Talking to People You Don’t Know is an Effective Way to Network

By Rachel Rooney, Toppel Peer Advisor 

All of the technology in the world today—computers, smart phones, tablets—have great benefits. However, I’ve noticed that it is changing our ability to communication with one another. In one sense, we are able to communicate more globally with people all around the world. And we are able to communicate easier—a simple text gets the message across. However, with all of this I can’t help feeling as though we are losing something. I’ve made an observation on when I am standing in line for an event or in an elevator with other people or in a room for a meeting with people I don’t know. I’ve noticed that people who don’t know each other don’t talk to one another. Instead, we pull out our cell phones. And even that is making us talk less; calling each other is out of fashion, texting is in, but that doesn’t mean we are communicating better.

 

When we do interviewing workshops at Toppel, we ask the famous “tell me about yourself” question. We advise students to answer it the following way: state your name, where you are from, your degree, your year, your leadership experience, and why you think you are a good fit for the job you are applying for. This is known as an elevator pitch. Basically, what you would tell someone if you had from the top floor of an elevator to the ground floor. And if the someone person was the CEO of your dream company. 

I also think that we are at risk for losing something greater than networking; we are losing our stories. There is the history of communication; it began with talking. Before people could write information down or before typewriters or computers were invented, there were words. So the next time you are in a place with unfamiliar people, take the time to get to know them. There are over 7 billion people in this world; you are not going to get to know everyone, so be grateful for the chance to have the people in your life that you do have. You have so much to gain. Over the summer, I worked with college age students from all over the world—Japan, China, Spain, Colombia, Malaysia, Moldova, and America. There was a little bit of the language barrier, but I took the time to learn some key phrases in each of the different languages. I will know some of the amazing people I met there for the rest of my life. Gif Fach, for example is how you pronounce “how are you” in Romanian. University of Miami is the most diverse university in the United States and has many students come to study on exchanges. Study abroad is also a great way to network with people around the world.

I am not here to discredit technology as a form of networking or communicating, but I think we are starting to use it a little too much. People are addicted to their phones. If I asked you if you could live 48 hours without your phone, would you be able to? I think many of you would say no. We don’t have to live without our phones, but you should be able to put them down, especially when you are talking to people. The truth is that you don’t need to be on technology all the time. Take a break and talk to people. 

I was inspired to write this post, by an article I read in Forbes and by one in Riskology. The Forbes article is on the importance of small talk and the Riskology article is on the importance of talking to strangers.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/brettnelson/2012/03/30/six-reasons-small-talk-is-very-important-and-how-to-get-better-at-it/

http://riskology.co/the-importance-of-talking-to-strangers/

 

For an interesting article by Medical Health on how cell phones are affecting students, read here:

http://www.medicaldaily.com/cell-phones-make-sleepy-screen-addicted-socially-awkward-students-their-grades-dont-stand-300562

7 Important Skills Not Always Found on a Resume

By Maura Gergerich, Peer Advisor

1. Be a team player

Most jobs will require you to work with your co-workers on projects and activities. You will rarely find an office that sticks their employees in a cubicle with a stack of papers to fend for themselves. Everybody knows that one person who may be so qualified for a job, but gets looked over because people don’t like to work with them. Learning how to work on a team is essential (yet we all know it’s not always easy). Work on being able to organize and collect ideas from multiple people. It is also a good idea to know how to step up and lead a group without micromanaging or being a control freak (no one likes feeling led by a dictator). 

2. Flexibility is important

Being able to adapt to new situations is an important life skill in and out of the work force. If you are a dependable worker and can stay such no matter what is thrown your way, you become such a valuable asset to your employer. Every office has a certain daily routine but it’s when things get crazy that the most aid is needed and it is important that your coworkers can rely on you in these situations.

3. Creative thinking

While it is important that you fit in with the routine of a company, it is also good to be able to bring something fresh to the table. Employers generally like having outside minds to give feedback and especially if you are new to a position, you still have an outsider’s impression. Innovation happens when things keep moving forward and your ideas are what push things to the next level.

