Networking: Natural, Easy, and Fun

Adapted from a soft skills workshop led by Tanuja Ramchal

Does talking to a roomful of strangers and handing out business cards feel uncomfortable? 

Networking is generally perceived as a forced connection to get something from someone - a job, a client, a discount. That sounds like a very sleazy way of doing business. Won't you say? It's no wonder so many people cringe when they think of networking.

But, it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, networking can be fun. 

Yes, FUN!

When you view networking as investing in your social capital and building long term mutually beneficial relationships, it becomes rewarding.  This requires developing and nurturing your relationships by being interested in others. 

Here are some tips to help you become a better networker:

• Start where you are: my internship during grad school and my job after were a result of interactions with my classmates. It’s the easiest way to network. All you need to do is let the people you interact with on a daily basis know who you are and what your goals are. Everyone knows at least 250 people.
• Be a connector and help others: look for ways to connect people you know and look at who can benefit from what you have to offer. Help them without expecting anything in return – when a classmate misses a session, offer your notes or when you learn a tip from your advisor at GCMC, share it with others. Who in your network can you introduce to each other? What skills do you have that can help someone?
• Be yourself – your best self: if you are pretending to be someone else, you’ll come across as fake or if people do like you, it’s not the real you they like. That doesn’t feel good, right?
• It’s not about quantity but quality: rather than going to an event and handing out your contact information to 50 people with the hope that they’ll call, research three interesting people who will be there. Then have a conversation with them and follow up, drawing from the conversation to add a personal touch.

Dos and Don’ts of Networking at an Event

Dos

• Start with a greeting, smile and maintain eye contact
• Ask open ended questions and listen for the answer
• Use the other person’s name and be interested in what she has to say
• Be yourself and genuinely care about people
• Look for commonalities and talk about passions – you can talk about other topic besides business
• Follow-up: keep track of connections (Excel/Google Docs) and reach out within 24 hours in a personal way
• Have clear goals and be able to articulate them
• Make the person feel like they’re the most important person by giving them your attention

Don’ts

• Ask close ended questions
• Push your agenda
• Interrupt
• Discuss politics, religion or other controversial topics
• Be on your phone - social media, texting

Start today by reaching out to someone in your network.

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If you want to develop your awareness, have fun, and connect authentically with others, the weekly GCMC Soft Skills Workshops will help you overcome your fears and be more confident in your professional life. It's scheduled for Monday evenings from 6 to 7 p.m. in June and July. You can register in CareerLink. Space is limited.