Our First-Ever Networking Bootcamp

On the surface, professional networking can seem like a bunch of awkward small talk, swapping business cards, and free drinks. We see networking as the core of community building – one of our values at HUS. 

As we develop our internal workforce training systems, we’ve included networking and the art of the elevator pitch to ensure staff at HUS are prepared to cultivate their professional community for both their personal development and to support HUS. We created a space for our employees to overcome limited beliefs about networking. We encouraged seeing networking as an opportunity to have fun meeting people with shared values to help build a personal support system.

At our networking bootcamp we reviewed the nuts and bolts of networking: Selecting events; Choosing an outfit; Coming prepared; What to expect; and most importantly, reinforced being yourself. The team’s homework was to dive into who they were and what they brought to their role, then distill that into their own elevator pitch. 

We followed up with a Mock Networking event where the team gathered at a local restaurant to share our developed elevator pitches. We tested our spiels on one another, gave and received feedback, and built up a natural confidence in our professional introductions. We look forward to our next networking event to put our new skills to the test!