In this episode, we're joined by Chris Rea, head of strategic relationships and Hedd to break down what networking really means, and why it could be one of the biggest career skills you develop
Participants
- Emily Slade - podcast producer and host, Prospects
- Chris Rea - head of strategic relationships and Hedd
Transcript
Chris Rea: You don't have to say a great deal. You just have to be yourself. Be natural, be polite, be curious. And quite possibly, the person that you're talking to is just the same as you.
Emily Slade: Hello and welcome back to Future You, the early careers and student advice podcast brought to you by Prospects. I'm your host, Emily Slade, and I'm joined today by Chris Rea.
Chris Rea: Hello there.
Emily Slade: Would you like to explain who you are?
Chris Rea: I would love to. I am head of strategic relationships in the Student Services Department at Jisc, working on Prospects on Luminate, our research platform, and the degree verification service Hedd.
Emily Slade: Amazing. So we're here today to talk about networking, how to build connections that boost your career. So why, let's start with, does the word networking make people so uncomfortable?
Chris Rea: It really does. I know, I'm not sure why it should particularly, but I think the reasons it does are to do with associations of overly formal, awkward situations of people wearing formal dress. sipping warm white wine, exchanging business cards.
Emily Slade: Yeah, American Psycho style.
Chris Rea: Exactly. And that's because it's true. There is an element of that. There will be at least one instance of fact that you might well encounter. However, the good news is that networking is not just about that. I think it's one of those terms which can just keep expanding in its sort of meaning. Because really, it's a synonym for, should be a synonym for building enduring relationships.
Emily Slade: Yeah.
Chris Rea: That's what it is, I think.
Emily Slade: Yeah, because if you called it like meeting new people and having a chat, it'd be like, sign me up.
Chris Rea: Chat working would be, you know, so the job is to rebrand networking. I think that's our job today. So, yes, it's and that can happen anywhere, can't it really? if we're thinking of it as a professional asset that you can develop and need, and in fact you need to develop because you can't go through your working life without having networked, even if it's not conscious. You know what I mean? I mean, you build up networks because you work with people and you get to know people and you talk to people and you learn from them. And some of them you develop more in a stronger way than with others. And that might be to do with, you know, the kind of work you're doing, the importance of that to that time. And then there's all the sort of the social aspect of work. And when I say that, I don't just mean social events that come with work, like, you know, dos or going out and stuff, although, you know, they're helpful, but it's work as a sort of sociable activity. But it's not just about the mechanics of the job. It's like getting to know people. enjoying the company, spending time with them, and they may not just be people that you work with, it could be people in other teams, departments, or companies, as well as if your working life develops, you can't help but build up. a network of people. You develop an external profile as well as an internal one.
Emily Slade: And so when we think networking, I always think it's just external strangers, but it could be someone within the company that's just in a different team or I think that's all still networking. That all counts
Chris Rea: It really, really does. And you know, I'm thinking of where we work in Jisc, which is a reasonably large organisation. I think it helps to get to know people in areas that aren't necessarily aligned with your own. but helps build your knowledge. But you never know when you might be working with those people or you might never know when you might need to sort of lean on some of your bit of expertise or that support or finally, just to be interested in what your business does generally. Because I think that's good, isn't it? The more you know, the better it is.
Emily Slade:100%. So if they're not just formal occasions with warm white wine, what does networking actually look like in 2026?
Chris Rea: It's a hugely digital experience as well as a face-to-face, although I will say that there's no substitute, I think, for just meeting people and talking to them wherever you can. But, building networks through LinkedIn, obviously, I mean, I suppose, is still, I think, is still an important place to communicate yourself out into the world and meet other people. As a student, I think it's going to university career service organised business events where employers come and then we have an evening or an afternoon talking to recruiters or alumni or in people, new graduates in jobs. I think that's incredibly important. I think going to a careers fair, jobs fair is very, very important. And interestingly, during the lockdown period, obviously all those things stopped and there was a bit of a tendency after that to think, well, all this stuff now can be done virtually. That's not the case at all. There's more and more of return, which I think is a good thing, to physical events where employers meet prospective employees in that sort of environment. Places like that, I've known so many instances where people have got their jobs from a good, impactful conversation on a standard jobs fair. That's where the journey had started for them. and they continued from there. So, and that was huge for networking to us and getting to know people in the business. They may be interviewing you at some states, they may not be, but at least who they are and they can vouch for you and speak to you about you and recommend you and know you were.
