Today we visited Griffith College to meet guest speaker Rob Cullen. He graciously came in to talk to us about the art of networking. Upon arrival, he was a very vibrant and extroverted character that was excited to get to know us and spread his expertise. I was very impressed on how he took notes on each student and tried to become acquainted with each of us. One idea that he stressed was the importance of building relationships. Not just business partners off the bat : friendships. This is a very important fact to know because in Ireland they attempt business only if there is a foundation of friendship. Rob also talked about the idea of making a brand for yourself and being a leader. I loved the idea he offered of how powerful it is to be an “introducer” at networking events. I was amazed to hear that even if you barely know someone you can spark a connection by simply introducing that person to your own network.
I took away many networking techniques that I plan to bring to Pittsburgh. The first was his name tag idea. This idea was that you should put your name tag on your right shoulder when networking because with the movement of a handshake, the recipient will remember your name better. The second technique I am bringing home is how to stand while meeting new people in groups. He exemplified an open group and closed group and acknowledged how the open group is much more inviting for new networks. Overall, I am very happy we got to learn from Rob Cullen today!!
