- Lunch. This is a great time to get to know your colleagues on a more relaxed, informal basis. Don't eat alone at your desk; if you do, you are relinquishing a good opportunity to network. Besides, everybody needs an occasional break from the office.
- Look beyond your own position or department. Volunteer to assist with company-wide events or activities. This is a great way to demonstrate your versatility and your team spirit.
- Volunteer. Become involved with a charitable organization or cause in your community. Donate your time, not just money. The good feeling you will get from helping others will be an extra bonus.
- Join organizations and participate actively. Naturally, it is important to join professional or trade organizations related to your career. But there are many other good opportunities as well, such as participating in programs given by your local Chamber of Commerce, or running for a place on the school board. There are social groups and groups that form around a specific interest, such as investment groups, book clubs and photography clubs. Speak up at meetings, serve on committees and attend the events.
There's a big world out there. Get out and circulate!
"Working a room" doesn't mean flitting from person to person, pumping hands, and aggressively handing out your business card. It doesn't mean scanning the room for bigger and better opportunities when you are already in the middle of a conversation.
It simply means being alert for networking opportunities. It means keeping your eyes—and your mind—open.
When you are attending a party or event where you know the host or someone else, take advantage of any offers they extend to introduce you to people. If you don't receive any offers, or if there is a particular person or group of people you would like to meet, it is perfectly appropriate to ask for an introduction or introduce yourself.
What if you walk into a party or event and find that you don't know another soul in the room? First, don't panic. Next, you have three options:
- Option number one: Find the farthest out-of-the-way corner and hide there for the duration of the event. This practically guarantees you a miserable time.
- Option number two: Stand there and hope someone comes up to you. Of course, if you choose this option, chances are you will find yourself standing alone and feeling awkward for quite a while.
- Option number three: Find someone else who is alone, approach that person with a friendly smile, and introduce yourself.
If you choose option number three, congratulations are in order. It means you recognized and decided to make use of a prime networking opportunity.
If the idea of approaching a total stranger makes you uncomfortable, bear this in mind: You are probably doing that person a tremendous favor by initiating a conversation. He or she will probably feel grateful to you. There are very few people who actually enjoy standing alone in a crowded room.
In a large group, approach a person that is alone or a gathering of three or more people. Two people might be engrossed in a real conversation and wouldn't want to be disrupted.
Initiating a conversation can be relatively simple and painless if you prepare ahead. Have your professional handshake and 10 second self-introduction ready. Look the person in the eye. Ask a question or use one of the other suggestions for opening lines offered earlier: an upbeat observation, a pleasant self-revelation or an open-ended question.
If the two of you get along well, be sure you exchange business cards before parting company. Later, when you return to your home or office, note right on the card where you met the person and any pertinent information you recall about him or her before filing it away. If you collect a lot of cards at an event, put them together and photocopy them on one or two pages. Indicate the date and event. Of course, having a manual "Rolodex" or an electronic database is the best way to be organized with the cards you collect.
You shouldn't worry if your networking attempts don't meet with success every time. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we are going to run into people we genuinely dislike or don't wish to see again. When this happens, the best thing to do is to cut the conversation short in a polite but firm way. "It was nice meeting you, but I must be going now" is a perfectly adequate way to bow out. But no matter how you feel about the person, don't forget to smile and say goodbye.
Follow up the initial contact with a brief note. Be sure to express your appreciation if the person provided you with any information or other assistance. If not, just let the person know you are grateful for the time he or she spent talking to you.
Once you have established a connection, find ways to keep it alive. For example, if you see a magazine or newspaper article that might interest the person, it would be a thoughtful gesture to forward it along with a brief note. Acknowledge any awards, promotions, or positive publicity your contact receives with a congratulatory note. Call to say hello or to meet for lunch.
Remember, it is people who constitute a network. Business cards sitting in a Rolodex or names in a database can't do anything to help you. They are just pieces of paper, unless you put in the time and effort to keep the personal connection going. If you do, the results will be more than worth it.
Too often people wait until they need help before making connections. Do it when you need nothing; be willing to help others—they will definitely be there for you.
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