Mock Informational Meeting

Summary

In this video, Nathan Perez conducts a mock 20-minute networking meeting with an MBA grad, Taos, and an executive. The meeting focuses on career development, with Taos seeking insights into management roles. They discuss Taos's background, the importance of articulating one's experience, and the value of building relationships. Nathan shares his career path, emphasizing the need for diverse expertise and continuous learning. He advises networking with peers for job search insights and offers to connect Taos with finance professionals in the food industry. The video concludes with a reminder of the importance of reciprocity in networking.

Takeaways

• 😀 Networking meetings should be efficient and respect the other person's time, ideally lasting about 20 minutes.
• 🔍 It's beneficial to have a clear career goal in mind when networking, focusing on gathering information rather than directly seeking a job.
• 🤝 Building relationships is crucial for career advancement, and networking should aim to foster such connections.
• 📈 A successful career path often involves gaining expertise in various areas, such as sales, marketing, and finance, to prepare for leadership roles.
• 💼 Tailoring your narrative to fit the context of the conversation can help articulate your value and experience effectively.
• 📚 Continuous learning and staying updated with industry trends and leadership development are essential for leaders.
• 🗣️ Networking isn't just about connecting with executives; it's also valuable to network with peers and those slightly ahead in their careers for practical insights.
• 🤔 When asking for advice, be prepared to offer something in return, fostering a relationship based on reciprocity.
• 📝 Follow up after the meeting to show gratitude and maintain the connection, potentially sharing relevant resources or contacts.
• ⏳ Remember that networking is a long-term investment, and the key to building trust is giving back to the relationship.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the 20-minute networking meeting discussed in the video?

The main purpose of the 20-minute networking meeting is to conduct a focused and efficient conversation that aids in career development, without necessarily asking for a job. It's more about gathering information to inform one's career path and goals.

Who are the two characters featured in the mock networking meeting?

The two characters in the mock networking meeting are Taos, a soon-to-be MBA grad, and an executive played by Nathan Perez.

Why is it important to be sensitive to the executive's schedule during the meeting?

Being sensitive to the executive's schedule is important to show respect for their time and to ensure the meeting remains productive and within the agreed-upon duration of 20 minutes.

What does Taos mention about his experience managing junior interns before starting his MBA?

Taos mentions that he was able to manage three junior interns the year before starting his MBA, which he found to be a positive and confirming experience for his desire to be a people leader in a corporate environment.

How does the executive describe the various paths to becoming a general manager?

The executive describes that there are several paths to becoming a general manager, traditionally through roles in sales, marketing, or finance. The key is to gain expertise in all these areas to oversee the day-to-day operations of the entire organization.

What opportunity did the executive take to transition into different areas of expertise?

The executive took an opportunity that arose when the marketing division worked closely with the sales division, which allowed him to gain experience in a different area and eventually led to more opportunities.

Why is articulating one's background effectively important in networking?

Articulating one's background effectively is important in networking because it allows others to understand how your skills and experiences fit into potential roles and opportunities, which can lead to more traction in one's career path.

What is the skill that the executive believes all good leaders possess?

The executive believes that all good leaders possess the ability to make and maintain relationships. He emphasizes that healthy working relationships with colleagues are as valuable as technical expertise.

Why does the executive suggest networking with peers in addition to experienced professionals?

The executive suggests networking with peers because they can provide insights into current job search trends and experiences, which may be more relevant and relatable than the perspectives of those who have been out of the job market for a longer time.

What does Taos offer the executive at the end of the meeting as a token of gratitude?

Taos offers the executive an article written by Johnston Brown, VP of Marketing at Vivid Tech, on the importance of relationships in the workplace, and expresses his willingness to connect the executive with Johnston if there's overlapping interest.

What is the closing thought offered by Nathan Perez about networking and relationship building?

The closing thought offered by Nathan Perez is that people and relationship building are the foundation of networking, and that reciprocity is key to building trust with others. He emphasizes the importance of giving and giving back to make a positive impression and foster professional relationships.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Introduction to the Mock Networking Meeting

In this segment, Nathan Perez introduces the third video of a series, where he discusses the importance of networking. He mentions the previous videos, which covered the reluctance around networking and the steps of a 20-minute networking meeting. The current video presents a mock networking meeting between Taos, an MBA graduate, and an executive played by Nathan. The meeting is designed to show how networking can be fluid and effective, even though the video is a truncated version of an actual meeting. The conversation starts with a casual chat about a local restaurant and moves into the purpose of the meeting, which is to discuss career development rather than seeking a job. Taos expresses gratitude for the executive's time and mentions a mutual connection, Abigail Smalls, who introduced them. The conversation then shifts to Taos's background, which includes a BS BA from the University of Kentucky, internships, and a role in management at a plant in Indiana. The segment ends with Taos sharing his experience managing junior interns and his aspirations to be a people leader in operations.

