COMMITTEE SPOTLIGHT: Programs and Networking – Speed Networking

Committee Spotlight

By Ken Hitchner
After attending a few General Meetings in Somerville, Peter Nirchio watched PSGCNJ members arrive shortly before the scheduled presentations, grab a donut and a chair, and, after the presentations, he watched them leave.
So where was the networking, the number one activity in any job-search campaign? Career Coach Alex Freund says obtaining a job through networking in person has a success rate as high as 80 percent (in contrast, your chances drop to as little as 10 percent when networking on the computer).
Consequently, Peter decided to launch the group’s latest initiative, Speed Networking, which takes place Monday mornings in the basement of First Methodist Church in Somerville in the same space as the General Meeting. Networking begins promptly at 9:00 a.m. “Real networking is coming back,” says Peter, a process-development chemist who has plenty of experience with experiments.
Here are the ground rules for PSG’s Speed Networking:

  • Find a member who you have never met
  • Take turns presenting your “elevator” speech
  • Ask if that person knows someone in your targeted field or company
  • Exchange business cards
  • (Optional) Ask if that person would like to join your LinkedIn network

Peter says he will permit about five minutes per round to accommodate new members who haven’t perfected their 30-second speeches.
PSG member David Pastore, a marketing and sales professional, says he will come back to meet more people after attending the first Speed Networking session a few weeks ago. “The centerpiece for our Monday morning meetings has become the guest speaker and seminar, which is information that you can always find somewhere else. The biggest value about coming together on Mondays is meeting each other. The human connection cannot be gotten from a book or a website.”
What you can do:

  • Attend the Speed Networking session on Mondays at 9:00 a.m. at First United Methodist Church (Basement Meeting Hall), 48 West High Street, Somerville NJ 08876
  • Stay for the General Membership PSG meetings that follow the Speed Networking sessions at 10:30 a.m. at First United Methodist Church. To find the list of speakers, go to www.psgcnj.org and click the “Professional” button at the top of the page. Then, click on the “Newsletter” button in the left column. Helpful Tips

 

Leave a Reply