Many people dread going to networking events. I don’t blame them. I’ve done my fair share of what former guest Morra Aarons-Mele calls “hiding in the bathroom.” Here are a few tips that may make networking events more palatable, and definitely more valuable.
 
Be clear about why you are attending the event. Is it to re-connect with someone you want to nurture a relationship with? Is it to get some insights into what’s happening in your industry? Is it to meet someone who works at a company that you would like to work at and get advice about how to snag an interview? If you can’t come up with a good reason to attend, maybe you don’t need to go. There are lots of ways to build your network without attending networking events.
 
Set an objective for what you want to accomplish. Who do you want to meet while there?  What information do you want to gather? A little advance thought can make the event much more worthwhile. Once you achieve your objective, feel free to leave, knowing you’ve accomplished what you set out to do.
 
Have three good questions that you can ask the people you meet. Having questions prepared in advance can increase your confidence that you can avoid those awkward silences we all dread. For some sample “good questions”, see last month’s newsletter. 
 
Listen more than talk. This will come naturally to introverts; it may be more challenging for extroverts. You learn things when you are listening; not so much when you are doing the talking.
 
Follow up with those you meet who you would like in your network. Send an email, perhaps with a link to something you talked about, or a text to arrange a one-on-one meeting. (This is where listening comes in handy -- it'll give you something to say in your follow-up). Following up after the event is much more likely to lead to a genuine connection than simply hoping your paths will cross in the future.
 
Do you have a favorite tip for making the most of networking events? Please send it to me at holtz@tomyyounger.me  and I’ll share them in a future newsletter.
 
My challenge to you: Spend five minutes before your next networking event identifying your objective for attending and planning your three conversation-starter questions. See if you are more comfortable at the event and get more out of it.