4. Effective communication

You may have the most brilliant ideas of your generation, but if you don’t know how to communicate them effectively they will most likely fall by the wayside. Aside from articulating yourself you should also be a good listener and be attentive in your body language.

5. Problem solving

Unless you’re a supervisor or CEO it may not always be your job to solve office problems, but if you are able to find solutions to unexpected issues without overstepping your boundaries, you become a valuable asset to your workplace.

6. Accepting constructive criticism

This is crucial to any field in life. Every idea you present will receive feedback from your employer and possibly even your peers so knowing how to accept suggestions and incorporate them without getting defensive is a must. You should also be able to give feedback on other’s ideas so that your suggestions are constructive criticism rather than just criticism.

7. Confidence!

Whatever you do for a living and whatever degrees you have, confidence is a major selling point. Whether it’s in an interview or on the job itself, make sure to always smile and keep your head high.

The Right Way to Reject an Internship

By: Marissa Bell

Summer internships. The bane of your existence until you get one. Once you have an internship, you're golden. When people ask you what you're doing for the summer, you've got a perfect, and insanely impressive, answer to give them. However, in the search for an internship in this job market, presumably, you're casting your net as wide as it can go: applying to internship after internship, and having multiple interviews. And, as University of Miami students, you'll probably get multiple offers. But just like The Hunger Games, there can only be one winner. So what do you do about the other ones? It's like having to break up with a significant other. Rejecting an offer for an internship (or even a regular job) is stressful and uncomfortable, but something that needs to be done. Are you in the position where you have more offers than time? Read on to find some basic tips on how to appropriately reject an offer for an internship.

Tip 1: Don't Leave Them Hanging
The second you know that you aren't going to accept an offer from a company, you need to let them know. It's not fair for you to keep them waiting thinking that they've got an intern and then two weeks before you start, tell them you're going with something else. They need time to send offers to other people, to interview others, and it's in bad form for you to leave them in a lurch. Even if you don't plan on working with them, you still owe that employer the benefit of professional courtesy. The simple fact of the matter is this: they can always get a new intern, you are only hurting yourself by not calling them and appearing unprofessional.

Tip 2: Call 'Em Up
Maybe I'm the only one, but the thought of having someone on the phone and telling them that you can't accept their offer fills me with ill-disguised anxiety. All I can think about is what their reaction is going to be, are they going to yell? Cry? Okay probably not cry, but still, rejecting an offer over the phone can be awkward. But the fact of the matter is, you need to call them, its the polite thing to do. Imagine how you would feel if they didn't call you to offer you the job or tell you they weren't going to hire you, it wouldn't be fair to you, just as it wouldn't be fair to them to not call and let them know you're going with someone else. It's the same thing with breaking up with a significant other. You can't just text them and be like, "Sorry, it's not you, its me, lets break up." E-mail them a follow up if they need it in writing, but still, call them first to let them know. They took the time to read your resume and interview you, so you can take the time to give them a call. So suck it up and give them a call, rip off the band-aid. It'll be over before you know it.

                                                                                    Tip 3: Be courteous
This seems obvious to mostly everyone, but you'd be surprised by the things people do when they think they'll never have to talk to someone again. The one thing that's certain is that the future is not written in stone. You have no idea where your life is going to take you and even if you don't want one internship one summer, it might be the perfect internship for you next summer, or even for a full-time position. If you sacrifice your professionalism, you can burn bridges for the future. Just because it isn't right in that moment doesn't mean you won't see that employer again, so make sure you treat them with the same sense of respect and professionalism that you did during the interview process.

The moral of the story is simple: Do it quickly, do it over the phone, and do it nicely. If you follow these simple tips, what has the potential to turn into a horribly awkward situation can go easily and painlessly. By following these tips, you not only get out of an internship, but still manage to maintain the networking connection that has the opportunity to benefit you in the future.  