05:02

📈 Career Path Discussion and Networking Tips

This paragraph delves into the discussion of career paths and networking strategies. The conversation starts with Taos asking the executive about their transition from a marketing role to becoming a general manager of a small Foods Group. The executive explains that there are multiple paths to such a position, including through sales, marketing, or finance, and emphasizes the importance of gaining expertise in these areas. The executive also shares their personal journey, which involved creating opportunities and networking both internally and externally. The discussion then shifts to the importance of tailoring one's resume and the value of networking for both career insights and job search strategies. The executive suggests that networking with peers can provide relevant job search insights, while networking with experienced professionals offers broader career insights. The segment concludes with Taos expressing gratitude and asking if there's anything he can do to help the executive, to which the executive responds positively and suggests staying in touch.

10:02

🤝 Conclusion on Networking and Reciprocity

In the final paragraph, Nathan Perez wraps up the video by emphasizing the foundational role of relationship building in networking. He stresses the importance of reciprocity in building trust, suggesting that one should always aim to give and give back in professional relationships. Nathan offers a closing thought on the significance of maintaining good relationships and being remembered fondly by others in a professional context. He concludes by wishing viewers success in their careers and networking endeavors, encouraging them to apply the insights gained from the video to their own networking meetings.

Keywords

💡Networking

Networking refers to the process of building and maintaining relationships with others, particularly in a professional context. In the video, networking is the central theme, as it demonstrates how to conduct a successful 20-minute networking meeting. The script shows Taos, an MBA grad, networking with an executive to gain insights into a career path he's interested in. The video emphasizes the importance of networking for career development.

💡Career Path

A career path is the trajectory of professional roles and experiences an individual follows over the course of their working life. The video script discusses Taos's interest in understanding the career path of the executive he's networking with, as it is similar to the one Taos is pursuing. The concept is used to illustrate the strategic aspect of networking, where individuals seek to learn from others' experiences to inform their own career decisions.

💡MBA Grad

An MBA (Master of Business Administration) grad is someone who has completed a graduate-level business degree program. In the script, Taos is a soon-to-be MBA grad, which sets the context for his career aspirations and the type of networking he is engaged in. The MBA grad status is significant as it indicates a level of professional education and ambition that influences the kind of networking he undertakes.

💡Reciprocity

Reciprocity in the context of networking means the practice of exchanging favors or services with the expectation that the other party will do the same. The video script concludes with a mention of reciprocity as a key to building trust in relationships. It suggests that by giving and giving back, individuals can foster positive and professional relationships, which is a fundamental aspect of successful networking.

💡Relationship Building

Relationship building is the process of creating and nurturing interpersonal connections. The video script highlights that relationship building is the foundation of networking. It is exemplified in the script through the interactions between Taos and the executive, where they engage in a conversation that aims to establish a professional relationship that could be mutually beneficial in the future.

💡General Manager

A General Manager is a senior executive responsible for managing the overall operations and resources of a company or a division. In the video, the executive that Taos is networking with is a General Manager, which provides a specific career goal for Taos to explore. The script uses this role to illustrate the various paths and experiences that can lead to such a position, emphasizing the importance of diverse professional experiences.

💡Resume Tailoring

Resume tailoring is the practice of customizing a resume to match the specific requirements of a job application. In the script, the executive advises Taos to articulate his background in a way that is tailored to each opportunity, similar to how one would tailor a resume for each job application. This concept is important in the video as it underscores the need for individuals to effectively communicate their skills and experiences to potential employers.

💡Peer Group

A peer group consists of individuals who are at a similar stage in their professional or educational careers. The video script suggests that networking with one's peer group can provide valuable insights into current job market trends and the job search process. It contrasts with networking with more experienced professionals, highlighting the unique perspectives that peers can offer.

💡Professional Development

Professional development refers to the process of acquiring new skills, knowledge, and experiences that contribute to an individual's career growth. In the video, the concept is discussed in the context of the executive's advice to Taos about the importance of continuous learning and staying informed about industry trends. It is presented as a key aspect of being a successful leader and professional.

💡Mentorship

Mentorship is a relationship in which a more experienced or knowledgeable person guides a less experienced individual in their professional development. In the script, Abigail is mentioned as a mentor to Taos, highlighting the role of mentorship in career growth. The video uses this concept to show how networking can lead to such relationships, which are valuable for career guidance and support.

Highlights

Introduction to a mock 20-minute networking meeting between a soon-to-be MBA grad and an executive.

Emphasis on the importance of networking and its role in career development.

