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There’s a great simple luxury that so many universities hold, and that is the power of networking. While any one person can go out and find contacts, possibly exploiting them for their value, organized events are by far the work-horse of networking power. Later this week Appalachian State University is hosting its Business Career Symposium.
Open to Juniors, Seniors and MBA Graduate Students, this is a gold-mine of opportunity. With companies like BB&T, Wells Fargo, Ally Financial, Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC, events like the BCS are just one of many chances students get to network. But this one event is like a small gem because only 200 students can register. Beyond this one event, the chances for any student anywhere to get their resume updated and use their university for contacts and new connections.
Don’t be afraid to communicate
In any event where you meet someone, you’re there to keep in touch in the long-run and hopefully take advantage (in a good way) of the connection that you’ve made. When you’re there, don’t be the one person handing out resumes saying, “Hey, this is why you should hire me.” In my opinion that’s just a hot route to being annoying.
You’re looking for a solid communication with the representatives that show at these events. Find a conversation where you see eye-to-eye with the person and engage them. Engage in a relevant conversation to what you want in your job hunt, what you expect from potential employers. Do more than just be a wallflower at the event, be the person who has something interesting to say.
Keep in Touch
The communication after an event is by far just as important as a Thank You note after an interview or maintaining contact with an old friend. It IS the true networking part of these opportunities. When you do receive contact information use it. This valuable information is given to you for a reason.
If you get an email address – check it on LinkedIn
Twitter Handle? – Shoot them a DM or an @ Reply, let them know your appreciation.
Mobile Number – Give them a call, let them know your your interest, even chat them up some more if they have the time. If no leave a message, express yourself.
Whatever the chances you get, don’t be afraid to Network the chances you do get.
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Comments
09.08.10
I've always been confused with how this sort of networking is supposed to work for normal people. Unless you are selling something, or run your own business, how exactly are you supposed to mantain a connection with these people? Are you really supposed to occasionally call up someone, who has NO connection with you except that they met you at some function weeks ago, and expect them to...what... shoot the breeze with you? Seriously, who does this?
09.08.10
Would you be surprised if I said that I do? And yes, shoot the breeze, I've done it. Go out for a beer, whatever. Connections are connections they can become friends or merely just another name in the address book. You need to make the choice to do so. Whether or not you do in fact seek the opportunity or not is up to you.
09.08.10
I just don't see how this isn't incredibly awkward. I've been at lunches and happy hours with vendors where there IS a obvious business purpose, to pump me for information about how to sell more product to my employer. All the questions about my hobbies and personal life were just leading up to that.
I can't imagine a meeting ,without at least that thinly concealed agenda, being any less awkward.
That vague area between actual friendship and explicit business relationship just seems so... weird. How do you handle it?
09.08.10
Honestly, it has always been a very natural thing to me. As you say there kind of always tends to be a concealed agenda, but it takes a certain transparency and honesty to just put that aside and be a regular person for a moment.
I think part of it is just taking the time to acknowledge that yeah it could be a straight up business meeting, but if you're at a social event...make it a social event, not some uptight meeting.
09.08.10
But how can it be a social 'event' if there is no social reason to contact that person, except for the fact you happened to meet them at a networking event? You really don't have a specific business reason to call them (because you don't do business together), nor do you have a social reason to call them (because you aren't friends).
I guess that 'networking' seems to me to be some nebulous area between being friends (where there is an intense personal connection) and being business associates (where there is a well-defined business connection). In this gray-area, the trick seems to be faking the personal relationship while you figure out the business relationship, and I just don't see how that can be anything else but really creepy. It's one thing to make small talk and be polite for a few minutes at a networking event. It's completely another thing to impose on someone's time by calling them out of the blue and chatting them up, when there is no clear relationship that gives you the right to do so.
Forgive me for belaboring the point, but I've just never received a good answer for this, and it bugs the heck out of me. I don't understand how people do it. Anyone else out there understand where I'm coming from? Am I just being too analytical?
09.08.10
@Scott- I think the approach of "faking" a relationship is the wrong way to go. To make networking work, you need to be genuinely interested in what the other person has to say, who they are, what they do, etc. Usually, the other person is at a networking event to do the same thing with others. If a business relationship arises from this, great. If not, you've met someone who may be able to help you in the future (or maybe you will be able to help them). Of course, if you don't cultivate a relationship beyond the event, this will never happen, so you have to engage with them online (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, read their blog if it's interesting, leave comments, etc) and offline to sustain a relationship. If you don't put any effort into a relationship then you can't expect to get anything out of it--from a social or business perspective.
09.09.10
@ Scott, I feel your pain! I'm the same way. I'm never sure how to stay active in the person's life without the awkward call (especially if they haven't called me ever.) I am genuinely interested in what my business friends have to say but I am not sure how to follow up usually, especially if I have no good information to share and it becomes more like absorbing their knowledge! Reading plenty of books helps me with that though somewhat..
09.09.10
@Jason: You make a good point about using social networking like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or their blog. Of course, if they don't use any of these, then you're back to the ol' phone call.
I understand the need to cultivate a relationship. The problem is in CREATING the relationship out of thin air. Just meeting someone at a networking event does not constitute a relationship. And then to turn around and just call them directly to 'chat' just seems like overstepping bounds and assuming too much. Somehow you have to cross the line between “Person I just met” to “Person who has some reason to be calling me”.
Surely there are people out there who understand what I'm talking about (thanks Danielle). Not everyone can be extreme extroverts without any feeling of self-consciousness, right? How do you all handle that first contact after the networking event?
09.09.10
@ scott, I'd say I'm mostly introverted (avoiding social if i can just because my hobbies are more like reading and writing) but when the time comes to be social, I can do that too. I just get stuck on the introduction part and the asking for the number/business/contact! I need to rehearse a introduction or something, but then I don't want to sound like a robot.
I'd say my best tip is try to "Feel the fear and do it anyway" (quoting the book!).
12.06.10
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