Networking is important in forging a
successful career.
Whatever sector you are in, it’s
important to build your brand as well as your contacts book. As an employee,
you can find out about vacancies that are not advertised, while as a business
you can build up a reputation within your industry.The more you are out there meeting and
talking to people, the more new opportunities likely to come your way.
Some of the best deals I have been
involved with over the course of my career have come about as a result of
chance conversations I have had when I met and was introduced to new people.
Of course, not everyone is
comfortable with the concept of networking. It can be very difficult to walk
into a crowded room of people and strike up a conversation with a complete
stranger. As a young man I found networking very difficult, but like everything
in life the more you do something then the easier it gets.
The first few networking events can
feel difficult and strained but speaking from experience that quickly passes.
It is also important to remember that the very best communication is as much
about receiving as it is about transmitting. It is actually quite rude and
unprofessional to turn up at a networking event and then to launch into a hard
sales patter. Don’t dominate the conversation; let others have their say. What
often happens is that people feel nervous, which leads to them to over
compensate by talking too much. Relax, listen, and make yourself receptive to
others.
Below are a few tips for breaking
the ice and getting started in your networking journey.
Find out what you have in common
You may be in totally unrelated
industries to some of the people you are talking to – but the fact that you are
both at the same event indicates a shared interest. Ask them what their reason
for being there is – this will get them to open up about their job, company or
industry. From there you have the platform to ask more questions and build up a
rapport.
What do they think about the event?
As I said, you want to be receptive
to other people’s views, so ask them what they think of the event, venue or perhaps
a particular speaker. This will then give you both a chance to voice your
opinions – perhaps they are similar, perhaps they are vastly different. The key
is here is that you are both valuing each other’s opinions.
Mix business and pleasure
You don’t just need to talk business
at a networking event. I have found the best way to treat networking is to see
it as a social event as much as a business opportunity. There are a variety of
other topics to get started on. The football World Cup will soon be starting
and you can bet that the tournament will be a huge talking point anywhere you
go. Sports and current affairs in general are good ice breakers - although I
would be wary of getting involved in political discussions.
Safety in numbers
If you are quite nervous, look for
opportunities to either introduce somebody you know, or join a conversation
with two or more people (without unnecessarily barging in). This allows you to
contribute to a conversation while not being in the spotlight, which eases the
pressure you will feel.
The key to successful networking is
not to see it as a chore or something that has to be endured. If you go into a
social setting in a negative frame of mind then that is going to come across
very clearly. If you set out to enjoy yourself and to meet interesting new
people then you are more likely to achieve that aim.
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