Things To Avoid At A Networking Event
What is Networking? Networking to me means meeting new people and building relationships with them over time. Therefore, going for networking events is a good start, meeting and connecting with people is excellent, but trying to ask for a favour from a person you meet for the first time is not too good… Is it really not too good?… It’s bad. In as much, as you might need help from this person, endeavour to establish a relationship first, because, credibility is established slowly.
Having it at the back of your mind that, you can not harvest when you’ve not planted; It’s the same as asking favours from strangers when you’ve not planted.
Therefore, It is obligatory to avoid the following in a networking event:
- Asking a stranger to make introductions for your Job hunt for you… If you ever need a person to do this, endeavour to build a relationship with the person first, then in one of your subsequent meetups, you can then ask for help.
- Shoving your business card and moving on, in the hands of as many new people that you meet.
- Handing over your resume in the hands of a fellow attendee.
- Avoid getting drunk.
- Leaving the event, without showing appreciation to the organizers. Your“Thank You” could go a long way.
- Avoid getting involved in sensitive topics, no matter how much love you have for it. Networking events aren’t just the right place for it.
- Avoid asking questions like… Who do you know? It’s really none of your business, simply wait till a real relationship exists before doing that.
- Making self-introduction look like an extended business pitch isn’t necessary. Just a brief introduction would be sufficient, leave room for questions.
If you can avoid these things, you would realize how much you can achieve from a networking event…