Take Advantage Of Networking Events:
By Cham Posted Date: July 04, 2017
Regardless of your professional experience or how many years you’ve been in the workforce, networking events can sometimes be very overwhelming. You are put into a room with a number of people that you may have never met before, the most intimidating part is that you have only a limited amount of time to make an impression on them. It can be tempting to lurk in a corner and sip on your drink, maybe just talk to your colleague who has accompanied you, however it would mean you are missing out on opportunities.
Discussed below are some tips on how you can make the most of networking events, after networking is a key part of business (and even job search!):
- Have a goal when going in: You could be looking to speak to a specific person you know will be at the event, or maybe even just exchange business cards with people in a particular industry. Setting goals beforehand will make it easier to keep track of how successful you were in achieving them. Always try to lay out a strategy for the networking event.
- Listening is better than talking: To be a good conversationalist at a networking event it’s essential that you take the time to listen carefully and ask questions or respond based on what the other person is saying. Do not get caught up in talking continuously about yourself or your business but rather make it a two way interaction that is both interesting and engaging.
- Don’t overload people with requests: Although networking events are an ideal way to get to know other professionals both within your industry and otherwise, it’s important to note that such an event isn’t the best place to harass people with requests. It’s more important to get to know the person, build rapport and then a working relationship first. if you introduce yourself and straightaway start asking them requests you may be misunderstood as person who is just there to take advantage of others. Have an engaging conversation then maybe exchange business cards or contact info which you can use at a later date to discuss a business proposition or make a request
- Stay in touch after the event: You can have many productive and engaging conversations at a networking event, however if you don’t follow up and simply disappear after it would be a complete waste of time. It’s vital that you build a network of these connections and maintain them rather than visit events talk to people and forget about them. Use social networks such as LinkedIn to connect with them or even drop an email sometime after mentioning how wonderful it was to meet them etc.