Networking With Ease

We are back into full blown networking, and I don’t know about you, but I was having a hard time getting into the swing of in-person networking. After a few missteps, I’m back on track and sharing a few tips:

Involved: Instead of going to cold networking events, choose to attend opportunities through organizations you are already involved in, and invite a friend. Also, try to arrive early to get a sense of the venue layout and settle into the flow. This gives you a prime opportunity to network before it gets too crowded. Finally, eat before you arrive, so your focus can be on proactive networking and not balancing a small plate or talking in-between bites. I usually only focus on three new contacts; anything more than that is too stressful. Building networks take time and energy, so it’s important to ensure it is manageable.

Interested: Before attending an event, take 30 minutes to review the organization’s goals, the purpose of the event, the panel speakers and what your overall takeaways will be. Since you are investing time, energy and a registration fee, it’s important to clarify your objectives for attending. Also, this ensures you are ready for a seamless conversation starter, such as “What inspired you to attend this event?” or “Who are you interested in hearing from this evening?” Preparing really makes for a smoother conversation and engaging experience. 

Interesting: Everyone enjoys talking to an interesting person. Once the conversation openers conclude, it’s always fun to chat about local events/sightseeing. For instance, if in Washington DC in the Spring, “Are you attending Cherry Blossom Festival while in town?” is a good conversation point. If you are visiting a town, ask about a play or museum exhibit you saw in the local paper. Also, lean on one of your hobbies to chat about — photography, running, cycling, gardening. You’d be surprised how easy a conversation can be when you are interesting and have great contributions.

With these tips, I’m pretty sure you’ll increase your new contacts while networking! I’ll share tips on maintaining connections in May. See you again soon.

Treva Smith is a federal human resources, diversity and inclusion, and business operations professional, with over 33-years of service. Treva enjoys advising and mentoring individuals navigate their career paths to meet identified goals. She specializes in career planning and personal branding, and is certified to instruct Business Etiquette through the distinguished Protocol School of Washington and a certified Global Career Development Facilitator through National Employment Counseling Association.