Last night's networking workshop by Rajesh Setty was a huge success. It was one of the longest event and went on till 10pm. Rajesh provided some simple but critical insights into how we can all be better networkers. The exercises helped a lot too. For those who attended, thanks for your participation and I am sure you got a lot mileage out of this workshop.

For those who could not but wanted to, we missed you and hope to see you again. While we cannot replicate the atmosphere and learning from last night electronically, we will attempt to write a few points and update them on our blog. Please wait a couple of days. In the meantime, you can still read the two eBooks mentioned in our original invitation.

We would like feedback and comments from those who attended. Share what you learnt and what action you will take. We also want to learn about your successes so that others can be encouraged.

November 7, 2009 Saturday
7.30am to 4.30pm
HP Campus, Palo Alto, CA

SIPACON2009 our annual event for the year is coming up. More information will be provided in upcoming blog posts. Meanwhile, save the date! We have an exciting list of speakers and topics lined up. The keynote speaker for this year is Tom Campbell, former Dean of Haas School of Business, the Budget director for Arnold Schwarznegger and a candidate for the next Governor of California.

Our annual event will focus on the changing business climate and how Silicon Valley will emerge out of this recession. More importantly, what skills do we as professionals need to acquire to thrive in the new business environment. Stay tuned for more information.

Networking Workshop – Practical ideas to improve your visibility
September 24, 2009, Thursday 6 to 8.30pm
Location: Hewlett Packard, Oakroom Auditorium
19447 Pruneridge Ave, Cupertino, CA 95014

The dreaded N word. No matter where you go, or what stage of career you are in - the most common advice is to Network, Network, Network. And yet, many of us fail to network effectively. The most common reason cited is that we are busy with our jobs or that we don't know how to do it effectively. With the recession still strong and jobs scarce to come, networking is the only effective means of securing a job. You may be lucky to get a job without networking, but is that a job you will like?

As you progress through your career, networking will become even more important. So why not start now. SIPA is conducting this workshop that will be a combination of instruction and practical exercise. We will help you with tools you can take to become a more effective networker. Please join in for this workshop and bring your friends/spouses along. This is ONE skill that you can't ignore.

This workshop is conducted by Rajesh Setty.

Rajesh Setty is an entrepreneur, author and speaker based in Silicon Valley. You can read more about him at http://www.rajeshsetty.com/about/. Rajesh has written and published nine books so far with his first book published at the age of thirteen. He has also written more than 1300 articles on his blog Life Beyond Code. You can follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/UpbeatNow

Notes and Pre-Requisites (PLEASE READ)

Note #1: This is a workshop - meaning you will participate and actually use the skills right away. If you are planning to watch from the sidelines, this workshop is not for you. We want everyone to get the maximum benefit from this workshop and that can happen when everyone fully participates in the workshop.

Note #2: You have to make a promise to share your learning with at least ONE person in your network. Obviously, we can't track whether you will fulfill the promise but we hope that you will do it.

Pre-Requisite #1: Read Lasting Relationships (free download) a primer on building relationships. It is a 20-page eBook and a quick read.
http://www.rajeshsetty.com/resources/books/lasting-relationships/

Pre-Requisite #2: Read defiant: Practical Tips to Thrive in Tough Times - It's a 90 page eBook filled with tips submitted by more than 50 people. You can download it here:
http://www.activegarage.com/projects/defiant

Pre-Requisite #3: Come with your burning Networking Question and actually ask that question. Together we can find answers.

To Register for this event - https://www.123signup.com/register?id=jvczz
Agenda
6pm – 6.45pm Registration and Card Exchange Networking
6.45pm – 7pm Introductory Comments
7pm - 8.30pm Main Event including Q&A
8.30pm – Wrap Up and Networking