Networking Your Way to Work
A workshop designed as a final learning project
Carol Donlon
Colorado State University
EDAE 668
Dr. Jeff Foley
November 25, 2012
Networking Your Way to Work
Workshop Summary
Networking Your Way to Workis a workshop designed as an extension to the training that participants have had related to conducting an effective job search. It will provide a review of the networking piece and will also provide an opportunity for them to extend and apply what they have learned previously. It is designed with the aim of: a) encouraging participants to network by reviewing the importance of networking as a tool to find work and b) helping them to overcome barriers (such as fear, lack of comfort) that they are experiencing in relation to networking.
Audience
Mature adults ages 50-64 who are not working and are seeking employment. There will likely be 12-16 participants.
Previous Learning Experience
Participants have already completed the New Horizons two week career exploration and job search program. They were taught that 80% of jobs are not advertized and how to tap into the hidden job market using various techniques such as networking. They learned about how to find people to network with and developed their 30 second summary of themselves to be used for networking. Teaching methods used in the New Horizons program consisted of mini-lecture, class discussion and pen to paper activities.
Problem
Despite learning about how and why to network, few participants of the New Horizons program are applying what they have learned to actively network. As such, learning transfer has not occurred.
What has hindered learning transfer?
In conducting informal interviews, it has been found that participants have not been applying the concepts that they learned because they do not believe that they will be able to successfully network or they are too uncomfortable to try.
Readiness / Motivation to Learn
This is a voluntary workshop. Participants who have signed up for the workshop are at the pre-contemplation and contemplation stages of making a change and are looking at expanding their traditional job search methods and trying networking. For many, this is the result of being frustrated that their traditional job searching methods have not resulted in finding employment and they are starting to reconsider networking.
Learning Objectives
After the workshop participants should be able to:
- Explain the importance of networking.
- Identify what barriers are holding them back from networking.
- Discuss and utilize strategies to overcome these barriers.
- Explain how to network.
- Describe the skills and experience that they have to be able to network.
- Demonstrate the ability to network.
- Devise a networking plan.
Activities
-Mingle – a warm-up networking icebreaker
-Class Discussion
-Pair and Group Discussion
-Case study
-Guided visualization
-Muscle Testing
-Deep breathing
-Reframing
-Role Play
-Pen and paper activities
-Goal Setting / planning
-Completing pre and post workshop assessment
-Watching a video on why you need to network at
-Viewing the AARP video – Networking To Get a Job at
There will be follow-up activities in order to assess if learning transfer has occurred and to provide support and guidance as needed. This will consist of a follow-up call four weeks after the workshop and opportunities for participants to drop in to the resource centre for help and to book appointments to discuss any obstacles and how to overcome them.
Materials / Supplies
-Refreshments – drinks, light snacks, snack size paper plates, snack size napkins
-CD player with CD’s to be played at the beginning of the workshop as participants enter, during breaks, and relaxation / guided visualization activity
-White board, flip chart and flip chart paper and markers
-Laptop, projector, screen
-CD/ USB stick with Powerpoint presentation
-Videos on networking
-Poster with the guidelines for a positive learning environment
-Posters with pictures of people networking / socializing
-Posters with motivational and inspirational quotes
-Handouts
-Pre-workshop assessment
-Post-workshop assessment
-Workshop feedback form
Learning Environment
Adults need a safe, supportive adult environment where they can share their experience and learn from others’ experiences. In order to appeal to and meet the needs of adult learners, the workshop needs to be meaningful, relevant, engaging and practical in solving problems.
In order for learning to occur, learners need to be ready and willing to learn. I need to obtain and maintain their attention through warm up activities, a variety of interactive activities, voice and movement variety, breaks, reading the audience body language and assessing and probing for needs. The environment needs to be comfortable and allow for sufficient lighting, hearing and inclusion. I will select a room that is large enough for breakout sessions and practice. The tables and chairs will be in groups of 4-6 on a diagonal.
As the facilitator I will build rapport and establish a safe, respectful and inclusive environment from the start. In order to do this, I will greet participants as they come in and draw their attention to the snack table for refreshments. I will start off with generating and discussing guidelines for a safe, respectful, inclusive and positive learning environment.
Participants will have an opportunity to practice their skills in pairs and triads and feedback will given in their small groups and individually.
