PotentiallyABanker1
New member
- Mar
- 5
- 3
As a finalist university student, I know how daunting networking can often be.
You want to impress the people you meet, so they hopefully consider you for (or refer you for) a job at their firm, but also don’t want your relative lack of knowledge and experience to portray a bad impression of yourself.
Then there’s the issue of how to stay in contact with them, and how to ensure they remember your name and face amongst the 50 other students they spoke to at the careers fair/networking event.
I am not the best person at networking by a long way, but I thought I’d summarise some of my tips for meeting people and maintaining the relationship.
Making a Good Impression
Most importantly, dress professionally. If you are not, it’ll stand out and is one of the first things someone will notice when you introduce yourself.
I’ve found it useful to have a concise “elevator pitch”, including who you are, what you currently do and what you are looking for, to avoid waffling (especially at busier events where you might have less opportunity to contribute to the conversation in groups).
Active listening is also important; even if you do not understand much of what is being discussed or the advice being given, showing that you are paying attention to the person is vital. I think that making eye contact and responding with genuine questions or snippets of your own experience is all that is needed, simple yet effective. Even just a little question or display of interest in something that somebody is passionate about talking about, and they tend to really appreciate it and talk further, and probably remember you. If you look bored or zoned out, it is much easier to be forgotten as just another face.
In my opinion, being genuine, personal and open is most important of all. Being able to build rapport with someone new is hard, but made easier when you reveal things you might not normally about yourself. It shows that you are an open and honest person, and good traits to have in a friend or colleague alike. Plus, you might find some common ground or shared interests to bond over, which helps with staying in touch later on.
Often attendees of networking events might have been forced to attend by their employer and not particularly want to be there, so are often grateful for a chat on a topic outside of their area of work!
Following Up
Before leaving, make sure to thank and say goodbye to whoever you met, and also ask if they are happy for you to contact them afterwards (a likely yes, as they are at a networking event, but good to check regardless).
I find a quick LinkedIn message the day after the most ideal timing: too soon (the same evening) as they don’t see the message or forget about it, and too late (a few days later) and they might have forgotten your face.
In the message, I find it useful to mention the following:
Staying in Contact
This part is harder, especially if you are trying to stay in contact with a lot of people. If they post on LinkedIn regularly, then I’ve found that engaging with their posts is an easy way to keep in touch. If they don’t however, dropping a message every few months or so to maintain the relationship is important to ensure you are not forgotten. It could be anything from a simple “how are you doing?” to asking for a coffee, a little advice or their opinion on something.
Furthermore, if you see anyone in your network/on LinkedIn asking for help, don’t hesitate to offer your help or put them in touch with someone you know who can help! They’ll definitely appreciate it, and remember you for the gesture.
I’ve also found that having a spreadsheet helps. You can find templates online, but the general gist is that you keep track of how you met or know each person, and then can have a “date last contacted” column, making it easier to identify people you’ve not touched base with in a while and ensure they aren’t forgotten about.
Final Remarks
Most importantly though, just be genuine. People (in general) like helping people, and especially so if they like you. As long as you come across as a friendly and genuine person, there is no need to be stressed or nervous about networking. Just be yourself, and with time your professional networking will grow.
These are just my personal tips that I’ve gathered over time, I’m a long way from being a great networker!
I still find staying in contact with people I’ve met the hardest part of the process, in particular how to remain genuine while not seeming like I am wasting their time, especially if it’s a busy person.
I would love to hear other people’s thoughts on effective networking and how you approach it!
You want to impress the people you meet, so they hopefully consider you for (or refer you for) a job at their firm, but also don’t want your relative lack of knowledge and experience to portray a bad impression of yourself.
Then there’s the issue of how to stay in contact with them, and how to ensure they remember your name and face amongst the 50 other students they spoke to at the careers fair/networking event.
I am not the best person at networking by a long way, but I thought I’d summarise some of my tips for meeting people and maintaining the relationship.
Making a Good Impression
Most importantly, dress professionally. If you are not, it’ll stand out and is one of the first things someone will notice when you introduce yourself.
I’ve found it useful to have a concise “elevator pitch”, including who you are, what you currently do and what you are looking for, to avoid waffling (especially at busier events where you might have less opportunity to contribute to the conversation in groups).
Active listening is also important; even if you do not understand much of what is being discussed or the advice being given, showing that you are paying attention to the person is vital. I think that making eye contact and responding with genuine questions or snippets of your own experience is all that is needed, simple yet effective. Even just a little question or display of interest in something that somebody is passionate about talking about, and they tend to really appreciate it and talk further, and probably remember you. If you look bored or zoned out, it is much easier to be forgotten as just another face.
In my opinion, being genuine, personal and open is most important of all. Being able to build rapport with someone new is hard, but made easier when you reveal things you might not normally about yourself. It shows that you are an open and honest person, and good traits to have in a friend or colleague alike. Plus, you might find some common ground or shared interests to bond over, which helps with staying in touch later on.
Often attendees of networking events might have been forced to attend by their employer and not particularly want to be there, so are often grateful for a chat on a topic outside of their area of work!
Following Up
Before leaving, make sure to thank and say goodbye to whoever you met, and also ask if they are happy for you to contact them afterwards (a likely yes, as they are at a networking event, but good to check regardless).
I find a quick LinkedIn message the day after the most ideal timing: too soon (the same evening) as they don’t see the message or forget about it, and too late (a few days later) and they might have forgotten your face.
In the message, I find it useful to mention the following:
- Where you met them (”Hi X, we met at event Y yesterday evening”) - When you message them in the future, they are reminded of how they met you, so less likely to forget who you are
- Anything you bonded over (”Great chatting to you about Z”) - Serves as a reminder for you both about what you have in common, and an easy talking point to pick up the conversation again.
- Express your desire to stay in touch (”Would love to stay in touch/grab a coffee next time I’m in your area”)
- Offer to help if they ever need it (”Let me know if there’s ever anything I can do for you”) - There’s a chance you might want a favour from them in the future, so it’s worth letting them know that you’re happy to do a favour for them if they ever need it.
Staying in Contact
This part is harder, especially if you are trying to stay in contact with a lot of people. If they post on LinkedIn regularly, then I’ve found that engaging with their posts is an easy way to keep in touch. If they don’t however, dropping a message every few months or so to maintain the relationship is important to ensure you are not forgotten. It could be anything from a simple “how are you doing?” to asking for a coffee, a little advice or their opinion on something.
Furthermore, if you see anyone in your network/on LinkedIn asking for help, don’t hesitate to offer your help or put them in touch with someone you know who can help! They’ll definitely appreciate it, and remember you for the gesture.
I’ve also found that having a spreadsheet helps. You can find templates online, but the general gist is that you keep track of how you met or know each person, and then can have a “date last contacted” column, making it easier to identify people you’ve not touched base with in a while and ensure they aren’t forgotten about.
Final Remarks
Most importantly though, just be genuine. People (in general) like helping people, and especially so if they like you. As long as you come across as a friendly and genuine person, there is no need to be stressed or nervous about networking. Just be yourself, and with time your professional networking will grow.
These are just my personal tips that I’ve gathered over time, I’m a long way from being a great networker!
I still find staying in contact with people I’ve met the hardest part of the process, in particular how to remain genuine while not seeming like I am wasting their time, especially if it’s a busy person.
I would love to hear other people’s thoughts on effective networking and how you approach it!