Communication in the Workplace

By Thaimi Fina

For students embarking on their first job or internship, communicating with colleagues and supervisors can be intimidating and uncomfortable.  However, mastering this skill is crucial for building and maintaining lasting professional relationships with your co-workers. Strong communication skills can also help you to stand out as a genuine and confident person at your workplace.  To emphasize this point, here are three situations where it is imperative that you speak up and communicate effectively.

1. When you need help or guidance.
So, you’re currently working on three projects with quickly approaching deadlines when your supervisor stops by your desk and asks you to take on one more.  “Sure!” you say enthusiastically.  Cue panic response.  To make matters worse you have no clue how to accomplish this project and your supervisor provided minimal direction.  OK, now we’re really panicking.  This situation happens more often than you would think and it’s important that you learn how to adapt early on in your career.  To resolve this dilemma I propose the radical solution of (you guessed it) communicating! 

Avoid burning out with a plate full of unfinished projects by talking to your colleagues and seeing if they could help.  Perhaps one of them could assist you in making progress on one project while you diligently work on another (learning to delegate is also a valuable skill to hone in the workplace).  Or maybe they have experience in deciphering your boss’s enigmatic assignments and can provide valuable insights into the project.  If your co-workers are also clueless about what your supervisor expects, I would encourage you to speak with your supervisor and ask for clarification to ensure that you meet and exceed those expectations.  Communicating with colleagues and seeking their assistance in your work shows your team members that you value their input and prevents you from becoming overwhelmed by your workload.  This collaboration could also spark new ideas, promoting innovation and producing even stronger outcomes than if you had attempted the project on your own. 

2. When you’re bored or unsatisfied.

So, the work that you’re doing has become repetitive and boring.  You feel unchallenged and don’t feel that your skills are being utilized to their full potential.  As a result, you’ve become disengaged, cranky, and you dread coming to work every day.  Now, more than ever, it’s important for you to SPEAK UP!  (Perhaps in a more tactful way than Peter Gibbons did in Office Space…)

Whenever I speak with students in our Toppel Internship Program who don’t feel challenged enough by their internships, I always encourage them to ask for more.  If you’ve had your eye on a project your colleagues have been developing, don’t be afraid to ask if there’s any way you can help!  Most people are not going to turn down an extra pair of hands because, let’s face it, we’re all stressed and a little overworked.  Asking to become involved in more challenging assignments also shows initiative and demonstrates that you are a team-player.  As an intern, there may be limitations to the projects in which you may become involved.  The interns that I always find most impressive are the ones who overcome those limitations by creating their own projects.  Brainstorm new initiatives that could benefit the company or identify ways to improve the company’s current way of doing things.  You could pitch these ideas to your supervisor and offer to take the lead on the project.  By communicating with your supervisor and finding challenging projects to keep you motivated, you will begin to feel more engaged and establish yourself as a more valuable employee.

3. When you’ve messed up.

Alright.  So that dreaded moment of imperfection finally happened, showing everyone in your office that you are indeed (GASP) human.  You missed an important deadline, you came in an hour late, or you failed to catch a significant error in a report.  Whatever the mistake was, your response is likely to be consistent: you’re freaking out.  First and foremost, my advice to you is: relax, breathe, and stop beating yourself up for it because trust me it was bound to happen sooner or later.  Once you’ve composed yourself, it’s important to deal with this incident head on.  Avoiding your supervisor or pretending that it didn’t happen will only reflect poorly on you and cause others to perceive you as immature or apathetic. 

Set up a time to meet with your supervisor or colleague in person (a phone call, text, or e-mail can all be perceived as avoidant tactics and make it difficult to deduce your tone).  Be honest.  Tell your supervisor what happened and genuinely apologize for your mistake.  Before you go into this meeting, it’s also important to think about how you can fix or improve the situation or reduce the risk that it will happen again.  Present these ideas to your supervisor to show him or her that you have reflected on your mistake and are developing an action plan.  This also demonstrates that you are learning from your mistakes and are less likely to repeat them. 

