Networking is about meeting people, introducing who you are and what you do and gaining valuable contacts and information that you can then use throughout your working career whether at present or in the future.
In the past, Quay Appointments have provided many breakfast networking seminars to cater for this, and ultimately help our clients to network appropriately.
Along with my networking experience; follow the below networking tips and tricks to get the best out of these events!
- WHY ARE YOU ATTENDING THE EVENT?
Before you attend the event ask yourself what you want to get out of it.
Knowing what type of people, you want to speak to, and what you are hoping to accomplish out of these interactions will help you to make the most of your time. You could even do some research on LinkedIn beforehand to prepare yourself.
Make sure you wear something comfortable and dress to impress!
- SMILE!
It is important to be confident and presented well whilst you are at a networking event. Make sure you bring along your smile as you will come off as more open and welcoming, making it easier for people to connect with you. Avoid sitting in the corner by yourself, otherwise you may come off as a closed book.
Make the effort to talk to new people otherwise you will miss out on new opportunities.
- HOW WILL THEY REMEMBER YOU?
Again, before you attend the event, grab plenty of business cards and a pen. Business cards are an easy way for someone to contact you and they should have your company, name, primary phone number and email address. You don’t want to be wasting time writing down your details every time you want to pass hand them out.
When you make a genuine connection, you can hand out your business card and the other person can easily remember you.
- HOW SHOULD YOU SPEND YOUR TIME?
Whilst networking, you need to get out of your comfort zone and speak to new connections.
Don’t talk to your friends or people you have already met for a long period of time and try not to get stuck in the one conversation for too long.
You want to meet a lot of new people in a short period of time and expand your network so that you can help yourself in the future.
- WHAT SHOULD YOU DO AFTER THE EVENT?
If you want to establish rapport with another person, create a reason to keep the new relationship going.
A few days after the event is over, follow up with anyone you wish to keep connecting with. The best way to do this is by email or through LinkedIn. Make sure to personalize each message and let them know you that you enjoyed meeting them. You are then able to suggest another time to catch up and go over important points in more detail.
If you are struggling in your job search or just want some more future career prospects, networking is the perfect tool. If you know what you want to get out of the event, how to introduce yourself, time management and following up when the event is over, the event will be extremely beneficial to you.
The more people you know, the more likely it is that you’ll know the right person at the right time, which could lead to future job opportunities.
Quay Appointments Breakfast Seminars are starting back up in 2019 so keep an eye out on our website and social media pages!
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