The meeting is a truncated version to fit a 10-minute video, illustrating the fluidity of a networking meeting.

The MBA grad is seeking advice rather than a job, aiming to inform career path and goals.

Mention of a mutual connection, Abigail, who introduced the two and provided a personal touch to the meeting.

Background provided by the MBA grad, including education and work experience, to set context for the discussion.

Discussion on the transition from marketing to general management and the varied paths that can lead to such a position.

Advice on gaining expertise in multiple areas to prepare for a general manager role.

The importance of creating opportunities and networking both internally and externally.

Insight on tailoring one's background presentation to fit different professional contexts.

The value of continuous learning and staying updated with industry trends for leaders.

Emphasis on the skill of building relationships as a key to success in any leadership role.

Suggestion to network with peers as well as senior professionals for a balanced perspective.

Offer to connect the MBA grad with finance professionals in the food industry.

Recommendation to stay in touch and the importance of reciprocity in networking.

Closing thoughts on the foundational nature of relationships in networking and the significance of giving back.

Final words of encouragement and an offer for further assistance, highlighting the supportive nature of the meeting.

Transcripts

hi I'm Nathan Perez and welcome to video

three in video one I talked about the

importance and reluctance around

networking in video 2 I covered each

step of the 20-minute networking meeting

in this video you'll see a mock

20-minute networking meeting in its

entirety just for a little bit of

background

it features taos a soon-to-be MBA grad

networking with an executive who played

by me created a career path that Taos is

interested in now it's important that I

say that as this video is only 10

minutes long it's a truncated version of

an actual meeting the good news is as we

state in the book a handful of times

no one meeting must last exactly 20

minutes in some cases they'll be longer

in some cases they'll be shorter but

without a doubt watching the following

will give you a really good sense on how

fluid and effective such a meeting can

be enjoy

hi are you are you house yes like Nathan

I'm Nathan had a nice to meet you

there's a restaurant down the street the

whale inspired do you know it yeah it's

like right around this corner maybe has

like a red awning on that organic

ingredients locally sourced locally

sourced yeah it's a really uh my

colleague just introduced it to me like

a month ago I walk by it all the time it

hadn't been in there oh well thank you

so much for sitting down with me I want

to be sensitive to your schedule so I

only take about twenty minutes of your

time to ask about three questions as

they relate to my career development oh

sure okay are you looking for a job yes

but I'm not asking for one it's more

about research to inform my career path

and and goals which reminds me Abigail

smalls who are introduced us she asked

me to say hi oh oh that's right yeah

have you Abbey and I work together like

a long long time ago I haven't see how

is she doing she's great you worked at

the green initiative together right

that's right she's been a mentor to me

and she mentioned that that's where the

two of you got your start yeah and she

also thought that your career path is

similar to the one I'm on and that you

would be the perfect person for me to

connect with oh I see okay but before we

get into that I'd love to give you just

a 60 second snapshot of my background

for some context if that would be okay

uh yeah actually that would that be

great okay so I earned my BS BA from the

and ice

of business in Kentucky and three of the

four years I had paid internships and

the third year my third internship it

was at the mill so let's plant across

the river in New Albany Indiana yeah and

I assisted Chris Souza who is a general

manager there and ready in the plant for

sale to a holding company which is also

how I ended up getting to Minneapolis I

from that experience I suspected that I

really like to be in management in the

corporate environment

but I asked Chris his opinion and he

connected me to a B so we had a video

meeting yeah and then a temporary

position opened up in her division so

she sent me the link and I applied two

interviews and I landed the role you got

the job congratulations

so the year before I started my MBA I

was able to manage three junior interns

oh wow that's that's quite a lot of

experience but I have so how'd it go I

loved it

now I'm a hundred percent sure that I

want to be a people leader in a busy

operations group Cory brings me to the

president two years later and my first

question okay so your LinkedIn profile

mentions that you worked in marketing

after receiving your MBA yeah and then

you had a few other experiences before

becoming the general manager of a small

Foods Group yeah so I'm curious as to

what your path was like that led you

here

right you mean like like maybe like

steps that he took sure were there more

choices or was it by promotion mm-hmm I

guess it was a little bit you know both

there are a few different paths that you

can take to get to a general manager

position the more traditional ones are

gonna be sales marketing maybe finance

there's actually quite a few different

ways to get there but I think the most

important thing to do is is gain an

expertise in all of those areas your

role as a general manager is to oversee

day-to-day operations essentially the

entire organization so yeah how did you

transition into having experience in all

those different areas oh wow well that

goes back to the the initiative at that

at that time is going back to see if I

can remember at that time the marketing

division worked really closely with the

sales division

and there was an opportunity that popped

up I apply for it I kind of like jumped

all over it after that though I think I