After this conversation is complete, that’s when the real communication begins.  Remember that actions always speak louder than words.  Put those words into practice.  Double check your work.  Set three alarms if you have to.  Keep better track of your deadlines by purchasing an agenda.  Whatever action plan you devised, follow through with it!  Everyone makes occasional mistakes at work, but it’s how you recover from them that distinguishes a strong employee from a weak one. 


Communicating with higher-ups will always be somewhat intimidating and uncomfortable.  However, I hope that these examples have shown you the value of speaking up and how it can truly transform your experience in the workplace.  And like any other skill, it’s not going to hone itself.  So start now!  Speak your mind in a tactful and professional way and see the difference it can make in your career.

Top 3 Reasons Why Engineers Don't Get Involved in Extracurriculars

By Thien Van Tran

Where the grub at?

The college life of an engineer is very similar to that of a caterpillar. We enjoy a relatively stress-free life consisting of stuffing our faces exclusively with whatever we want and unadulterated amounts of doing absolutely nothing, prior to college. Upon entering college, we are content with temporarily giving up all that previous nonsensical frolicking in order to focus on becoming engineers. However, while a caterpillar spends approximately two weeks inside the cocoon, we spend four years.

Nowhere is it written that you can only have a single passion in life. Now unless you’re Squidward, there’s a good chance that you don't completely hate having fun. So why don’t we actually devote some time to these things that make us happy? I know that some of you are reading this and thinking, “But I am involved!” Well the only thing I have to say to that is, Cool story bro “Keep up the good work!” Anyway, here are the top three reasons.

3. “My Major is Too Difficult”

We’ve all heard this one before. Engineers seem to think their major is the toughest, and that they can’t be as active as everyone else since they need to devote more time to studying. For the most part this is, without a doubt, absolutely false. Difficulty is relative, and something that one individual may find difficult may in fact seem very simple to another individual. Sure some of our classes may require a bit more work, but it is definitely possible to make time for activities outside of school. You just need to manage your time wisely. Some helpful tips regarding time management can be found in a previous Toppel blog post, imaginatively titled, Time Management by Oleg Ignatenko.

2. "I’m an Engineer, so People Expect Me to be Anti-Social"

Engineers are known to be weird, quirky, photogenic, awkward, and often difficult to connect with on any sort of level. Trying to talk to an engineer can be a socially unpleasant experience, like walking over hot coals or any type of butt surgery. Listening to someone use big and possibly made-up words like “derivative” and “zirconium” is like trying to understand someone with a thick southern accent layer of peanut butter stuck to the roof of his/her mouth. It's an entirely different language. I'M TALKIN' STRAIGHT UP JAPANESE HERE FOLKS. But it’s okay, since all engineers are expected to act this way, right? Well first of all, it’s okay to be peculiar, but one should still be able to communicate effectively. Second of all, no.

Networking is the best way to land a job. There is a statistic somewhere from a highly trusted source (read: the internet) that says most candidates are hired through networking rather than online job postings. And in order to network, you need to have the soft skills that are not taught in the classrooms. Recently, companies are moving towards more behavioral-based interviews. These operate on the premise that an individual’s past performance indicates future performance. Therefore, having good social and interpersonal skills are necessary to communicate your experiences to your interviewer, or potential employers.

1. "I Should Focus All My Attention on Academics, Since That’s All Employers Care About"

Yes academics and grades are important, but so are the things you are passionate about. Employers will consider your academic performance, but what really sets you apart from the pack is your involvement. It doesn’t matter if the clubs or sports you participate in are unrelated to your desired career field. There are specific qualities that are transferable to almost any situation, like teamwork, leadership, and communication skills.

So if you’ve read this and decided to make an effort to becoming more involved, what’s next? Well, if you happen to be an engineer, then I would suggest you start with the multitude of engineering organizations on campus, such as Society of Women Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, etc. These organizations attend annual conferences where you can meet and network with professional engineers and companies, as well as fellow students across the country. In addition to these professional groups, make an effort to try a new club or sport, like wakeboarding, beach volleyball, or fencing. You never know where it may take you.