Chevening Networking/Relationship Building/Shared Learning Essay Taught by Chris Agape Scholar 2023

Summary

Chris Agape Aja, a Japanese scholar, shares insights on crafting a networking essay for a scholarship application. He emphasizes the importance of demonstrating one's ability to form beneficial networks and how these connections can enhance the applicant's country's work with the UK. Aja advises explaining the context of meeting network contacts, maintaining these relationships, and the mutual benefits gained. He also stresses the need to articulate how joining the Chevy Network will contribute to the UK's endeavors in one's country, providing a two-way benefit.

Takeaways

• 📝 The networking essay is a two-part process: demonstrating the ability to create beneficial networks and explaining how being part of the Chevening network will contribute to the UK's work in your home country.
• 🤝 It's crucial to explain how you met the person or network and provide context for the reader to understand the significance of the connection.
• 💡 Context is key; ensure that you provide enough details about how and where you met the person to avoid ambiguity.
• 🔗 Discuss how you maintained the network beyond the initial meeting, whether through meals, visits, phone calls, or social media interactions.
• 🚀 Highlight the benefits you gained from the network, such as achieving career or personal goals, to show the network's importance to your growth.
• 🤔 Avoid sounding like you only benefited from the network; also mention how you were beneficial to the other party and how the relationship was mutually advantageous.
• 💼 Use real-life examples, like the speaker's experience with their boss, to illustrate how a network can lead to opportunities and how you can contribute back.
• 🌟 For the second part of the essay, discuss how you would engage with the Chevening network, what unique qualities you would bring, and how you would be beneficial to the UK's work in your country.
• 📈 Show that you understand the value of the network and how it can be a two-way street, with you also contributing to the network's growth and impact.
• 📖 The speaker provides in-depth guidance and examples in the 'Ultimate Championing Guide' to help applicants craft a strong networking essay.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the networking essay for the German scholarship?

The networking essay serves two purposes: to demonstrate the applicant's ability to create beneficial networks and to show how their participation in the Chevening network will contribute to the growth and expansion of the UK's work in their home country.

What is the first aspect the essay should cover according to Chris Agape Aja?

The first aspect the essay should cover is explaining how the applicant created their network, including the context and circumstances of the initial meeting.

Why is context important when explaining how a network was created?

Context is important because it provides the reader with an understanding of the circumstances under which the network was formed, which is crucial for evaluating the significance and relevance of the network.

What is the second aspect that the networking essay should address?

The second aspect is maintaining the network, which involves explaining how the applicant has continued to communicate and engage with the network beyond the initial meeting.

How can applicants demonstrate the benefits they received from their network?

Applicants should explain how the network contributed to achieving a specific goal, career objective, or personal ambition, emphasizing the tangible outcomes that resulted from the network.

Why is it important for applicants to show they were also beneficial to the other party in their network?

Showing that the relationship was mutually beneficial helps applicants avoid sounding like they only took advantage of the network. It demonstrates a two-way exchange of value, which is more compelling and realistic.

What is an example of a networking scenario that Chris Agape Aja shared?

Chris shared an example where he volunteered for his current boss, which initially did not benefit him directly but later led to a job opportunity when the boss formed a company, illustrating a two-way beneficial relationship.

What is the second part of the networking essay that Chris Agape Aja mentioned?

The second part involves discussing how the applicant will engage with the Chevening Network, what unique contributions they will bring, and how they will be beneficial to the UK's work in their country or sector.

What additional advice does Chris Agape Aja give for writing a strong networking essay?

Chris advises applicants to provide context, explain the maintenance of the network, and emphasize its importance. He also suggests referring to the 'ultimate championing guide' for in-depth explanations and examples.

How does Chris Agape Aja recommend applicants show their engagement with the Chevening Network?

Chris suggests applicants should discuss their previous engagement with the network, if any, and outline their unique qualities and how they plan to contribute positively to the network and the UK's initiatives in their country.

What is the overall goal of the networking essay according to Chris Agape Aja's guidance?

