Networking is about relationship building. The secret to establishing quality relationships is being intentional.听This means coming听prepared for each听professional听event and valuing听each connection听you听make.
Want to begin growing your professional network? Follow our听five听tips below.
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1. Stay Current on Industry Trends
When you approach someone at a networking event or conference,听be sure听to听have听something听in your mind that鈥檚 industry听relevant听to听start a conversation. Make it a habit to track trends in your industry, read newspapers and trade journals, and scour websites and blogs.
2. Do Your Research
Before attending听a听networking event, do your research and know who will be there. Do a Google search on听people you think you may want to听meet听and learn what is important to them or their current projects. Look up social media pages like LinkedIn or听Facebook, and听see if they have a personal or business website.
3. Set a Goal for the Event
You should set a goal for each听event you attend because you don鈥檛 want to spend most of your time talking to people you already know. For example, a healthcare management professional may set a goal to attend a networking event at the American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management and meet five managers and directors in healthcare contracting to expand听their听network. Having a specific goal will keep听them听from wasting听their听time at the event.
4. Perfect your Pitch
Throughout the event, you鈥檒l introduce yourself to many different people using your elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is a 30-60 second recap of who you are and what you do. You should include important information, but you don鈥檛 need to include your entire work history and career objectives. Watch听听to听see how to craft your introduction.
5. Follow-up with the People You鈥檝e Met
After any event, be sure to send an email听to those you鈥檝e met听recapping one or two points听from your conversation听that were meaningful to you. If you promised to send information, you should do so within a few days. Try to schedule a date and time to meet again,听because this shows you鈥檙e interested and serious about staying connected.
If you need additional help perfecting your networking skills, keep in mind 兔子先生Career Services is available to help you plan and achieve career success.听听with a 兔子先生Career Advising Specialist.
Rhoda听Smackum听is a career advising specialist for Career Services and Alumni Relations at University of Maryland听Global Campus. She has approximately 28,000 hours of work experience in the field of career development. Ms.听Smackum听enjoys working collaboratively, in partnership with students and alumni to identify career issues, match values with career choices and obtain meaningful work. She holds a Master of Arts degree from Bowie State University and a Bachelor of General Studies degree from the University of Maryland College Park. She is a Certified Master of Career Services (CMCS) and an Associate Certified Career Coach.
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