Emily Slade: Yeah, you say impactful conversation. How do you know what to say to someone?
Chris Rea: I mean, the basics of what we think of networking can be very, very challenging, can't it? And I'm just going back to that stereotypical context of, a lot of people milling around in a convention centre with their buses and everything. It does take quite a bit to just launch into a conversation. So to go up to somebody and say, hi, I'm such a buddy and who are you and what do you do? But I think once you've broken the conversational ice, there's very few people that you can't start talking to and find something. But that's where I think, again, one of the things that unlocks this is don't just treat a networking opportunity as like an instinctive thing. Be prepared for it. So if you're going to any kind of event, for example, say a networking, a formal networking event, who's hosting it? Who is likely to be there? What are their experiences likely to be? What kind of jobs are they doing? All that sort of stuff. Because you can research good networking opportunities. You can go prepared. So that point at which you arrive at, where what do I say to somebody? Well, you should have a bit of stuff stacked up in your mind. You know what you need to say.
Emily Slade: Yeah, like who they are, what you have to get out of them.
Chris Rea: Yeah.
Emily Slade: But there's also nothing wrong with just being like, what's your favourite colour?
Chris Rea: No, not at all, not at all. And that's a killer question. You get the answer wrong. I mean, if you, no, I meant blue. But also, never forget that people love talking about the jobs as well. So if you're stuck for anything to ask somebody in that kind of context from a company, so well what do you do and why is that important and how have you done it? People love talking about work in my experience anyway. So really just get them talking and then bring yourself into it. But you're right also the sort of the, non-work related stuff is crucial because building relationships fundamentally is 2 human beings get to know each other. And there's a million ways that they can do that. It doesn't matter whether it's to do with work or anything else. You know, those sort of values are the same, really.
Emily Slade: What if you are super shy and hate looking to strangers?
Chris Rea: Yeah, I know. And that's massively challenging. I think. Firstly, get some support with that. If you are, as many, many people are, and even if you're not massively shy or deeply introverted, it's still, you know, it's not always your favourite thing to do, is it? It's just sort of go and do that kind of networking act. Role play it. Get some support from your career service, talk to friends about it. Just do some mock networking conversations. And they might be really corny and they might feel really clumsy, but they might be quite funny as well. And then just remember though, you don't have to say a great deal. You just have to be yourself, be natural, be polite, be curious, and quite possibly the person you're talking to is just the same as you. They might be feeling just as, not massively uncomfortable, a little bit awkward about it. And they may have been thrust into doing that job because their bosses say, You've got to go out there and do go to our networking events. I'm wanting to talk to 10 quality graduates and don't come back until you've got them signed over. They're like 'do I have to?' So, you just assume that you're all in the same boat, that you're not going up to high-powered, go-getting, you know, a complete extrovert types. Most people aren't like that. Oh, they're pretending to be that they're not really, you know, I'm saying they're at it. And I don't know. Beyond saying, don't worry too much about it, it's not a test. It's just chatting to somebody. And most of the time, generally, we can do that when we have to. Maybe challenge someone on the bus who you don't know, going to the shops and talking to people. And it's no different to that. It really, really isn't.
Emily Slade: And the more you do it, the easier it's going to become.
Chris Rea: Honestly, and I think that is one of those things, like a lot of stuff about getting ready for work and everything else, you just have to dive in, just do it, and then he will get it all right, because he is all right, just talking to people. No more mysterious than that.
