The dozen or so computer programmers who last week met over burgers and beers at a local brew house talked shop. But they were also developing relationships that just might help them advance their careers.
The gathering of PHP programmers – local experts at a programming language used by companies like Yahoo and Facebook to build their Web sites – have met monthly for more than a year. The group, whose members work daily in a range of industries, typically spends most of the evening talking about the technical aspects of their jobs.
But conversation also turns to local job openings available in the field, and it’s not unusual for a prospective employer to show up in hopes of getting a lead on job candidates, said Andrew Shearer, a senior analyst in Lifespan’s IT department, who organizes the monthly networking event.
“That happens pretty frequently,” Shearer said. “Someone wants to hire someone and drops by [for] a meeting or two.”
Professional development is traditionally thought of as classroom education, but the ability to network is a crucial skill for anyone aiming for a promotion or new, higher-paying job.
And while the ability to work effectively in social gatherings is largely thought of as a natural-born talent, it is a skill that can be learned with practice, said Kathie Shields, executive director of the Tech Collective, a nonprofit alliance of Rhode Island information technology and biotech industry groups.
Working on the premise that a person who cultivates professional relationships is more likely to advance their career than someone with the same skills but without the right contacts, Tech Collective is now hosting its first workshops aimed at teaching effective networking skills.
The workshops will provide tips and coaching to local professionals, in a range of industries, who may be good at the technical aspects of their jobs but are uncomfortable rubbing elbows and chatting at social functions and other networking events, Shields said
Many professionals mistakenly believe that networking is essentially the art of self-promotion. While effective networkers are, in fact, good at presenting themselves and their companies in social settings, they understand that networking is less about selling and more about listening, developing a rapport and figuring out what they can do for potential clients, business partners and colleagues, she said.
“The message we’re going to be delivering at this event is that effective networking really equals relationship development,” Shields said. “Instead of always looking for a business card and asking the questions, ‘What’s your name?’ and ‘What company do you work for?’ it’s more about finding out about the person.”
The Tech Collective decided to offer the networking workshop after a comprehensive report sponsored last year by the organization found that many local employers – particularly in the IT sector – contend with a shortage of employees and job candidates who possess a satisfactory amount of ‘people skills’ in addition to the requisite technical skills.
The report, which surveyed more than 70 employers in the business, nonprofit and academic sectors, found that many IT employers are finding it difficult to hire employees who not only possess skills in networking and system development, but also proficiency in areas including communication, project management, research and vendor management.
As a result, Tech Collective is aiming its networking workshop especially at middle managers and front-line employees working in the local IT and biotechnology industries, Shields said.
“Specifically for our industry we felt it was something that was really necessary,” she said. “These are the folks that typically have a characteristic in the technology world of being a little bit more shy and not as social.”
At the workshop, which will be held April 29 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Barnsider’s Mile and a Quarter in Providence, Tech Collective staff will offer a primer on networking skills, then demonstrate and offer tips on effective small talk through a few icebreaker activities and mock networking situations, Shields said.
About 50 professionals are expected to attend the workshop, including employees and managers from FM Global, UNICOM, Gilbane, Hasbro, Demand Diagnostics and other Tech Collective member companies, she said.
A second, larger event that Tech Collective will host on June 10, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Kirkbrae Country Club in Lincoln, will provide a larger setting to network and build peer relationships, Shields said.
Several local companies will have booths at the event, and randomly selected teams of four attendees will visit each booth destination to hear a five-minute presentation by each company.
Afterward, the teams will be asked to answer questions based on the information they received at each booth. Those with the most correct answers will have the best chance of winning several prizes.
The event is expected to draw up to 200 professionals, Shields said.
“It’s like speed dating, but it’s speed networking,” she said. “It’s learning how to listen carefully and identify quickly if there is any compatibility or comparable interests.” •
