Extensions

The best information about a specific career field comes from people who are actually working in that field.

If you want to learn more about a career you’re interested in, speak with an experienced professional in that field.

This is also called an informational interview.

A typical informational interview lasts around 20-30 minutes.

It’s best to come prepared with a list of questions for your networking contact.

This way, you can use your time well and get the right information.

Your contact probably has a busy schedule, and will appreciate your preparation.

In this extension, you will brainstorm questions to ask in your informational interview.

To begin, open a new document and name it.

Create a heading at the top of your document.

Add a bullet point to create a list.

Bullet points help you organize your questions as you brainstorm.

Select questions that are appropriate for the career field you are interested in.

Ask your contact about topics like: the main responsibilities of the job, the education and training it requires, or their advice about getting started in the field.

Brainstorm at least five questions.

As you think of more questions, add bullet points to your list.

To build your professional network and learn more about the job, ask your contact if they know the name of another person that you could speak with.

Good work! At the end of your interview, ask your contact if you may reach out to them again in the future with more questions, or to continue the conversation.

Finally, remember to send them a thank-you email.

Now, it’s your turn: Open and name a new document, And create a list of questions to ask your contact in an informational interview.

When someone gives you a gift or offers their help, show your appreciation by sending them a thank-you message.

Taking the time to express your gratitude makes others feel good and supports your relationship with them.

In this extension, you will write an email to your contact to thank them for their help.

To begin, open your Gmail account and compose an email.

Enter the email address of your contact in the "to" field.

Add a subject line to indicate the purpose of your message.

Begin your email with a respectful greeting.

Next show your appreciation for the help that you received and the time your contact spent with you.

Include a forward-looking statement.

Making a reference to a future meeting or conversation lets your contact know you value your relationship with them and want to continue it.

If you made plans to meet with your contact again in the future, mention the date and time of your upcoming meeting.

This will serve as a helpful reminder to them.

If you did not make specific plans for a future meeting, mention that you hope to see them again soon, or look forward to speaking to them in the near future.

End your email with a respectful closing and sign your full name.

Before you send your email, read it over and check for errors.

Edit your message if you want to change anything.

If you’re ready now, send your email.

Or, if you're practicing for later, save the email as a draft.

Now, it’s your turn: Write a thank-you email.

Staying in touch with your contacts is an important part of maintaining your professional network.

If you do not communicate with your contacts on a regular basis, they may not remember who you are or be as willing to help you.

To maintain a strong network you need to keep track of important information such as the date of your last communication with a contact, or when to schedule a follow up meeting or conversation.

In this extension, you will add new headings to your spreadsheet to help you communicate with your professional contacts.

To begin, open your networking spreadsheet from the main lesson.

Add new headings to your spreadsheet to organize important information about your communications with your professional contacts.

Start with the date of your most recent communication.

Communication could refer to a conversation by email or phone, or a meeting in person.

Next, create a heading for “Notes.” This a place where you can write down information about the last conversation or meeting you had with your contact to remind you what you discussed.

Finally, create a heading for “Next Steps.” “Next steps” refers to your next communication with your contact.

For example: scheduling another meeting or following up with a thank you email.

Format your headings so they stand out clearly.

Now, enter the appropriate information for someone in your professional network.

Start with the date of your last communication with your contact.

To make entering the date easier, use data validation to create a pop-up calendar when you click into the cell.

Data validation lets you add data to your spreadsheet without having to type it out, and helps prevent errors.

This way, the data will automatically appear in your spreadsheet in the proper format.

Next, record any relevant notes about the last communication you had with your contact.

This could be the topic of your conversation, any important remarks or advice, or any other information that you want to remember.

Finally, write down next steps.

This could be a reminder to yourself to schedule another meeting with your contact, send a thank-you email, or just say “hello” to stay in touch.

Keeping track of your communications with your contacts will help you build stronger relationships and get the most out of your network.

Now, it’s your turn: Open your networking spreadsheet, Create new headings, Add data validation, And record notes and next steps for one person in your network.