Networking for Pharmacy Students: Part 2 – Tips for Networking

Author: Bavly-Mina Hani, PharmD 

Views are my own and do not reflect my employer.

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After having many 1:1 conversations over time, I noticed a few things that consistently made them go better. Here are some tips I’ve found helpful, broken up into three parts: (1) before the meeting, (2) during the meeting, and (3) after the meeting.

Before the Meeting

1. First, be yourself throughout the entire process. That sounds obvious, but it makes a difference. People can usually tell when you’re trying too hard or being overly formal.

2. Don’t be afraid to reach out, whether it’s through LinkedIn, email, or in person. Most people are open to having a conversation, especially when you’re respectful of their time.

3. A 30-minute meeting is usually a good starting point, but it’s important to stay flexible depending on the person and their schedule. For example, when speaking with executives or C-suite professionals, a shorter 15-minute conversation may be more appropriate.

4. If you’re setting up a 1:1, keep it straightforward. If it’s virtual, plan to be on time, not too early, not too late. If it’s in person, try to get there a few minutes early.

5. Before the conversation, spend a few minutes looking into the person’s background. It doesn’t have to be anything in-depth, just enough to understand what they do and to ask more thoughtful questions.

6. Don’t go into this expecting something in return. Not every conversation will lead anywhere, and you won’t connect with everyone.

During the Meeting

1. Come prepared, but not rehearsed. It helps to have a general idea of what you want to ask, but you don’t need a script.

2. Try to avoid overly broad questions and focus more on topics like what surprised them most about their role or what they would have done differently starting out. People naturally enjoy talking about their own experiences, and those conversations tend to feel much more genuine and engaging.

3. Let the conversation develop naturally, and step in to guide it when needed.

4. Even though you’re there to learn about the other person, it’s okay to share a bit about yourself when it fits. Just keep it relevant and natural, no need to force it.

5. As you approach the end of the conversation, be mindful of their time. A simple way to wrap up is: “I want to be respectful of your time…”or“Thanks again for taking the time to speak with me today…”

6. Not every conversation will flow perfectly, and that’s okay. There may be pauses or moments that feel slightly awkward, but that doesn’t mean the interaction went badly. Networking becomes much easier once you stop trying to make every conversation perfect.

After the Meeting

1. After the conversation, you can send a short follow-up message thanking them for their time and mentioning something you found helpful or insightful. It doesn’t need to be long, and while it’s not always necessary, it can be a thoughtful way to maintain the connection.

2. And lastly, try to stay in touch every now and then. It doesn’t have to be with every person you meet, and it doesn’t have to be frequent.