The Noisiest Starbucks
One area I am concentrating my workshops on is the law. I noticed that lawyers get a lot of training, but little or none on how to network, which is crucial to those who go into a law or lobbying firm, as you are responsible for building your book of business.
I have been reaching out and being asked to connect with lawyers in all stages of their careers to get their input so I can create a great program.
That led me to meeting David O’Donaghue, a lawyer with Winston & Strawn. I worked with David’s father Bill, whom I kept in touch with over the years, to make an introduction.
This led to a lovely yet quick, coffee at the noisiest Starbucks!
While at Loyola, he took advantage of all of the events at law school to make friends and create a network that helped him get his current position.
He also got to know one of his professors well — who, as luck would have it, was still in contact with former students who worked at Winston & Strawn!
His top tips:
Don’t treat networking as a transaction.
Bring something to the table that you can give. It doesn’t have to be an item; it could be a suggestion or recommendation.
Network in your place of work. There are many opportunities to get to know your colleagues and partners. When you do this, though, be specific and thoughtful about what you want to get out of the conversation.
These are simple, actionable items you can bring into your routine that can build a strong, life- changing network.
Want to help you team create a purposeful network? Contact me at janvkostner.com I’ll create a program to help your team create long lasting connections.