Emily Slade: Yeah, and I suppose coming off the back of COVID where the thing was very isolated, it can seem very daunting, but I know so many young people at this company that had that, and then as soon as they just did it a couple of times, they were like, oh.
Chris Rea: I know, really? I mean, There's so many people who, for example, are public speaking, or it's not the same as networking, but he's also he's putting you out there and putting you head above the power of it and all that sort of stuff. There are people who've been so apprehensive about doing it and think, I'm not sure they're ever going to really be comfortable and then totally accomplish public speakers, having done it, presented a few times, had training, had support, trialed it. and now it can talk to any audience at all about any subject from the Sun provided they're briefed on it and know about it completely comfortably. And you would say that was not their natural disposition. And it probably still isn't. But they do it because they felt the jargon into it and they're good at it and they learned that they're good at it and then they could become proud of the fact that you've actually... I can do that really well and I never thought I could. That's amazing.
Emily Slade: And it's still something that had to come naturally, like they've worked at it, they've got training in it and like that's also possible.
Chris Rea: Yeah.
Emily Slade: So you can sometimes be sent to network for your job. Like that's a thing.
Chris Rea: Yeah, it is a thing. It is a thing. That might be at a conference or an exhibition and a lot of young graduate workers get thrown into the deep end for that. And we go to a lot of events in our world as early careers and... student communication and degree verification, etcetera. And you see a lot of companies where they've got very, very young staff and they might even be the first week in the job and they're on the stand and they're going to conference dinners and doing all that sort of stuff. And they may be hating it, you know what I mean? But they're getting support for it. And they understand that this is part of the world of work and there's no substitute for getting stuck in doing it. Nobody expects it to be perfect, you're not being judged harshly if you made some missteps. It's just part of what you end up doing. And I think on the whole, those are exciting opportunities, really.
Emily Slade: Yeah. If you're starting out and you don't have any industry contacts, where's a good place to start?
Chris Rea: Yeah, and that's really important to be clear about this with networking because networking, A. Comes more easy to some people because of the background and the circumstances and the general social situation. Because confidence can often be experienced in a greater way. The more comfortable you are, the more you've had encouragement, et cetera. So we have to be really, really mindful of that. And as part of that, yeah, networks, some people are just introduced into networks through family, through contacts and friends, and many of the people don't have that. So that is a massive challenge. And again, I think it's where getting advice and support from the university career service to make up. If you've got that challenge in your life where you simply, you and your family do not know people who can help you out in that way, and that's the case of hundreds of thousands of people, then get a university career service to help you. Join the student society. Now, they're increasingly important and hopes for networking. So whatever your subject is or your interest is or your allegiances, whatever it is, there are hundreds of students at the university and many of them are really active in networking and business opportunities. And they will help you do it through an organisation that's not just down to you off your own bat. If you're lucky enough to know people in high-flying jobs in the city of London who can give you a leg up, you know, good for you, that's fine. For most of us, that's not the reality, is it really? And that's why you do it through the solidarity of an organisation. And that might be the career service, it might be the student society, it might be the student union, it can be any one of those hubs. But that's where inputs of getting stuck into organisations as a student, being part of a group and a community of like minded people with a common aim who can help you, help you get into that world. And yeah, they will help you against that world, that's got a lot to speak less. probably the best route in to be honest with you.
Emily Slade: What about LinkedIn? How important is LinkedIn for people in their early 20s?
Chris Rea: Yeah, I feel that it is important and I'm sure there's good evidence to say it's been supplanted for certainly younger workers or prospective workers by other types of social media. However, it is still, I think, the standard place for most experienced people in work, either the ones who are running the companies, and if it's good enough for them, I think you should say, well, I need to be part of that as well, because that is where a lot of action takes place around the narratives about work, about issues around work, and fundamentally is a shot window for you. It's still a place that recruiters will look at and expect to see a presence on. I think it's true to say that. I know things shift all the time.
Emily Slade: Yeah.
