Networking for teens

Lara Magourik of SNRE signs a copy of her book for Sierra Meehan, 12, during an event at the Neutral Zone. (Photo by Katie Gazella)

Lara Magourik was out of college and in the business sector when she got her first lesson in networking—much too late, says the communication coordinator for the School of Natural Resources and Environment.

"I thought it would have been useful to receive this information earlier on in life, starting in high school," she says. Magourik set out to ensure today's teenagers wouldn't have a similar experience when she wrote "Make Things Happen: The Key to Networking for Teens."

The book, published under her maiden name, Zielin, is geared toward 12-18-year-olds. It explains the importance of networking, effective networking techniques and suggestions on how to get started.

Teens don't stop to think much about the future and what it might hold, Magourik says. "They are wired to think they are indestructible and that of course life will work out and they will be successful," she says. "They don't have the steps to achieve this, however."

Through her own life experiences, Magourik can identify with the insecurities and lack of direction with which many young people struggle.

"My own life path has influenced the book a lot in the sense that I had good high school and college experiences, but not a good sense of what I should be doing with my life," she says.

Magourik has been hitting the road, running workshops for high schoolers across the state. One of these workshops was held at the Neutral Zone, a local teen center, where she led participants through exercises discussed in her book. Her personal favorite is the phone book exercise, in which she has students look at the index of a phone book and circle any category that peaks their interest.

"We talk about how they could potentially network within that category, and start to narrow the list down," she says.

Throughout the research and writing process, Magourik's own networking skills have improved as well.

"I got interviews for the book building off my contact base—by networking," she says. "The ironic part of all this is I am not the world's greatest networker. It is a tool we all need to practice."

The success of Magourik's first venture into the publishing world has left her hungry to continue writing. "I would love to write full-time," she says. "The people I am meeting because of this book are encouraging, inspiring and exciting."

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