Get Ready For Networking: Don’t Be Scared...Be Prepared

Networking. Can’t live with it...can’t succeed without it. Many people hate the idea of networking and with good reason. Stereotypical networkers are annoying, hyper-aggressive Type A personalities who foist their business cards on every Tom, Dick, and Mary they meet. They see networking as a one-way street where all benefits lead to them.

Wrong!

Networking involves building and maintaining mutually beneficial contacts and relationships with other people. The personal networks which you accumulate over time (both socially and professionally) can be an invaluable resource whether you are an entrepreneur looking to start and grow your own new venture, looking for a job, or working on a project where external ideas and input can help.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF NETWORKS

There are a several different types of networks from which you can draw. Each has a different orientation, but all are valuable.

***The Social Network

Your own personal network of contacts made informally through social or non-business activities. These contacts may comprise of family, friends, former work colleagues, contacts made through university etc.

***The Professional Network

Contacts made through business activities including accountants, lawyers and so on.

***Artificial Networks

The networks set up within business communities which are open to new members, trade associations, professional institutions etc. Your area business community probably has a number of local networks, dedicated to shared interests such as high technology and/or start-up companies.

READY, SET, NETWORK – ADVANCE PREPARATION

***Be Strategic about Which Meetings You Attend - Networking in the wrong places won't help you or your career contacts. When deciding which networking groups to join, consider how much time is actually available to network. Some professional groups have very few, if any, committees and don't allow time for networking.

***Pick a Trio of Networking Groups - Join a group that will enable you to keep abreast of the latest developments in your field. Join a career networking group that will enable you to learn more about self-marketing, interviewing, and making a successful transition.

Join a group that will allow you to interact with prospective employers and clients.

***Practice Your “Elevator Pitch” – It’s unusual to have more than a few minutes – about the time you’d spend in an elevator -- to make contact with another person. So when an opportunity to network presents itself, you must be prepared to connect quickly and concisely. Take the time to create a 1-minute speech that describes yourself and your distinctive skills and attributes. Be sure to practice your pitch so that what you say sounds natural and fresh, rather than rehearsed. 

***Have Something To Talk About Besides Business – It is helpful to your networking goals if you’re able to stand out from the crowd of other networkers. This is especially true when many people want to talk to the same person at an event. To make your encounter more memorable, talk about something besides business. Arm yourself with information about a top news story or a new movie to set the stage for your ‘elevator pitch.’ 

***Develop Your Listening Skills - This caring attitude gives introverts an advantage over more chatty networkers, since they're usually good listeners who absorb and reflect on what they hear. This ability to remember what others say and value is critical to fostering good relationships.

***Specific, Realistic Goals Required – The key to achieving anything, is to set a goal that is concrete and attainable. Without a goal for yourself, you have no way of measuring whether your networking was successful or a failure. So be sure to decide in advance what tangible results you hope to achieve: obtaining five new contact names and numbers, passing out 12 cards, setting 3 interview appointments, etc. Your goal should be challenging, but reachable.

***Organize Yourself. An opportunity to make contact can slip through your fingers like quicksilver if you’re not ready to act. Don’t get caught short without your business cards and always carry a pen and paper to jot down contact details, reminders, dates, meetings and appointments. Asking your contact, “May I borrow a pen,” makes you look unprofessional.

***Common Ground - Knowing something about the person you want to add to your network provides a useful starting point for conversation. Good networkers will always try to establish common ground with those they're interested in meeting. Knowing what you share makes you relevant to the person you want to meet. 

***Dress the Part - Wear what you feel your best in. Ideally, choose an outfit that has been road-tested. You can personalize your "look" by adding eye-catching accessories — an unusual tie, a great necklace or pin. Note for women: it's best to wear a jacket with a lapel. Many events provide nametags that hang by a metal clip. If your jacket or top does not have a lapel or collar, you will end up with your nametag hanging from the hem of your jacket, and your name won't be visible.