Networking Tips for the Inexperienced

For new grads, or for people who haven’t had to network in their careers, networking can be intimidating. But, even though it isn’t easy, you can make it easier by following the advice detailed here:

Get into the right mindset.

Your attitude about networking will affect your networking experience like nothing else. You have the power to network effectively or poorly. If you think negative thoughts like “I shouldn’t bother that person. There are so many other people here with better qualities than me.” or “I’m just too shy; I can’t do it,” these thoughts are yours only. No one else knows what your qualities are or that you are shy, until you stand in the corner and not talk to anyone.

Think of your good qualities that any employer or coworker would love to have on their staff – make a list and carry it with you to networking events if you want. This will give you the confidence to approach people. And, also remember that people like to talk about themselves, so an easy conversation starter is to ask where a person is from or what they do for a living.

Pick out what you have in common with people.

This isn’t as hard as it sounds. If you are in book publishing and you are at a book expo, chances are most people there either love books or work in book publishing. Right there is your connection – the reason why you attended the event. Commonalities garner relationships and you don’t have to talk forever about your common interests with one person. It’s perfectly acceptable to move on to talk with someone else after conversing with one person for a few minutes.

Always have an ample stash of business cards with you.

You never know when the situation could come up where you need a business card at a restaurant, in the supermarket, or at networking or industry events. Be sure to have business cards with you that aren’t old, dingy, dirty, torn, etc. Make sure you dedicate enough money in your business card printing budget so that you can print nice business cards. They are how people will remember you at networking events and elsewhere.

Practice introducing yourself.

Prepare an 8- to 10-second introduction that tells people who you are and what you do. Tailor an introduction to each event you go to, if possible. It’s a good idea to have a general introduction for everyday chance meetings.

You may feel silly at first, but when you first meet someone and are at a loss for words, those practiced words will automatically come out of your mouth and you’ll be seen as a confident and professional business person.

Ask open-ended questions.

Open-ended questions can’t be answered with “yes” or “no.” They invite conversation. Again, ask someone about themselves with an open-ended question and you’ll be conversing and getting to know that person in no time. Be sure to listen and use cues like nodding and say “uh-huh” from time to time to let the other person know you are genuinely interested.

Follow through on any leads.

Be sure to call or email the person you met just to establish some kind of long-term communication. You can just say “I enjoyed meeting you the other night at XX event. Let’s talk again soon!” You should also mention anything that is appropriate from your conversation to remind the person of who you are and the connection you share.