Prepare

• Develop a list of people who would be willing to assist you: relatives, friends, faculty, alumni, former employers, high school teachers, and other professionals. Provide each of these individuals with a copy of your resume and make them aware of your career goals.
• Prepare a self introduction that is clear, interesting, and well delivered.  This will allow you to start a conversation confidently and share information about you and your interests. See our Elevator Speech information for tips on crafting this introduction.
• The latest news, talk radio, or newspaper can provide updates on current events and industry news that will help you connect.
• Be prepared to network at any given moment.  You can network at a conference, wedding, ball-game or at the bus stop.
• Identify the goals you want to achieve at the networking event before you go (e.g. learn more about a particular field, to develop job/internship leads, etc).

Create Your Elevator Pitch and Connect

• Create an elevator pitch - a quick way to sell yourself when making introductions to strangers. An elevator pitch sets the stage for why someone would be interested in learning more about you. It can be used in a variety of settings including conferences, career fairs, grad school visits, social visits etc.
• Go where the people are and be visible
• Make eye contact with those speaking
• Listen more, talk less
• Keep moving around the room

Engage

• The first 60 seconds of a conversation with a stranger is the hardest, but it will get easier as you learn more about the person, their experience, and interests. Commonalities help “strangers” connect.
• Break the ice with an open-ended question: Are you…?  Do you...?  Then ask a close-ended question: Who? Where? Which? Then repeat with more open-ended questions. 
• The people best at networking are the best listeners.  Anyone will speak to you for ten minutes if you are not speaking about yourself.
• Have quality conversations rather than quantity.  At large functions, be content with a quality conversation with 5-7 people, who will remember you and what you spoke about the next day.
• Be respectful of time.  Pay special attention for cues from the other person indicating that they are ready to move on.

Review

• Keep a record after the networking event; make a list of who you’ve spoken with so you don’t forget how and when you met.
• Say “thank you”.  Show your gratitude for a referral, even if there is no result from the lead.
• Keep promises. If you offer to “take action”, follow-through with the promise.
• Be persistent.  Networking is a never-ending task.
•  Keep your “network” informed.  Share good news, success stories, resources, and information with your network.

Reminders

• Quality over quantity
• Get to know people personally as well as professionally
• Take the time to introduce others
• Shyness can be misinterpreted as indifference
• Take a break by approaching someone you know
• Conversation is give and take

Final Thoughts

Each time you meet with someone new, you are a step closer to feeling more confident and believing in your ability to learn and grow from your network.  The best networking is not simply a one-time association, but a continuing connection.  Networking does not stop once the event or meeting is over.  Be sure to follow up with those you’ve met, keep in contact, share information and offer to help in any way you can. A good method of keeping in contact with your network is through social media such as LinkedIn, OnIowa.com, etc.  Please refer to LinkedIn and Social Media page for more information.