Networking is something that everyone has to do, but there unfortunately isn’t a manual that tells you how exactly to do it. This can be especially challenging when your instincts are telling you to just go to the center of a networking event and start shouting, “You! You find me job now! NOW!!” Here’s how to avoid this very common mistake:
Ask for advice.
Instead of going up to the first person you see that has some success and yelling, “Give me some of that, please!”, you can strike up a conversation with them by asking them if they have any advice for someone at your career level. This will give you way better results than ordering them to give you a job while drooling from your mouth and breathing heavily.
Remember that you’re having a normal, human conversation.
Remind yourself that this is just a friendly encounter between two individuals, not a work meeting or job interview, and especially not the beginning of a bar fight. Talk to the professional in front of you like you would to a friend you respect. Remember: if you point at them while shouting demands, they might think that shows confidence, but they also might run away because they’re scared of you.
Follow up.
After you have an initial conversation with someone you want to add to your network, your first instinct might be to text them over and over again saying “WHERE’S MY JOB?”, “I WANT JOB”, or “GIVE ME JOB NOW”, but this is actually not the best approach when you’re following up with a fellow professional. A better way to reach out would be to bring up some of the topics you talked about in your earlier conversation, and make plans to talk again sometime. Then, hopefully, they will give you job!
So if you’re struggling to build your network because you can’t stop screaming at people who could potentially hire you, then follow the steps above to have a nice and thoughtful interaction with someone who could open up your career field for you. Also, once you make the connection, feel free to say “GIVE ME JOB NOW!” They’ll actually really respect that!
