Engaging and disengaging individuals
Most professionals go to conferences to meet other professionals. So it's perfectly appropriate to go over to someone and introduce yourself. Make sure that the person is not otherwise engaged in a tight conversation or other activity.
You don't need a "line." Just introduce yourself, say what you do and where, and then ask the people you talk to their names, what they do, and where they work (or used to work.)
Aim to spend more time listening and asking questions than talking. Most people love talking about themselves. Everyone appreciates being listened to.
Asking "how," "why" and questions asking for clarification are good ways to keep your audience engaged.
If you're not interested to someone, you can quickly excuse yourself by saying something like, "It was a pleasure to meet you," and walk away from the conversation. If you're not comfortable being so direct, you can pretend to have a phone call or urgent message.
Don't worry if someone excuses him or herself after a few minutes. He or she may have different networking goals than you.
Aim to get at least five business cards per day of the conference. On the back of each one, write a note to remind you when and where you met the person and a word that indicates what you talked about.
Ideally, you would follow up with everyone you met. At least follow up within a week with those people who you would most like to meet or engage later on.
When talking to someone for the first few minutes, avoid trying to "sell" your organization, services or program. Work to make the person feel comfortable with you. If the person gives you his or her card, you're welcome to follow up.
Increasing your visibility
You don't need a "line." Just introduce yourself, say what you do and where, and then ask the people you talk to their names, what they do, and where they work (or used to work.)
Aim to spend more time listening and asking questions than talking. Most people love talking about themselves. Everyone appreciates being listened to.
Asking "how," "why" and questions asking for clarification are good ways to keep your audience engaged.
If you're not interested to someone, you can quickly excuse yourself by saying something like, "It was a pleasure to meet you," and walk away from the conversation. If you're not comfortable being so direct, you can pretend to have a phone call or urgent message.
Don't worry if someone excuses him or herself after a few minutes. He or she may have different networking goals than you.
Aim to get at least five business cards per day of the conference. On the back of each one, write a note to remind you when and where you met the person and a word that indicates what you talked about.
Ideally, you would follow up with everyone you met. At least follow up within a week with those people who you would most like to meet or engage later on.
When talking to someone for the first few minutes, avoid trying to "sell" your organization, services or program. Work to make the person feel comfortable with you. If the person gives you his or her card, you're welcome to follow up.
Increasing your visibility
Do you remember the person who sat in the back of the room during the presentation and asked no questions? Neither does anybody else. Make yourself more visible by asking questions or asking a speaker to add to an earlier comment that he or she made.
Disagreeing directly with the speaker, or adding a tangential comment, can make you look pushy or arrogant.
Feel free to introduce yourself to the speaker(s) at the end of the session. In most planning and related professional conferences, the majority of presenters do not get paid. Many are themselves looking to increase their own visibility or awareness of their ideas.
Special tips for networking at mealtimes
Disagreeing directly with the speaker, or adding a tangential comment, can make you look pushy or arrogant.
Feel free to introduce yourself to the speaker(s) at the end of the session. In most planning and related professional conferences, the majority of presenters do not get paid. Many are themselves looking to increase their own visibility or awareness of their ideas.
Special tips for networking at mealtimes
If you came with colleagues or associates, sit at different tables. You don't need to network with your friends or co-workers.
If you see empty seats at a table, ask if you can join the group. When there is an appropriate opportunity, engage the people closest to you.
Avoid ordering or eating long pastas (spaghetti, linguini, etc.) or any food with a lot of sauce. It could get sloppy, which could distract your audience.
Avoid a table where everybody sitting there is "huddling." Those people have probably closed the networking circle and you would find it difficult to enter without seeming pushy. On the other hand, if someone at the table isn't part of the huddle, he or she would probably welcome some conversation.
Chain networking
Chain networking is the practice of networking with people who are networking with people you already know. It works best if you go to the conference with friends or co-workers, or already know people at the conference.
If you see that your colleague is talking with someone, feel free to join the group. Introduce yourself by your affiliation with your colleague. This will make the other person more comfortable in speaking with you.
If your colleague joins you while you're networking, make the introductions.
Networking with groups
When three or more people talk together, they tend to form groups. Read their body language to determine if you should try to join them.
If they form a closed circle (facing one another, backs to rest of the room), avoid trying to join them. You might be perceived as an interloper.
If you are on good terms with someone in a closed circle, you can probably enter it comfortably.
If the circle is more open, you can try to enter it casually. For example, you can listen from the side, and at an appropriate moment say something like "that's an interesting point. Why do you think that?"
Networking around conference sessions
If you don't need the continuing education credits, or aren't interested in any of the sessions, hang around the hallways outside the session rooms. You'll probably find others like you there.
Avoid standing in the refreshment line during the coffee breaks. Lines usually give you an opportunity to network with only two people at a time.
If you're looking for a job
Fight the urge to ask the person you just met if there are jobs available at his or her workplace. Instead, ask if there is someone you could follow up with to 'learn more about' the person's office.
In this economy, it's ok to let someone know that you're in between jobs. It's better to say your position was cut, or you were one of several laid off. If that's not the case, or you don't want to say any of those things, call yourself an independent consultant.
If you see empty seats at a table, ask if you can join the group. When there is an appropriate opportunity, engage the people closest to you.
Avoid ordering or eating long pastas (spaghetti, linguini, etc.) or any food with a lot of sauce. It could get sloppy, which could distract your audience.
Avoid a table where everybody sitting there is "huddling." Those people have probably closed the networking circle and you would find it difficult to enter without seeming pushy. On the other hand, if someone at the table isn't part of the huddle, he or she would probably welcome some conversation.
Chain networking
Chain networking is the practice of networking with people who are networking with people you already know. It works best if you go to the conference with friends or co-workers, or already know people at the conference.
If you see that your colleague is talking with someone, feel free to join the group. Introduce yourself by your affiliation with your colleague. This will make the other person more comfortable in speaking with you.
If your colleague joins you while you're networking, make the introductions.
Networking with groups
When three or more people talk together, they tend to form groups. Read their body language to determine if you should try to join them.
If they form a closed circle (facing one another, backs to rest of the room), avoid trying to join them. You might be perceived as an interloper.
If you are on good terms with someone in a closed circle, you can probably enter it comfortably.
If the circle is more open, you can try to enter it casually. For example, you can listen from the side, and at an appropriate moment say something like "that's an interesting point. Why do you think that?"
Networking around conference sessions
If you don't need the continuing education credits, or aren't interested in any of the sessions, hang around the hallways outside the session rooms. You'll probably find others like you there.
Avoid standing in the refreshment line during the coffee breaks. Lines usually give you an opportunity to network with only two people at a time.
If you're looking for a job
Fight the urge to ask the person you just met if there are jobs available at his or her workplace. Instead, ask if there is someone you could follow up with to 'learn more about' the person's office.
In this economy, it's ok to let someone know that you're in between jobs. It's better to say your position was cut, or you were one of several laid off. If that's not the case, or you don't want to say any of those things, call yourself an independent consultant.
Do you have a professional development tip you would like to share? Have a question that you would like to see answered here? Please send it to Leo at vazquezl@rutgers.edu
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