sort of realized that these things don't

really kind of fall into your lap and

then I try to create opportunities for

myself when I went out and I started

meeting a whole bunch of people both

internally and externally and they got

an understanding of my background they

got a better idea of how I fit into

things and then I got a lot more

traction that way okay I see that makes

sense so I should really learn how to

articulate my background well oh yes no

question about it have you ever it's

kind of like you ever heard that you you

should kind of have a different resume

for each thing that you apply for and

it's sort of tailored for each one of

those experiences the idea is the same

you want to be able to talk about your

background in a way that allows them to

kind of put the pieces together that you

know in a way that they're not able to

do just by looking at your resume okay

that's very helpful

did you find that that also helped with

your networking as well oh no question

about it I mean it definitely helped

with the interviewing but if I hadn't

been doing it with my networking I don't

think I didn't actually be here talking

to you okay well that leads me to my

third question which is what is this

skill that makes you so good at your

work hmmm well you know I think it's a

skill that all really good leaders have

and that's the ability to make

relationships I mean I have a I have a

really good business acumen I have a lot

of experience but to be honest with you

if if you don't have really healthy

working relationships with your

colleagues there's as much value to your

expertise anything else besides

relationships I mentioned technical

skills that's gonna be important but I

think I think what all really good

leaders share is is their knowledge

they're constantly absorbing more and

constantly educating themselves and

staying on top of trends and

and leadership development and

what-have-you and especially in a role

like a general manager position where in

operations there's so much to keep track

of so educating yourself informing

yourself

thank you that's that's great that's

really all I have for now just oh do you

know anyone who might be a finance

professional and foods that I could talk

to you mean kind of according to what

your career path like what you're doing

now yeah two people the first person is

Jenny Trexler second person is a

gentleman by the name of Sam graver but

you know what I don't have any of that

information with me right now but if you

follow up with me after this then I can

I can send it to you whatever cool so

but can i maybe give you an idea who

else to network with besides the people

in your chosen area of course I really

consider networking with your peer group

I think I I sort of made that mistake

coming out of my MBA program and it was

a little hyper focused on meeting with

executives and all the people that I

thought were gonna be the best contacts

and the more important people and I did

myself a disservice by not not only

networking with people who were just

ahead of man and and getting an idea of

what it was all about that make sense

sure so you mean like other grads yeah

other grads other people who were maybe

just two years ahead of you they got two

years ahead of you any experience to

give you an idea of what it looks like

that makes sense so someone who recently

graduated would have more relevant

experience for me than someone who's

experienced professional and hasn't had

to go through a job search in some time

right right the times of change and it's

different now than it wouldn't look like

then and it's gonna be like that going

forward and asking your contemporaries

and the people who are in your peer

group it'll give you that kind of

insight networking with executives and

prend

experienced professionals like me will

definitely give you career insight what

your peer group will will give you the

job search insight thank you so much I

really appreciate it I want to be

sensitive to your time so just one last

thing is anything I can do to help

you oh I kind of wasn't expecting that

question um

I can't think of anything at the moment

that I would love to stay in touch

absolutely that would be great okay I'd

like to show my gratitude for you having

taken the time to meet with me this is

an article written by Johnston Brown who

is VP of Marketing at vivid tech yeah

he's been one of my mentors in my MBA

program it's an article about the

importance of relationships in the

workplace and if there's any overlapping

interest I'd be happy to connect the two

of you I would love that thank you

wonderful so I'll send you a follow-up

email to get Jenny and Sam's information

and at the same time I'll I'll send an

introductory email to you and Johnston

that's perfect thank you very much and

please stay in touch if I can answer any

questions just send me an email and

we'll get on the phone

wonderful second thank you so much

Nathan this has been so helpful and I

feel like I'm gonna have a lot more

confidence in what I'm doing

ah I'm glad to know that please stay in

touch let me know what's going on if you

have any questions just uh let me know

okay wonderful

mr. Lee you too did you get an idea of

how a 20-minute networking meeting is

run if you've already read the book

hopefully you can now see how simple and

straightforward a networking meeting can

be if you haven't read the book it's a

quick read

not to mention chock full of real-world

scenarios short stories meeting examples

and dozens of tips and observations from

students hiring authorities and

recruiting experts to make your own

20-minute networking meeting smooth and

easy

as we Wine things down I'd like to offer

you a closing thought remember that

people in relationship building are the

very foundation of networking and try to

remember that reciprocity is key to

building trust with others always try to

give and always try to give back it's

what's gonna make others remember you

fondly and think of you professionally

I'm Nathan Perez I wish you well in your

career and the best of luck in your

networking