Networking 101

I am quite unsure about the timing of this entry, considering the first time I drafted it to the moment I hit the publish button.

But…In some way, it is quite timely because it is Summer and post-pandemic. A majority of us are out socializing, reconnecting with people, and networking in some shape or form.

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Back in March, I did a mini networking presentation for my mentorship cohort under Empower’em (a big shout out to the team for an amazing experience!) to share some tips as I seem to find myself in situations where networking cannot be avoided.

I have to view networking as this great opportunity to build relationships that can open doors to new opportunities and provide valuable insights for one’s work, personal/career goals, etc.

For this blog entry, I will stick to networking on the career/professional side of things to share some tips I found useful in my networking journey so far. However, some tips you will see below are also transferable to non-career/professional spaces.

So, here goes my spiel!

When I asked a few people in my circle how they felt about networking in a professional space, I heard the words: Scared. Nervous. Awkward. Sweaty.

I get it! The COVID-19 pandemic did not help to say the least.

1.

When networking, it is important to portray yourself confidently. Most of us know this already but sometimes…confidence seems to magically disappear when you need it the most. If you can find it back, it truly does magic in showcasing what you are capable of!

Someone once said to me -

People do not assume things based on things they don’t know. They only make assumptions based on the information they know and that sometimes is skewed/biased information.

2.

Being intentional with the people you connect with goes a long way.

When was the last time you intentionally connected with someone in your network? Is this a meaningful connection for you now, in the next 5 months, in the next 10 years?

Fully aware how having 500+ connections on LinkedIn can be overwhelming (if this applies), I have found the categorization below to be helpful:

• Priority contacts: Contacts I should be giving lots of love and attention to. My primary contacts are further grouped into:

  • Priority Contacts (short-term): Contacts I should prioritize right now for the short term before switching them into another category

  • Priority Contacts (long-term): Contacts I know there is a clear benefit to build a relationship but acknowledge that I am likely to be playing the long game.

  • Quarterly check-ins: They aren’t quite short term priority, but they are important to me and I want to maintain an ongoing relationship.

  • Out of the box’s: I am not sure how it will work out, but I want to keep the relationship fresh just in case.

  • Next times: they may not fit in with my networking goals for one reason or another, but this might change, and I keep them close just in case.

3.

Get specific about what you want to gain, learn, or offer! Going in circles never benefits anyone or teaches anything.

4.

Absolutely, bring your authentic self when engaging but consider:

First establishing rapport to gauge connection. Find a common ground. Make sure the person or group of people you are attempting to engage are actual in the right headspace/have capacity to engage with you.

For a career related connection, stick to professional topics before getting casual and vice versa but also be personable!

5.

Learn to be okay with asking for help because contrary to what you might believe, there are people who actually want to help you.

I know asking for help is uncomfortable (I mean VERY sometimes) but…

• Someone has been in a similar position/stage you are trying to work through.

• It is an amazing feeling to know someone, or a group of people are genuinely rooting for you.

• When someone truly believes in you, that feeling becomes contagious. Hearing about your best qualities, focusing on the “cans” instead of “cant’s” and meeting or exceeding expectations changes the way you think and feel about yourself.

Do you have tips and tricks that help you get through networking that I have not considered so far? Do not be a stranger, would love to hear from you!

Happy networking!

Mairo

P.S. Hope Summer is going well for you. :)