Workshop Outline– a detailed outline, facilitator guidelines and activity details are included in on the power point presentation in the notes section. I have not included time frames for how long activities will take or when to have breaks and lunch. I have done this purposefully so that the facilitator will have the freedom to take their cues from the learners themselves. The workshop will be scheduled for a six hour period from 9:00a.m to 3:00p.m. There will be at least one 15 minute break in the morning and the same in the afternoon, with a 30 minute lunch break. However, it is important that the facilitator is attentive to the participants’ mental, emotional and physical needs and to take mini-breaks or stretch breaks (such as having a quick brain gym activity – cross lateral exercises) as needed. The workshop could also be done over two days however; the current preference of our groups has been to come in for one day workshops rather than two half day.
Setting the tone
- Greeting, socialization time
- Introduction of myself as the workshop facilitator and the workshop objectives
- Generate guidelines to create a positive learning environment and experience
- Warm- Up activity – Mingle (long icebreaker, however, it also serves to demonstrate what is networking and that they we know that they are able to network as they will have just done it).
- De-brief from warm-up activity
Learning activities are selected and sequenced in line with the 7 learning objectives identified.
Why network – why is it important
- Discussion of the importance of networking
-Discussion, video
Why aren’t we networking / barriers?
- Informal assessment of how many are currently networking
- Identification of barriers to networking
-Case Study, Discussion, Thought / Feeling/ Action Exercise, Learned Helplessness experiment discussion, Muscle testing
Strategies to overcome barriers
- Overcoming barriers to networking
-Skyscraper visualization, Traffic Jam, Reframing, Quotes, Deep breathing, Relaxation and Visualization of successful networking
- Identifying skills to network
-Discussion of the skills required, reflection of skills used and identification of skills they have to be able to successfully network (self-efficacy)
How to network
- How to network
-Role Play, debrief, discussion
- Practice networking and feedback
- Discussion and written activity to identify people to network with
Planning to network and working the plan
- Planning to network / goal setting
-Pen to paper activities,
-Informing participants about upcoming networking events and job fairs
Review and assessment
- AARP video on networking to get a job – summarizes and reviews workshop
- Group activity write out tips and strategies on networking your way to work
- Self – assessment
- Evaluation
Reflection
- Facilitator reviews feedback forms and conducts follow-up interviews to re-design workshop and provide additional offerings and support
Assessment
Prior to the workshop, participants were given an assessment questionnaire to identify their thoughts and behaviors regarding networking. The assessment will be given at the end of the workshop as well to determine what changes have occurred and what impact the workshop has had. In the pre-assessment, many of the responses were in the 1 and 2 category. It is hoped that after the workshop, these will move to a 4 and 5.
In order to ensure that the post-workshop assessment is not merely reflecting the halo effect and that networking is occurring, there will be a follow-up 4 weeks later to assess thoughts, behaviors and barriers. Participants will have an opportunity to receive individual support from staff counselors.
A copy of the pre and post workshop assessment is provided at the end of this document.
Feedback / Evaluation
At the end of the workshop participants will completethe standardized feedback form that they have completed after all workshops that they have attended. The feedback form is consistent in each workshop making it easier for participants to quickly complete. The feedback reflects how helpful the workshop was, what new information they learned, how it will help in their career search, suggested changes and additions, and comments regarding the facilitator. As this is a standardized form that I have not designed, it is not included for the project.
Critical reflection on transfer and instructional methodology
I developed the Networking Your Way to Work workshop from a humanistic perspective with the aim to help participants realize their potential and to successfully network. I designed it with the belief that learners have many strengths and skills that they bring to the learning environment and that these can be brought to the surface and used to help them successfully network their way to work.In line with the humanistic perspective, I have focused more on the process than the content.
In developing the Networking Your Way to Work workshop, I reflected on and incorporated a number of learning theories and selected a variety of instructional methodologies that are in line with those theories. These theories and theorists include:
Bandura – Social learning theory - learning through modeling and observation. Participants will observe role plays and discuss what was effective and not effective and then they will engage in their own role plays. I have utilized activities that link behavior and cognitive learning in the Thought, feeling, behavior activity.Participants need to have self-efficacy, the belief that they are capable of performing the taskif they are to stretch beyond their comfort zone and try networking. I have attempted to build self-efficacy by having participants identify the skills needed to be able to successfully network and then identifying their own skills and experiences that they have to be able to perform the task. I have also provided opportunities to practice these skills in a safe environment.
