I attended NYU’s Stern School of Business conference on “Women Empowering Women” to hear the keynote speakers and attend a panel discussion on the importance of networking.

Lauren Zalaznick, President, NBC Universal Women and Lifestyle Entertainment Networks, the morning keynote speaker, asserted that women reaching out to women should not be a one-day event or one course in a business school curriculum, but rather an ongoing mind set and daily modus operandi. She encouraged students to have a long- term vision of what mark you want to leave behind and to think about work as a career, not a series of jobs. Jobs are simply stepping stones to help you gain the influence needed to make the mark of distinction you want as your legacy. Or, if you are an entrepreneur, spot an opportunity and build a business around it. Self-promotion is key to success—work to ensure that other people see your value and be sure to leverage your unique strengths, while being open to feedback on areas you need to change.

Managing up is a critical skill. It’s important to figure out your boss’s agenda, his or her motivation and values, so that you can determine how best to communicate and market your ideas. At the same time follow your individual personal values.

At the networking panel, four different panelists from very different backgrounds voiced some common themes. Patricia Lizarraga, Managing Partner of Hypatia Capital Group, LLC, stressed that it is important to cultivate and build networks at every job and school along the way. She divides her network into “close” and “distant,” and believes that your distant network will often provide you’re most important connections.

Janet Hanson, Founder of 85 Broads, the afternoon’s keynote speaker, quoted Veronica Hsai, a Stern School grad—this former student encouraged students in a recent newsletter to fully leverage connections while at Stern--network with professors and other students and attend every conference and special event possible--opportunities to network will never be more plentiful than when in school, she advised.

It’s each of our responsibility to make introductions between two people you find interesting…Janet calls this “seeing the trade.” Later, the gift will come back to you. If you are asking a more senior person to meet with you to help you with your career progression or to network, be appropriately humble, yet gutsy enough to ask for the meeting. Remember that a networking relationship is a two-way street—you can learn from more senior mentors, but they can also learn from your unique, different, and possibly more youthful perspective. Be assertive about asking a senior leader to be a mentor…but don’t have specific expectations from them—the chemistry between you and the leader needs to work and the mentor needs to want to help you.

Leverage digital networks...according to one of the panelists, “the more places people can find you the better.” But use digital carefully…your profile on Facebook should be accurate and also create the tone you want for your image—you are always representing your personal brand—so cultivate that brand at each opportunity.