The overall goal is to demonstrate the applicant's networking abilities, the value they bring to networks, and how they will contribute to and benefit from the Chevening Network, aligning with the UK's objectives in their country.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Insights on Writing a Networking Essay

Chris Agape Aja, a Japanese scholar at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, shares valuable tips on crafting a compelling networking essay. The essay is crucial for demonstrating one's ability to forge beneficial networks and explaining how one's participation in the network will enhance the work of the UK in one's home country. Key aspects to address include detailing the process of meeting and maintaining contacts within the network, the significance of these connections, and the mutual benefits derived from them. Chris emphasizes the importance of providing context to make the narrative relatable and understandable to the readers. Additionally, applicants should avoid appearing one-sided in their networking benefits and instead illustrate how they have also contributed positively to the network. The ultimate goal is to showcase a two-way beneficial relationship within the network.

Keywords

💡Networking Essay

A networking essay is a document that showcases an individual's ability to form and maintain beneficial relationships that can lead to professional growth. In the context of the video, it is a requirement for a scholarship application where the applicant must demonstrate their networking skills and how they can contribute to the growth of an organization or a country's work. The speaker emphasizes the importance of explaining the creation and maintenance of networks, as well as the mutual benefits derived from them.

💡Champion Network

The Champion Network refers to a group of individuals or organizations that are part of a larger initiative, in this case, the UK's work in a particular country. The video discusses how applicants should articulate how they would engage with and contribute to this network, highlighting their unique value and potential impact.

💡Context

Context is crucial in the networking essay as it provides the background and setting for the relationships being discussed. The speaker points out that simply stating a connection was made is not enough; applicants must provide the circumstances under which the connection was formed, such as at a conference or through social media, to give the committee a clear understanding of the network's significance.

💡Maintaining Network

Maintaining a network implies ongoing communication and interaction beyond the initial meeting. The video script uses examples like phone calls, social media conversations, and attending events to illustrate how one should nurture professional relationships. This持续性 is key to demonstrating the value and relevance of the network to the committee.

💡Mutual Benefits

Mutual benefits are the reciprocal advantages that both parties in a network relationship gain. The speaker stresses the importance of not only showing how the network has benefited the applicant but also how the applicant has contributed to the network. This two-way relationship is essential for a compelling networking essay, as it shows a balanced and productive connection.

💡Professional Growth

Professional growth refers to the development and advancement of one's career. In the video, the networking essay is linked to professional growth, as it should demonstrate how the applicant's networking has led to career advancements or the achievement of personal goals. This is a key aspect that the committee is interested in understanding.

💡Scholar

A scholar, in this context, is an individual who is engaged in academic study or research, often supported by a scholarship. The video is aimed at scholars applying for a specific scholarship, and the networking essay is a part of that application process. The speaker, a current scholar, provides insights and tips on how to craft a successful essay.

💡London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

This is the institution where the speaker, Chris Agape Aja, is a current scholar. It is mentioned to establish credibility and provide context for the speaker's expertise in the subject of networking essays. The school is known for its focus on public health, which may also be relevant to the types of networks and collaborations discussed in the video.

💡Outreach

Outreach in the video refers to community engagement activities or initiatives that aim to extend the services or influence of an organization. The speaker uses personal experience with outreach to illustrate how initial voluntary work can lead to networking opportunities and eventually professional growth.

💡Contribution

Contribution in the networking essay signifies the value that the applicant brings to the network. The video emphasizes that applicants should not only discuss what they have gained from their networks but also how they have given back, adding value to the relationships and the network as a whole.

💡Ultimate Championing Guide

This guide is mentioned as a resource that provides in-depth examples and explanations on how to write a networking essay. It is implied to be a comprehensive tool that the speaker has used or recommends, suggesting that it contains valuable insights for applicants looking to craft a strong networking essay.

Highlights

The networking essay is twofold, showing Germany's interest in applicants' ability to create beneficial networks and their potential contributions to the growth of the UK in their home country.

Applicants must explain how they created their network, emphasizing the importance of context in describing the meeting.

Mistakes to avoid include merely stating achievements without explaining the network creation process.

The context of meeting is crucial; applicants should describe how they met their network contact.

Maintaining the network is as important as creating it; applicants should detail how they sustained their connections.

Examples of maintaining a network include regular communication, visits, phone calls, and social media interactions.

The benefit of the network to the applicant's career or goals must be clearly articulated.

