Tips for Attending Networking Meetups

As an HR professional, I’m often asked about networking and how to approach it effectively. Networking is not just about meeting people—it’s a powerful tool for personal development, continuous learning, and fostering meaningful connections. When done thoughtfully, it opens doors to new opportunities and helps you grow both personally and professionally. Here are three essential tips for successful networking: 1. Be Intentional * Set clear goals: Are you looking for mentorship, exploring new industries, or expanding your support network? Focus on quality not quantity. * Do your homework: Research attendees or speakers in advance and prepare thoughtful questions or talking points to guide your conversations. 2. Lead with Value * Networking is about building relationships, not just seeking personal gain. Shift your focus to “How can I help?” * Look for opportunities to support others—whether by sharing insights, offering resources, or making introductions that could be beneficial. 3. Keep the Connection Alive * After an event or meeting, follow up with a personalized message that references your conversation. * Maintain the relationship by staying in touch over time—share articles, updates, or simply check in to show you value the connection. Conversation Starters Consider these to spark engaging conversations: * "What’s the most exciting part of your current role or project?" * "What inspired you to attend this event today?" * "What’s a professional trend or topic you’re really interested in right now?" And one last tip: Put your phone down! Being fully present shows respect and builds deeper connections. What are your go-to networking strategies? I’d love to hear your thoughts! #Networking #Development #GrowthMindset

Networking can feel like a daunting task, especially for us introverts (yes, I’m an introvert #iykyk). Walking into a crowded conference room can sometimes feel more overwhelming than energizing, right? Over the years, I've developed a simple yet powerful framework that helps me navigate these situations with intention and actually get the results I'm looking for. I call it the 3-2-1 Networking Framework. Here's how it works: 🎯 3 Strong Contacts: Instead of aiming to collect a stack of business cards you'll never follow up with, go into your event with the goal of making 3 meaningful connections that can genuinely help you achieve a specific goal. This focus allows you to be more present in conversations and truly remember who you've met. Quality over quantity, always! 🗣️ 2 Small Details: Beyond the business talk, make a conscious effort to remember at least 2 seemingly small, personal details about the people you connect with. Did they mention their child's name? Are they excited about an upcoming vacation? Did you both realize you're part of the same sorority? These personal touches create a stronger, more memorable connection. 💡 Pro-tip: Start with the name! This past week at IIEX, I had a few instances where people mistook me for another researcher. While she's fantastic, it highlighted the importance of truly seeing individuals past basic shared demographics. 📣 Another pro-tip (especially when connecting with Black women): Please remember something other than our hair. Our styles are diverse and can change frequently - at least mine does 🤣. Focusing solely on a hairstyle can lead to missed connections – let's move beyond superficial identifiers and get to the heart of the people. 🚀 1 Must-Do Goal: Walk into your networking event with at least 1 clear, actionable goal. Is it to identify potential business partners, find a new vendor, learn about a specific industry trend, or even land one new client? Having this singular focus will direct your conversations and make your time much more effective. You don't need a laundry list of objectives; sometimes, all it takes is one spark to ignite something bigger and better. This 3-2-1 framework has been a game-changer for me, allowing me to turn up the energy when needed, stay focused, and build authentic connections that truly matter. Give it a try at your next event and let me know how it works for you! #networking #introvert #connections #businesstips #IIEX

I hate to break it to you all, but I’m a fraud…. I am not the extrovert that everyone assumes I am. In fact, the first picture you see is me hiding in the bathroom mentally preparing for a networking event. For those who don’t know, a couple weeks ago it was CBC week. Essentially this means everyone and their mother came to DC. Everyday there were a multitude of events from networking and mixers, to late night parties. Despite what y’all see on here, I am not the most outward person (a faćade I know) To be honest, I normally get anxious when networking. I feel awkward randomly walking up to someone I don’t know and trying to start a conversation. I’m scared it’ll feel forced or I’ll seem too overbearing. However, as a young professional, I’ve made a pact to myself to do things that put me outside of my comfort zone and going to networking events alone is one of them. As daunting as it may seem, once you have a strategy for networking, things seem to work out just fine. So here are some things I do to prepare for networking events: 1️⃣ Review event attendees Most events posted on platforms like Eventbrite and LinkedIn will display who is attending the event. I always try to make it a priority to look into the attendees at least once before the event. As I do this, I note who aligns with my interests or work to remind myself to connect with them at the event. 2️⃣ Make a list of common questions to ask If there’s one thing people like to talk about, it’s themselves. Due to that, I have a running list of questions to ask individuals who I meet. I try to ask a mix of questions that are both personal and professional. Here are some examples: ✨Tell me a little about what you currently do. Is there anything you would change about your current role or industry? ✨Where are you from originally? How did you experience growing up shape who you are today? (side note, if they’re from the area in which you’re networking in them, you could also ask about their favorite local spots) ✨If you weren’t in your current field or role, what do you think you’d be doing instead? 3️⃣ Set goals I have learned that you do not have to network with the entire room to have had a good experience or make your mark. In fact, I would argue that having a few good conversations outweighs having 50 basic ones. Thus, the goals I set for myself are focused on making genuine connections. I normally set the goal of having at least 3 genuine conversations over the course of a 2 hour networking event. So far, I’ve been hitting the mark! 4️⃣ Monitor my social battery I do not believe in forcing ANYTHING. So when it comes to a point when I’m all talked out, I leave. There is no shame in it. There is no blame in it. I encourage you all to do the same. You do not need to make yourself stay in a place in which you are overwhelmed. — What are some ways you prepare for networking events? #tipswithtaylor #networking #genz

