Young Professional Forum - Building & Leveraging Professional Networks

Building and leveraging professional networks.
 
Leading the discussion will be John Bates, the Job-Guy. Through his work as career coach, John has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs and job seekers to define and present personal brands, identify new career directions, and develop powerful professional networks to generate leads.
 
John will lead a discussion on two concepts: developing mutually beneficial networks and the strength of weak ties.
 
Mutually beneficial networking is a strategy that involves targeting fellow professionals who serve the same client base, but provide different solutions. While this is a great technique for sales, it works for staff positions, too.
 
The strength of weak ties is a concept developed by a Stanford PhD several years ago. It emphasizes that while close bonds are a good thing, we often limit what we see and what we hear when everyone we are in contact with knows each other. Plenty of examples of great things happening through the efforts of complete strangers will be provided!


MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE YOUNG PROFESSIONAL FORUMS

Mission   To connect and develop young professionals in the Tri-Town area by providing networking opportunities, while gaining expert guidance from a variety of local business leaders, that promote the growth of peer relationships throughout our community.
 
How:   monthly meetings at the Chamber and area businesses to inform young professionals about Chamber members and help with common issues facing those starting their careers.
 
Why You, a Young Professional should attend:
This group is not the suit-and-tie, regimented, business pitch type of networking group. We are here to help develop skills and create meaningful connections in the area. There is no clock on how long you can talk about your business or professional needs. The Young Professionals group is here to help you develop your career.

 
 
Why a Company should encourage Young Professional to be involved:
The purpose of the Young Professionals Leadership Forum is to provide professional development on a monthly basis to enhance your employee's experience, therefore enhancing the future of your company. Young professionals from your organization will join others for monthly facilitated conversations on topics important to professionals in today's market. Did you know according to the Bureau of Labor the average worker stays in their position for 4.4 years, but the average for young professionals is less than 3 years. With the cost of a new hire hovering between 1.5-3 times the annual salaries, this high turnover can get expensive. The Tri-Town Chamber of Commerce recognizes the importance of mitigating costs for its member and has developed a Young Professionals Leadership Forum.
This group: