What do you think of when you hear the words “professional networking”? If you’re thinking cold sweats, forced connections, reaching out to strangers, and actually, you think you might be coming down with something…we should be friends. Networking can take place online or in person at professional networking events, otherwise known as an introvert’s nightmare. However – and I hate to say this – there are real benefits to professional networking that make investing time into it worthwhile, for introverts and extroverts alike! It’s not all bad.
Let’s get the basics out of the way – what is professional networking? Professional networking is the act of seeking out people in your industry with the intention of forming relationships for mutual gain in your careers. Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, yes and no.
There are lots of ways to build your networking skills. It doesn’t have to be all conference room lunches and cold-messaging strangers on LinkedIn. Networking can also happen within your team at your current workplace. At its core, networking is just about building relationships. That’s all! However – isn’t that also the tricky bit? It definitely can be. The thing about building relationships that no one tells you is that it is a learned skill.
Relationship building is a soft skill that can often be underrated in the workplace, but it is essential to building stronger workplaces. Soft skills lead to better communicators, effective leaders, inclusive environments, and more. The good news is that soft skills can be taught just as easily as hard skills – through training opportunities.
Professional Networking Events
Before COVID, most professional networking events took place on location. These still happen today, but they are most likely in larger cities that have more organizations willing to dedicate time and resources to host. Some of the different professional networking events you could/can attend are: happy hour meetups, conferences/trade shows, breakfast or luncheon meetings, industry-specific seminars, or workshops. Even opportunities like community service can be an opportunity for networking.
Lots of people can feel awkward or out of place at professional networking events – even people who don’t struggle socially in other settings. Some advice on how to act at a networking event comes from Robbie Samuels, networking expert. He advises people to reframe their mindset on networking. Don’t think about what you can get – instead think about what you can give. How can you offer value to the people within your network? As far as meeting new people goes – go in with clear goals and awareness of what you’re trying to achieve. Be inclusive and the person that really listens to other people in the room and makes them feel welcome. Be yourself, and don’t spend more time than what is polite with people that you can tell you’re not going to get along with or you know you don’t want in your circle.
Lots of networking these days, however, takes place online. Some professional networking sites that organizations use to set up their events are Eventbrite, MeetUp, LinkedIn – even Facebook groups. Many organizations offer webinars with open chat rooms, which can be a place to network – especially if the webinar hosts encourage sharing social profiles. Some online conferences even have specific sessions meant for networking and connecting with fellow attendees.
What are some best practices for how to act at a professional networking event?
When it comes to participating in a professional networking event, there are ways that you can set yourself up for success even if you are nervous or naturally awkward (like me!) Condensed across many different sources on professional networking, here are some tips on making the most of these events.
Have clear goals as to why you are there and what you are looking for. This requires understanding the event type and making sure your reasons for attending are aligned. Ask yourself these 3 questions.
Why are you networking?
This is a general question. Are you hoping to meet potential clients? Or expand your network of business contacts for professional reasons to call upon later?
Why are you attending this specific event?
This is where the understanding of the event comes in. If you’re hoping to have deep conversations about a mutual problem or looking to meet people that could solve a serious business problem for you, a happy hour might not be the place to start. A seminar, lunch and learn, or even an online webinar event might be the one for you. On the flip side, if you’re seeking to casually meet with other professionals in your area and touch on work but not too much, maybe a happy hour would be perfect for you.
Are you hoping to meet anyone specific or in a particular industry?
If you realize as you’re answering these questions that you’re really most interested in meeting young professionals in the same industry as you, search for specialized groups. If there aren’t any, still attend your local networking groups, but remember your answer when people ask you what you’re looking for at the event.
After you’ve defined your reasons for attending the event, create a goal for yourself. What is your priority for the event? Maybe you’re trying to meet potential clients, or maybe you’re just trying to familiarize yourself with the business owners of a specific area. Get focused. Maybe the goal is to collect ten business cards or maybe it’s to make one solid connection. No matter what, you still need to give yourself a purpose within the confines of the event or you may end up standing to the side and feeling out of place. Another tip to maximize your investment to value ratio – after you’ve achieved your goal, leave the event. However, some say that you’re leaving money on the table by doing this. Ultimately, it comes down to you and your comfort level.
Understand your value and what you have to offer. An unfortunate reality of many networking events is that many people are there simply to see what the other attendees have to offer them. However, that sort of position is exactly what makes professional networking events feel so stiff and artificial. Get rid of the “take first” attitude and instead seek to provide value to your contacts. What do you know about them and the challenges they face? If you don’t know anything – start there and get to know them. After you learn that – are there any resources at your disposal that you could point them to that might help?
Let’s say that your new contact is in an industry totally foreign to you and you don’t feel like you have anything of value to give them. That’s actually not true. A genuine human connection is valuable in itself. If you like each other well and speak easily, value will build over time and you’ll naturally find ways to be helpful to each other. You never know when they might have a huge impact in a tough time! That’s the power of networking.
Be genuinely yourself. This one can make a lot of folks squirm, even if they’re perfectly lovely people. Self-doubt is baked into modern society – we’re always being bombarded with images and messaging of more ‘successful’ people and ads to make ourselves ‘better.’ However, if you want to network in a way that’s impactful, you have to be yourself. This can be kind of freeing, in a way. Effective networking is based on making meaningful relationships. You give meaning to the people who you (a) like and (b) have a good conversation with. So, your goal should be to be (a) likable and (b) conversational. If you meet someone and there’s an obvious disconnect, you are not obligated to continue to form a relationship with that person for the sake of networking. Keep your conversation light-hearted for the most part as you should still desire to leave a good impression on a stranger, but there’s no need to pretend to be deeply interested in things that are not relevant to you. You can politely end a conversation by introducing them to someone else that you’ve already met or you can say “It was nice to meet you, I’m going to xyz,” and then excuse yourself.
Introducing yourself can be the big first hurdle at a networking event. It feels natural to say, “So what do you do?” but after you’ve been asked that three or more times, it gets tiring. Instead, try asking questions like “What brings you here? Who are you trying to meet/Is there anyone specific you’re trying to meet here?” The place of work and position will more than likely naturally come up while giving the other person more space to answer conversationally – and it reveals some of their goals in attending, which you may have in common. Alternatively on a more personal level, you could ask “What keeps you busy?” This question can help you learn your conversation partner on a more personal level, and it’s also helpful when people are unemployed.
The Power of Networking
Networking can be intensely useful, especially in a tight spot such as job loss. Many people utilize their network most in tough times, but in order to make that possible, the relationship should be maintained regularly. If you meet someone at a networking even that you’re interested in continuing a conversation with, many recommend to make plans with them that before leaving the event. It could be a business lunch, or many an invitation to a future networking event. Follow up within a day or so. After you’ve got the ball rolling, be sure to connect on social platforms that make sense, if you’re both users. This can make resource trading quick and easy and is a low effort way to keep tabs. Finding small gestures such as sending a card for a birthday, housewarming, new baby, etc can also have a big impact.
The truth is that building a network is just a fancy name for making friends. Do you often ask strangers for favors? Probably not. But you would ask a friend, or an acquaintance that you have a good rapport with. A strong network can provide references, forward you relevant opportunities, connect you with someone who can solve a challenge you’ve been facing, and give you a listening ear when you need one.
Don’t forget to “network” with people you already know or have low-barrier access to – your coworkers within your own team and cross-departmentally. There are lots of simple ways to do this – join a committee at work or start one. Promote the idea of organization-wide lunch and learn seminars, given by employees on topics that they are passionate about. What about a company newsletter that includes personnel updates such as promotions, marriages, new pets or family members? Networking within your current organization is much easier if you have a culture of inclusion and respect. If your organization doesn’t have one of those – how can you get involved to build one?
We know that the open secret about networking is that nearly everyone secretly kind of hates it – but hopefully this quick resource has helped to make it less intimidating. Did you find it useful? If you did – how about you put one of these suggestions into practice and share it with someone in your network that might think the same!