Chris Rea: As I say, LinkedIn is still the standard social platform for professional people engaged in work globally. I should also add that using LinkedIn as a research tool as a candidate and as a prospective employee, now, you know, again, 20, 30 years ago, it was unimaginable that you could have access to so much information, not only about the company that you're interested in, but about the individuals as well. And that is, that ought to, and I feel that it's still not being exploited fully, really. There's such a wealth of information. You can know a lot about the people who, I say, might be interviewing you. And you can use that information, obviously not in this sort of stalkerish sounding.
Emily Slade: And I suppose this is just like feeling the vibe in the moment that you're at an event, you've met someone that you have sort of low-key stalked on LinkedIn.
Chris Rea: Yeah.
Emily Slade: You know that they like love dogs. Can you be like, oh my God, so I love dogs. Like I love dogs as well. Or is that like weird, but then can you assume that if it's on LinkedIn, it's public information? Like weird about it?
Chris Rea: It's a really good question. I don't know, though. I've never done that. I don't see why, for example, if parking the dog stink, if you saw that they worked for a company in your hometown and you knew that, oh, I see you used to work for such and such by there. Well, I'm from there. I remember those. That wouldn't seem weird, would it? So by that, that's information you've gleaned from LinkedIn.
Emily Slade: Is there a difference between building real connections and just collecting contacts?
Chris Rea: Yes, there is. And I think one way to describe it would say is the difference between hearing and listening. I mean, it's that you can, your contacts, you know, is the basic sort of exposure to the world. The connections is what you do with it, and it's the sort of the deeper level immersion in it. You can go to an event and come back with a box full of people's business cards and you can get loads of connections and contacts on LinkedIn, but what do you do with them? And I think that comes down to, because you can't do everything with all of them, because there's no need to. I think that just comes down to sensible management of relationships based upon, and this is going to sound like it's a sort of a cold approach, but it's really about what is going to be useful, who is going to be useful for it. And there's nothing wrong with thinking of it in that way, you know, You might meet somebody or connect with them, I mean to anything, where I'm heading in my job or what I want to do, what I want to learn, this person can really help me. And then you would build that relationship with them. And that's why I think people are okay with that because there's a sort of element of, can I help you? Can you help me? If that's agreeable to both of us, yeah, we can go forward with that. And they say, you're not going to do that with everybody that you you make contact with. Of course, you can't do and you shouldn't be expected to. And that is where, I suppose, longer-term development of building friendships and trust and all those sorts of things come to a really, definitely.
Emily Slade: Yeah. Was there anything else that you can think of to say about networking?
Chris Rea: Yes, it's not a frightening It may be a slightly alarming word to people, but the reality is far from that. And again and again, come back to remember that it's just talking to people, getting to know them. And obviously, from there, it becomes a bit more structured and they're more serious, but that is the basis for it. And we've mentioned, I think, previously, so much of your time is spent to work, you get to know the people you work with extremely well over that time. And then You get to know people that you don't work directly, but work in other businesses or maybe be removed to other businesses from a lot you've worked with them previously. And that gives you then a sort of extended contact into other companies. And it just flows out from there really. And whilst there are things you may need to learn about net worth and to help you get started with it, generally over time it is something that just develops organically, naturally. Assuming that you've got the interest in maintaining it, but it's impossible really to work for a long time in any industry, company, sector or anything else without being like that, because otherwise you wouldn't be working, would you? Or if you did, you'd be so sort of like isolated, it wouldn't be like any kind of pleasurable job at all. I think the point earlier about the challenge with hybrid working or predominantly online working, that is really, really important. So I think... things have to be put in place to compensate for the natural, I think, the natural drift potentially towards isolation and lack of contact. So understanding how to network through teams, joining communities and groups we talked about, and just getting face to face as often as is practical. That's the absolute corrective to that.
Emily Slade: Yeah. Amazing. Thank you so much for your time today.
Chris Rea: You're very welcome.
Notes on transcript
This transcript was produced using a combination of automated software and human transcribers and may contain errors. The audio version is definitive and should be checked before quoting.
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