I recently had the pleasure of attending the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication’s Networking Night this past week. I got inspired to write a blog post to aid people in their quest to be master networkers.
In my observation at the event, I found that students were either having uncomfortable forced conversations or completely avoiding the potential employers. However, I was able to float through the room, leaving memorable impressions and holding meaningful conversations with ease.
I too use to be one of those people who hated networking and was uncomfortable with the notion of smiling in faces looking for an opportunity to be reciprocated. The more opportunities that I had to network, the better I became.
I have put together a list of tips to ease the stress of networking and make it second nature for you.
Keys:
In my observation at the event, I found that students were either having uncomfortable forced conversations or completely avoiding the potential employers. However, I was able to float through the room, leaving memorable impressions and holding meaningful conversations with ease.
I too use to be one of those people who hated networking and was uncomfortable with the notion of smiling in faces looking for an opportunity to be reciprocated. The more opportunities that I had to network, the better I became.
I have put together a list of tips to ease the stress of networking and make it second nature for you.
Keys:
- Don’t be interested in the opportunity; be interested in the person providing the opportunity. People commonly walk up to someone and ask, “What can you do for me?” What they should really ask is, “How is your day going?”
- Being interested in the person allows for you to build a relationship and be more than a nameless face with a resume.
- Never walk up to someone and babble off your accolades and resume. Networking is about building relationships, you don’t make friends by walking up to a person and recalling all of your achievements, do you? Then why should you treat networking as any different?
- Never mention what your goal is until asked. Everyone whom that successful person/ potential employer has talked to is looking for an opportunity. Set yourself apart by showing interest in what the representative does for the company, they will come to ask you what you want from the company.
- Get the person talking about himself or herself, once you find something in common with the person, play on your common interest. To build a relationship at a networking event, you have to be able to make a connection. Being interested in the representative’s story allows for you to listen and find a commonality. Insert that you both have a common interest; it will instantly allow you and the person to bond.
- Always compliment, smile and be polite. You always want to be warm and inviting. This doesn’t mean that you have to be overly joyous, but simply content and pleasant.
- Be confident and own what you say. If you don’t believe what you are saying, then no one else will. Have authority when stating your name and have constant eye contact with the person throughout the conversation. Show people you are not just confident in your abilities, but you are confident in yourself.