I have been cognizant of Bandura’s 4 components needed for learning transfer - attention, retention, reproduction and motivation. I have obtained their attention by designing the workshop to be very interactive, have used mnemonics and providedrepetition by coming at concepts in a number of different ways. I have modeled through demonstration and had them reproduce and practice what was learned. I have attempted to increase motivation by stressing the importance and personal benefits of networking while assisting them to remove barriers and believe in their ability to network.
Bloom – The workshop aims to promote mastery learning. The participants will have opportunities to practice their new knowledge and skills both in the workshop and after. They will also receive additional follow-up support to promote mastery.
Dewey’s – Learn by doing – Like Dewey, I believe that the learners should be active not passive and they make meaning through their experiences. I have provided a number of meaningful experiences in the workshop such as Mingle, the warm up activity, role plays, and practice. (Learning by doing was the missing piece in the New Horizons program, which makes this follow-up workshop both timely and relevant).
Fleming –Methods used will appeal to all four VARK learning styles and preferences:
Visual learning (pictures/ posters, videos, guided visualizations)
Auditory learning (music, discussion, guided visualization)
Reading and Writing (Listing skills to network and their own skills, writing out goals and plans, reading quotes and handouts, taking notes)
Kinesthetic learning (movement, hands-on activities, muscle testing)
As recommended by Fleming, I have taken learning styles and needs into consideration byselecting a room that I know has a good temperature and lighting, is free from too much outside noise, is spacious and comfortable, and designed the room to be inclusive and visually appealing. I willdisplayed motivational posters and provide relaxing music to set the tone and provide comfort. For kinesthetic learners, I have provided ample opportunity for physical activity and hands on activities.
The Networking workshop was also designed with a neuro-linguistic framework where participants not only examine their thoughts but also the language used to reflect those thoughts and how to reframe thoughts through language. (Traffic jam activity and reframing)
Friere – The workshop incorporates a great deal of dialogue and reflection. After a case study, learners will reflect and write their thoughts and then share them in a large group discussion. I do not view learners with a banking conceptlens of being empty vessels to be filled but rather as partners and teachers with a wealth of experience to build upon that will enhance their own learning, each others and mine. Starting right from the discussion of guidelines for a positive learning environment, I encourage participants to learn from each other as much as they do from me. I am a facilitator who guides the process for learning.
Gagne’ – As recommended by Gagne’, I have provided activities that retrieve prior learning from the New Horizons program and experience such as having a pre-assessment and creating associations with new learning such as their natural ability to talk to people, make friends and provide and receive information. Throughout the workshop I aim to build upon prior knowledge and experience, expand on it, and promote confidence so that the learners may become more self directed.
In line with Gagne’s recommendations, I have selected activities and methods of instruction that match the learning objectives. For instance, in identifying barriers, I will provide observable and directly related activities to show the barriers associated with negative thinking and fear. I used engaging, memorable, observable and interactive activities such as case study, the thought / feeling/ behavior activity, skyscraper and muscle testing. If I had utilized only discussion, this would not have the same impact and would not create the same learning association.
Gardner – Keeping Gardner’s multiple intelligences in mind; I utilized a wide variety of activities and strategies to appeal to a wide range of preferences. There is plenty of dialogue and discussion for the interpersonal and verbal learner. Adding to the appeal of the verbal/linguistic is an examination of the impact of our choice of words in the reframing activity as well as having plenty of ready and writing activities. Logical learners will enjoy seeing the causal system of the thought>feeling>behavior discussion. Visual learners will appreciate the colorful visuals such as posters of networkers, pictures in the power point and the guided visualizations. Bodily / kinesthetic learners will have opportunities to actively engage, move around, practice and experiment with body language. Musical selections to set the tone throughout various points in the workshop as well as the visualizations will appeal to musical learners. There will be opportunities for reflection which will appeal to the intrapersonal learner.
Knowles – in line with Knowles’s andragogical approach, the workshop design and process is experiential and problem oriented more so than subject oriented. Learner experience is utilized as a resource for learning. Through guidelines, set-up and approach, I have sought to provide an environment that is respectful, supportive, relaxed, and collaborative. I have utilized a variety of experiential techniques such as group discussion, role-play, case method, demonstration, and skill practice.
Jung – Jung’s theories were considered, as always, when I develop a workshop. I try to balance the needs of extraverts and introverts, as well as preferences for the four functions. For instance, I provide opportunities to reflect and organize thoughts prior to group work to allow for the needed internal processing for those with a preference for introversion. There are many opportunities for physical movement, observation and talking and interacting for those with a preference for extraversion.