Welcome to the SSP Quick Connect Program!

Ever wish you could get advice or guidance on an ad-hoc basis, from people you respect and think you could learn from—even when you may not know them personally? Are you missing the opportunity to connect with like-minded people that have similar challenges and knowledge to share because conferences and in-person events have been cancelled or transitioned to virtual delivery? Would your understanding of a particular topic or concept be so much clearer if you could just pick someone’s brain for an hour?

This new program from SSP—a type of micro-mentoring—is designed to connect SSP members anywhere in the world for short-term, focused interactions. Scholarly communications professionals can get targeted help and receive a greater variety of feedback through this innovative program designed with the idea that multiple and diverse viewpoints leads to better outcomes or understanding. While it’s difficult to replicate the serendipity of networking at an in-person event, Quick Connect aims to provide these valuable connections year-round without the need to travel. 

Connections are made on C3 through self-matching and last no more than 2 weeks. Interactions might range from a one-hour phone call or meeting to exchanging several emails over a short period of time. The program is open to all SSP members as well as all employees of SSP Organizational Members in good standing. 

HowItWorks.pngHow it Works

  • Knowledge Seekers set up a profile to share who they are and to show Advisors what they need help with. 
  • Advisors set up a profile to share who they are and show Knowledge Seekers their areas of expertise or knowledge.
  • An individual can be both a Knowledge Seeker and an Advisor.
  • Knowledge Seekers search the profiles of Advisors who have the experience, background, and knowledge they are looking for.
  • Knowledge Seekers reach out to potential Advisors by sending them a request through C3 to see if they're the right Advisor to help them with their specific need or question. 
  • Once it’s determined to be a good match by both parties, the Knowledge Seeker and Advisor schedule one or more meetings (or other communications) over the course of a two week period. The relationship may go on informally after the initial connection upon mutual agreement of both parties, but the match is marked complete after two weeks, signifying the Advisor is available to help others.
  • Advisors can indicate in their profile how many engagements with Knowledge Seekers they are willing to take on at once and Knowledge Seekers can connect with multiple Advisors during the same time period.

Getting Started

To participate in the program, you must enroll as an Advisor or Knowledge Seeker (or both) before you'll be able to request a connection with another enrolled user. As an Advisor, you'll have the opportunity to share your knowledge with Knowledge Seekers. As a Knowledge Seeker, you'll benefit by gaining insight from someone with years of experience in a particular subject area or topic.

1: CREATE OR UPDATE PROFILE

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You must have a user profile on sspnet.org to enroll. If you do not already have a profile, click here to create one! Be sure to select your organization from the auto-complete feature in the field to ensure you are appropriately linked to your organization.  If you are unsure if you have a profile or don’t recall your password, attempt to log in with your email address as your user name and use the Forgot Password link to reset your password. For assistance, contact info@sspnet.org. Once you’ve established a user profile, complete your profile as thoroughly as possible. Having a complete and accurate profile is crucial to the success of selection and matching.

  • Make sure your contact information is current;
  • Upload a recent professional profile picture;
  • Update your bio, education, and job history information. 

2: ENROLL

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Select whether you want to enroll as an Advisor or a Knowledge Seeker. You can enroll as both, but separate enrollment is required for each role. Make selections for each of the program demographics to set your preferences. Demographics include: career stage, role, publishing focus, general skills, knowledge areas, and organization type and size. Please note that some fields are required for enrollment. The more information you provide, the easier it will be to find the best connections. Complete the Status area at the bottom of the page. Click Save to complete your enrollment.

Next steps for Knowledge Seekers >>


Make a Connection

1: SEARCH

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Use the Quick Connect Directory to input your search criteria. Select the areas of knowledge or general skills you’re looking for in an Advisor. If you're unsure of what to search for, select "Search for ALL of the selected values.”



2: CONNECT

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Once you’ve identified a potential Advisor, click on the member's name to explore their profile page. If you think it's a desired match, look under their profile image for the "Quick Connect Request" button, which will allow you to request a connection. An email will be sent to your Advisor letting them know you'd like for them to be your Advisor. You will be notified via email once they accept or deny your request. If they accept your request, contact them using the contact info in their profile and start the conversation! 

3: MARK COMPLETE


complete.pngAfter the 2-week matching period concludes, mark the match complete in your profile and the Advisor will be available to help others. If you don’t need the full two-week period, you can mark the match complete as soon as you’re finished. We certainly hope you are able to make career-long connections with the professionals you meet through the program. After your initial match is complete, we encourage you to maintain your new relationship through normal communication channels as you would with any other networking contact.

4: REPEAT AS NECESSARY

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Because different Advisors have different viewpoints and areas of expertise, we encourage you to return often and seek out new Advisors as needed. 



Supporting the SSP Quick Connect Program

For organizations interested in supporting the SSP Quick Connect Program, sponsorship packages are available. For more information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Christina DeRose at parnterships@sspnet.org.