It's important to demonstrate that the network was not one-sided but also beneficial to the other party.

Applicants should provide an example of a networking scenario, such as volunteering, which later led to a job opportunity.

The two-way benefit of the network should be highlighted, showing how the applicant also contributed to the network.

For the second part of the essay, applicants should discuss how they will engage with and contribute to the Chevening Network.

Applicants need to explain what unique qualities they would bring to the Chevening Network and how they would be beneficial.

The essay should cover how the applicant's involvement in the network will contribute to the UK's work in their country or sector.

Applicants are advised to give context to the reading committee to understand the importance of their network.

The essay should be detailed, explaining how the network was maintained and why it's important.

The presenter mentions an in-depth guide with examples on how to explain the networking process effectively.

Transcripts

[Music]

hi there my name is Chris Agape Aja I'm

a current Japanese scholar at the London

School of hygiene and tropical medicine

and here are some tips for writing the

networking essay okay so the networking

essay basically let me start by you know

just giving an understanding of what the

networking essay is about the networking

essay is twofold Germany wants to see

first your ability to create

um beneficial networks right and then

also wants to know how you being part of

the champion network will contribute to

the growth and the expansion of what

channel is doing and the work of the UK

in your country so um you have to in in

your networking essay

um there are a couple of things you need

to look at first of all you need to

explain how you created that Network so

one of the mistakes that Scholars some

some applicants not Scholars some

applicants make is that they just say oh

you know I met this person and by

meeting this person he helped me achieve

this and do that you need to explain how

did you meet the person remember that

context is in important nobody knows

what you are saying so context is really

important so how did you meet this

person I met at a conference we met over

social media we met at a birthday party

however you met the person so how did

you meet this meet this network or meet

this contact secondly how did you

maintain the network commitmenting the

contact so um it can't be someone in

your network if you just met once and

forgot about it you must have

communicated beyond that initial meeting

so was it via meals was it via you know

visiting the person's office was if you

have phone calls was it continuous

conversations on social media did you go

for their event how did you maintain

this content so how you you established

a network or contact how you maintained

it and then thirdly and then which

critically what was the benefit of this

network to you or your career or your

goals the network is not important if

you did not yield anything right we meet

thousands of people every day or you

know in a year or In Our Lifetime but

not all of them are critically important

so how did meeting and maintaining this

network contribute to you achieving a

goal a career goal or personal goal of

yours so that's really really important

that should be top of mind um for each

of your essays um of course please give

context

um let's let the reading committee needs

to understand why this is an important

Network you understand why was this

network important how did you meet the

the person how did you maintain it and

then how did that translate to you

achieving you know something critical

something important one other thing I

would like to add which um some you know

people may easily Miss is that you also

don't want to sound like you are a

parasite for lack of a better word so

it's also important you mention how you

were beneficial to to the other party

and or how this network was also

beneficial to the person you met um one

of my networking examples

um which I gave in my essay where I

currently work I met my boss a long time

ago and I did you know it was voluntary

work

um you know he was just we're running

outreaches at that time and I did

voluntary work for him I spearheaded an

Outreach there was really no benefit to

me as it were just you know remitted

data but then two three years down the

line you know he had now formed the

company and you know so I I reached out

to him and said oh I would like to be

part of what you're doing and then he

was able to bring me on board and and

bring me on board give me that

opportunity and of course I'm

contributing the company and also being

part of the company helped me to have

more impact so I was able to give that

context showing that it was a two-way

thing I you know the network was

beneficial to to him and it was also

beneficial to me so it's also important

that you're able to show in your

examples how you know you contributed to

that so that's for the first part the

second part is also you saying that now

coming into the Chevrolet Network how

are you engaging with the Chevrolet

Network have you engaged with the

champion Network before what would you

bring what's unique about you why do you

think you're going to be beneficial how

will you come in onboard the Chevy

Network contribute to what the UK is

doing

um in your country or in your sector so

those are the two you know aspects that

your networking essay should you know

cover and I explain all of this

in-depthly in the ultimate championing

guide with examples how you can explain

so

um I believe with these tips you'll be

able to put in a strong Network

um application never forget to explain

your how how you maintain it and why

it's important all right thank you so

much

[Music]