Networking is important, but it isn’t always easy. That’s why there are SO many guides on how it should be done. Natasha’s first article on This Blonde Means Business was actually all about what to do at a networking event. But how do you tackle networking when you’re not an event specifically for it? Wherever you are in your career, having a broad network is essential. That’s why this article is all about expanding that network authentically online. It seems like everyone knows someone. The question is, how do you find people to meet?  

1.     Know yourself and your goals.

Strange, isn’t it? To meet others, you need to learn about yourself. Trust me though, you want to start here. Just imagine if someone you know connects you with a person who works at your dream company. You smile gingerly and exchange a solid handshake. They’re excited to meet you. Everything is going swimmingly. However, as pleasantries subside, they ask the simplest question: ‘Tell me about yourself.’ If you aren’t prepared and sputter out the first thing you can think of, you’re missing out on the opportunity to make a great first impression.

  Take the time to think about two simple questions: who are you, and what are your goals? You want to give the people you encounter a brief glimpse into your background and aspirations. Establishing yourself early in the conversation increases the likelihood that you’ll make a meaningful connection. It’s good practice to develop a brief 30 second elevator pitch that you could present at any time if needed. And of course, make sure you PRACTICE IT!

3.     Join an alumni association.

      If you’ve graduated from school, join your alumni association! An alumni association is a great resource to network with more experienced peers. Once you join, look for people who work in your industry or at your company of choice and reach out to them! These older alums have been in your shoes, fresh faced and looking for advice.  If you reach out with genuine curiosity about their career or industry, you’ll likely get a response back.

    This leads us to the next tip….

4.     Write Engaging messages to the people you reach out to online.

Whether in an alumni organization or LinkedIn, the messages you send out should be engaging. So what’s the best way to reach out to someone on LinkedIn? Kristi DePaul wrote a great article on this in the Harvard Business Review. In it, she gives two guidelines for drafting outreach messages.

       Start by introducing yourself. Instead of your full 30-second spot like you would use in person, pull a sentence or two that incapsulates who you are and what your goals are. Just enough to give a broad impression of your brand, don’t spend the whole message breaking down every titillating twist and turn in your career.

      Now, how do we create a message that most people would want to respond to?  It’s worth it to note that people love compliments and love talking about themselves. So, start your message off with a compliment or something that tells your respondent why you reached out to them specifically.

      If you want to learn about their career, you could try saying something like “Your career journey is so interesting and really stood out to me.” Or maybe “Your portfolio is so compelling and unique; how did you get the opportunity to work on some of these projects?”

      Finally, be clear about what you’d like out of the interaction. Do you want to learn about their career path? Are you trying to learn about the culture at their company? Are you on the job search and interested in a career opportunity? Whatever your goals, the biggest favor you can do yourself is to get straight to the point. A generic “Would love to have a chat” message doesn’t do anyone any good. Being direct is the courteous thing to do because it saves everyone time. Plus, they are more likely to respond when they know what your intentions are from the first message.

5.     Keep an Open Mind!

      One of the biggest misconceptions that I had when I first started networking was that EVERY connection was going to lead to a job offer or a career lead. But it’s not like that. And if you are like me, you should probably clear that impression right away.

      Networking is just about GETTING TO KNOW other people professionally. Simple as that. Don’t try to railroad every conversation into a situation where you are desperately clawing at them for a job opportunity. Stay genuine and curious about the people you talk to, and you’ll be surprised of the things you might learn.