive science, Mark Teitel, who graduated in 1986 with biological sciences, and JJ Guajardo who graduated in 1997 with a psychology degree, dive into developing relationships and building your network by connecting with the people around you now, students, professors, and alumni alike. Network with people that interest you and it will benefit you personally and professionally.
Speaker 3:
Awesome. Thanks, JJ. And so with those careers and getting started in your industry, for all of you, is there any networking advice that would be helpful specifically for your industry or for just looking for jobs as a whole? So we'll go back to Michelle again.
Michelle Mills-Miles:
Yeah. As far as the networking advice, I would say do it. You just can't underestimate the power of relationships in life in general. But I certainly have found that I've benefited professionally from the relationships that I've developed personally and also professionally.
It could sound bad, but I think in a way people learn to trust you and they learn who you are. And so I think to view networking as getting to know people more at the forefront than trying to advance your career, I think that always feels, whether it's spoken or unspoken, feels a little greasy.
But to the extent that you can just allow people to see you for your authentic self and get to know people for their authentic selves, then you will land, I think, where you are supposed to land. Yeah, sorry, that was a little flighty, but I think just be sincere, do your best to get to know people, and then the right relationships, those relationships will surface themselves in time when you need them, just kind of right when you need them to.
Speaker 3:
Awesome. No, that was great. Thanks, Michelle. And Mark, any networking tips or? I think also sometimes students are confused on how to even get started. I think sometimes they're like, "Well, what is my network?" So I'd love to hear from you.
Mark Teitel:
Sure, thanks. I can't agree with Michelle more. I think you really said it beautifully, Michelle. I think it is about relationships and getting to know people. And I choose to network with the people who I want to hang out with, not who I think could gain me something.
But I do want to give some examples, and I would encourage students to realize that I think their network is starting right now. It's really the people they're hanging out with now. And I'll give some examples.
Because it's hard to see when you're in it, but there was a classmate of mine, Claudia Lucchinetti, who I started studying with freshman year chemistry and we were friends all through Northwestern, and now she's actually the chair of neurology at Mayo Clinic. She's the first female chair of neurology department, she oversees five campuses of the Mayo Clinic and she's on the board at Mayo Clinic.
So I just sort of like to brag about her because she's a alumni of all of ours, but who would've known that in freshman year when we started being friends that she would be a colleague and part of, I guess, my network?
And then through the pandemic, we started an NU Zoom where I Zoom with about nine people from Northwestern. And to JJ's point about interesting people have interests, and I sort of am always amazed when I think about this group of friends who I still keep up with.
And so actually very few of them are scientists, I think only one is. One is a very successful author, Dan Pink, who maybe some of your parents know, his students. He actually spoke at Northwestern's graduation a few years ago.
Another is a guy and my best friend from college who's in private equity and very successful in New York. And another guy is a very successful opera singer who was in the School of Music and is now a twice Grammy-nominated singer. And one is a woman state senator from Maryland. Another is a woman literary agent in New York City who's very successful.
So I think your network is starting now, and Northwestern just has so many interesting people. And so I really encourage you to stay connected with the people who you're meeting now and carry it through, carry it forward, and build on that network, and I think Michelle said it best, just network, get to know the people.
I believe in personal relationships, so I'm not so good about networking through social media. I'm more about getting to know people personally, but I'm sure there's great value in that. I'm just sort of old-school in that regard. But your network is starting now.
And I also encourage you to get to know your professors and reach out to them. I've talked about this one professor, Jon Levine, a couple of times, so I still see him in meetings every year. We go out for dinner and it's great to stay connected with him.
So I think if there are professors who are responsive to you, then really try to connect with them and stay in touch with them even after you leave Northwestern, and they'll love to hear from you after you've graduated, for sure.
Speaker 3:
I appreciate that emphasis on that face-to-face networking as well. I think sometimes we think it all has to be online in such a technologically-heavy era, but a lot of those face-to-face relationships are so important too. Thanks, Mark. And JJ?
JJ Guajardo:
Yeah, I mean, not to belabor the points, so I'll 100% agree with everything that Mark and Michelle just said. I'm not going to say any more about that, because they said it so well.
I'm going to just add one thing though. Just in my own career, whenever I get the LinkedIn little ding-dong things, I usually accept them no matter what, whenever someone needs something. I've got no problem, if any student at Northwestern or UChicago would hit me up and say, "Hey, you got 20 minutes to chat about something?" Absolutely. I've never said no to that, right? I'm always happy to take a conversation.
I think I can speak for a lot of alumni who are still engaged that we're all ready and available, right? I kind of see this as my duty, my giving back to the community, to Northwestern, because I feel like it gave me so much, it put me where I am or helped me on the path that I'm on that I genuinely am happy with, and so I feel like I want to give back.
And so taking a 20-minute, 30-minute phone call or a Zoom meeting or whatever it is for anyone who asks for advice or just wants to hear a story or whatever, I'm more than happy to do that. I think most alumni probably are in the same boat.
So with networking, my piece of advice is don't be afraid to reach out. We're here, we're available. The worst that can happen is we ignore you, but that's probably not going to happen.
Cassie Petoskey:
Next is a clip from a previous alumni conversation on non-linear career paths in sciences. Kelly Choi who graduated in 1994 with a degree in English and finished med school in 1998, along with Mark Stofsky who graduated in 1986 with a degree in sociology and finished med school in 1991, both share their experience on the value of networking in person and heading to larger events. Both speakers agree that conferences and other large networking events are great ways to meet with the biggest players in your field and to ask questions.
Speaker 7:
What advice do y'all have for networking within your various industries?
Kelly Choi:
I'm actually a big believer in in-person events. I think it's really hard to replace human-to-human connections. And so I found that participating in conferences, meeting, going up to whether it's if you're in the vendor area, there are companies that you're interested in speaking to or scientists or clinical researchers, I have found that conferences are, I think, one of the best ways to do that.
The other ways now of course, I think if you want sort of more of a lighter touch, maybe faster type of way of connecting, I would certainly encourage people to utilize LinkedIn. So I think many of the alumni out there I'm sure would be willing to have a conversation or give helpful advice. So if I were in college, that would be sort of an avenue I would utilize.
And then affinity groups. If there are sort of activities you like to do, you never know who you meet in these different affinity groups. So I guess that would be my advice.
Speaker 7:
Can definitely relate to the power of in-person feeling a lot more in touch than virtual. Mark, do you have any advice?
Mark Stofsky:
No, I agree with all those things. I am also a firm believer in in-person networking. Hopefully we're coming out of this COVID nightmare and everyone's getting vaccinated. In my field, medical conferences are going back to in-person now.
In my world, in the biomedical innovation space, there are a couple kind of preeminent conferences. The J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference that's in January every year. The Cleveland Clinic puts on an innovation symposium in October of every year. There are a couple things that are just very well-known.
And it's amazing, you think that the biggest players in this space in the venture capital world will be standoffish to you, but honestly, they're generally not. But I do agree that the in-person touches is just much better, much better way to do it.
Cassie Petoskey:
Thanks for listening. If you want to hear more of these conversations, links to the full videos and podcasts are below.
For more information about Weinberg College and this podcast, visit weinberg.northwestern.edu and search for Waldron. As always, we would love to hear your feedback. Please email us with your thoughts on the program. Have a great day, and go Cats.