Networking Assignment.
Important Note: there are 2 forms that must be completed and signed and handed in with the networking assignment or else it will not be graded. The first form is the Notice of Informed Consent and all students must have the individuals they interview sign the form. The second form is a Confidentiality Agreement that the student must sign. Both of these forms are posted in Moodle for you to print. If you conduct a phone or email interview the individual must send you an email stating “I have read the informed consent and agreed to participate in the networking assignment for (student name).”
To complete this assignment, you need to establish networks with two (2) people in your field of interest and conduct a face to face or telephone interview. For example, if you are interested in accounting then speak to recent accounting graduates, chartered accountants and/or people who work for companies that interest you. The individuals you choose do not have to be in a purely business-related field (e.g. they can be from the arts and sciences, entertainment industry, food and restaurant or hospitality industry, medical field, etc). These contacts are to benefit you so choose individuals from fields that you feel might be of interest you. Your two (2) individuals can be from the same or different fields
If you are unsure what career path you wish to pursue, speak to people in management, entrepreneurship, marketing and/or finance. The purpose of this assignment is to:
1. Assist you in learning more about your potential career.
2. Make valuable connections with people who can provide advice, guidance and perhaps serve as a role model.
2. See how some of the theories that we learn about in class are applicable to real world situations
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The best sources for potential networking opportunities:
1.) Family – immediate family (mother, father, spouse, siblings) cannot be used directly, but they probably know someone you can talk to.
2.) Once you complete one interview, ask him or her if they can introduce you to somebody that may be of interest.
3.) If people are really stuck for someone to interview then try contacting the MSVU Alumni office. The office would be a good starting place to find out about recent grads who may be working in your field. Additional places to look for interview candidates on campus include: Career Services, the Centre for Women in Business and your professors.
What kind of questions should I ask?
You should probably start with basic questions and then move to questions that relate course material to the real world. The following questions, however, must be included in your interview:
Basic Questions:
1.) What educational background do you have?
2.) What were the most important things you learned in life or school that have assisted you in your field?
3.) What do you do on a day-to-day basis?
4.) Is your job enjoyable?
5.) Would you recommend this career to someone? Why or Why not?
6.) What advice would you offer students that are thinking about this as a career?
Additional Question:
In addition to the above 6 questions, you are required to ask additional questions based upon the industry the person you are interviewing works in and the specific job he or she does. Some examples:
1.) If the person you are interviewing is an entrepreneur, you might ask: When you started your company did you write a business plan? Why or why not? Was it hard to get financing?, etc.
2.) If the person works in marketing, you might ask: How has the Internet changed the way you promote products? Has the Internet impacted other aspects of your marketing strategy?
3.) If the person works in Human Resources, you might ask: Has it been difficult to fill positions over the last number of years? What does your company do to remain attractive to potential employees?
What do you pass in?
You will submit to your professor the following:
1) A summary of who you interviewed describing their education, work background and why you decided to interview them;
2) A brief summary of what you learned from the interview;
3) Describe what, if anything, you found surprising in the interview;
4) Why you believe networking will be important for you in both your personal life and career;
5) Include at the end of your written submission the questions you asked and the answers received.
The written submission for items 1 through 4 above should be approximately 2-3 pages, typed and double-spaced. For number 5 above, there is no page limit because your question and answers from the interviews will all be different – some of you might have 5 pages of questions and answers from an interview while others might have 2 pages. Ensure you type up the questions and answers and add them to the end of your document.
To meet ethical standards at the university, you must all have the Informed Consent Form signed by the people you interview. This document can be found in the Moodle site for this course. If you undertake a phone interview, the individual must send you an email confirming that they were read the Informed Consent and agreed to be interviewed. Your assignment cannot be graded without the signed Informed Consent Form and/or the email noted above.