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Job Seeking and the Wild World of Networking Events

Posted by: Salina McIntire, Director of Marketing 

It sounds easy enough.  Walk into a room and have a conversation.  Pass out and collect some business cards.  Have a few quality conversations and head home and wait for the, “Great to meet you”, subject lines to flood your inbox.   If this happens to you, then you should head directly out to the closest Power Ball retailer.  Business networking events can be a huge resource in your job search.  Knowing how to navigate these events and create value can make all the difference. 

Before you jump into your next networking event, arm yourself with this arsenal of best practices:

“Make Connections” and “Add Value”  The most common thing people like to do at networking events is find someone who will listen and talk about themselves.  The strongest thing a networker can do is ask questions, listen attentively, and make connections to others.  Adding value to others is the greatest way to make an impression.

Use the knowledge of those in the know.  If you know someone is in the room that you want to speak to, seek out an introduction – an event coordinator is a great place to start.  People love to connect people and it makes them feel that they have delivered business value. 

Point of focus.   Whoever you are talking to at that moment has to know that you’re not waiting for someone cooler to walk into the room, (even if you are).  Scanning the room to see where you’re going to move to next may seem like strategy, but its killing your chances of a meaning full connection.

Be honest.  If you have met someone before, but you don’t remember their name, just say so.  It’s not the end of the world if you don’t remember their first name.  Chances are, if you don’t remember their name they don’t know yours either.  By asking you are showing that you care about the connection enough to ask.

The networking event wingman.  A wingman is not going to help you get a job.  If you are with someone you know, you will not seek out people that you don’t know.  It’s instinctual to gravitate toward easy conversation, but counterintuitive to your mission to meet new people.  Come alone or go your separate ways at the door.

No grazing, you’re not a cow.  You are not there to have a gourmet meal so before attending an evening event that is held during the dinner hour, eat first.  Your hands and mouth should be free from obstruction to insure that you have an opportunity to convey your value.  Spitting food on a potential employer would be considered a party foul.

Don’t put the business card in your pocket yet!   Every human brain works a bit differently.  You might have a great memory for faces, but not for names.  You may remember details about your last conversation with them but not the company that they work for.  When they give you a card, take time to look at it.  Say their name and company out loud.  Your covering all the bases if you are an auditory or visual learner and doubling your chances that next time you see them, (maybe in as little as 5 minutes from now), it will spark a memory recall. 

See people as a person, not a business.  We all know that people buy from people that they know, like, and trust and not from a business entity.  Talk about what you do for work but, also include what you do for fun or where you volunteer.   Before you walk onto the next chat, make a note on the back of their card about them.  They have a love of fly fishing, coach softball, or they have a Red Sox key chain.  The next time you meet them you will increase your chances of making a real connection and in turn, increase the chance that they will think of you when a position opens at their company.    

Set goals and make it a game.  Defining and measuring success criteria is absent in most networkers.  Before your next event, set a goal for yourself.  Avoid the temptation of setting a goal for how many business cards you can give out or how many complimentary drinks you can consume (though you just might make an impression).  Set a goal for how many meaningful connections you can make for others and then do all you can to track the progress of those connections.   

Own your success.  “I don’t get anything out of networking events”.  Remember, networking is a way of life and not a one-off event.  Just like the farmer that doesn’t quit farming when the corn doesn’t grow the day it’s planted, you need to initiate and then build on your relationships – and it takes time.  The employer you seek may not be in the room but they are likely one degree away.  Add value and entice them to make introductions for you.