I was paid to go to 100 events a year at a past job - I learned how to be ruthlessly effective at networking in-person 12 uncommon tips you can use for more efficient networking at a conference: 1) don’t eat heavy! It will slow you down 2) Don’t be afraid to leave a conversation, even if it feels a tad abrupt, protect your time and stay focused. We're all attendees, we understand. 3) Drink lots of water and bring gum or mints. 4) Ask “what brings you here?” as an alternative to the overplayed question “what do you do” 5) Happy hours involved? Bring an after alcohol aid like Cheers - you need to be at your freshest every morning of the event 6) Everyone says they're bad at remembering names, but a small trick is to repeat someone’s full name when you meet them so you’re more likely to remember it later and people like hearing their name. 7) Use the LinkedIn app on your phone to quickly scan and immediately connect with someone to follow up later 8) take lots of pictures with people, it creates a memory and a positive surface to reconnect later online after the event (I need to get better at this) 9) don’t be silent - if you’re not naturally talkative or “loud” this one is for you: you need to force yourself to speak, even if that means raising your voice in a crowded room, or walking across the room to introduce yourself, it's the only way people will get to know you, a big reason why you're at the event. Break the ice, 95% of people will be thankful you did. 10) know your micro elevator pitch - what’s the 1 sentence version of what you do that is interesting and will “stick” with someone? It takes practice and experimentation to fine tune, especially if you work at a “boring” company but hey, mix it up and you’ll find it. DM me if you want to hear my example for me new company. 11) have fun! Don’t get too self-conscious or take anything too seriously, no one really cares about a pimple or a stain. People remember your energy, not your appearance. 12) controversial one - don’t bring a friend. They might help you avoid some awkwardness but you’ll end up spending 50% of your time talking to them, instead of meeting and talking with new people Agree/disagree with any? What would you add? #inbound24

It's networking week and I haven't talked about networking events yet! Heyo! Let's do this. Yes, I know networking events can be draining and a lot to deal with, but they can be manageable. Here’s the first trick: Realize 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗼. No one cares about you -- they’re all up in their heads about how they look and what they say. Now here's some tips: 1) 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 What organization is hosting the event? Who is the contact person? Sometimes the event will publish a list of confirmed attendees - look them up in advance. If there is a speaker, contact them too and say you’re looking forward to the event. And look at that! You have made connections before you even walked in the door. 2) 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 My favorite opening question is, “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺?” Everyone has a reason for attending the event, and this will help you find something in common with the other person. They will likely ask you the same question, so practice your answer ahead of time. 3) 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 “𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵” Speaking of introductions, practice how you will introduce yourself to a new person. Consider your goals - what do you want people to remember about you? For example, if you’re looking for a new job, your pitch will include the types of jobs/industries that interest you. 4) 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱 I wrote about this yesterday. You can attach digital business cards to your email signature block, text the cards to a contact, and generate a QR code. LinkedIn is a great option too - 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗤𝗥 𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲. Here's how: 𝗵𝘁𝘁𝗽𝘀://𝗹𝗻𝗸𝗱.𝗶𝗻/𝗲𝗞𝗫𝟮𝗘𝟵𝗝𝗖. 5) 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 Don’t dress in boring black like everyone else. Wear something noteworthy so you stand out from the crowd and people will remember you. You could choose a colorful jacket, tie, scarf, jewelry, brooch, or glasses. Later, when you’re following up with people, you can say, “I was wearing the red jacket." 6) 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 Find the person who organized the event and thank them before you leave. If they seem too busy or overwhelmed, send a message after the event is over. First of all, this is a nice thing to do because they put a lot of effort into organizing the event. Secondly, no one does this and it helps you stand out. Finally, the event organizer knows most of the people who attended and can be a great addition to your network. I'm rooting for you. 👊 ♻ Please repost if you think this advice will help others. ***** Hi, have we met? I'm Emily and I'm on a mission to get the #greenbannergang back to work, one actionable step at a time. #jobsearch #jobhunt #jobseekers