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When Approaching

• Arrive on time for the event
• Don’t approach industry members with a large group
• Don’t cut into someone’s conversation but rather find a way to join the conversation
• Take the initiative to walk up and say hello – people are there to talk to you
• Dress in proper business attire
• Avoid strong perfume or cologne (less is better; none is best)
• If there is food at the event, do not approach anyone while you are eating
• Approach with a greeting and start the conversation with a friendly introduction
• Save time and approach the people who you want to target
• Be prepared for your conversations – have questions ready that are relevant to the people you are speaking with
• Always make sure to find out the proper pronunciation of the individual’s name
• Stand with proper posture, have a firm handshake and an inviting smile
• Keep phones off or on silent – don’t check your phone during the event

When Building Rapport

• Rapport is built by learning about the individual and that requires attentive listening
• Be prepared to speak about who you are, your experiences (both at school and outside of school) and what direction you plan to go in once you have finished school
• Current events and news may be a great way to get a conversation going, so be sure to research current events in specific industries before the gathering
• Learn as much as you can about the industry member and take notes – the notes will be useful for future meetings
• If you are in a group setting, make sure to keep the industry professional as a part of the conversation
• You can’t build rapport by monopolizing a person’s time
• When you talk to an industry member, try to talk about information you feel is relevant to the other individual
• Be genuine and sincere – people connect better when they feel someone is being honest
• Try to add value to the conversation. To do this, you must listen well! For example, the industry member may mention that they don’t know how to use a certain app – offer advice or help! Offer insights into questions the individual may have.
• Always remember networking is a two way relationship!

The Ask: Gaining Value from the Interaction

• You can move on to discussing your goal (ie, an interview, etc.) only once you have established rapport, so you should not talk business first
• Never ask for a job when you first meet
• Never give your resume when you first meet
• Feel free to ask for a business card
• Try to establish the best way to follow up and perhaps even when to follow up
• Don’t get ‘cornered’ – if you feel uncomfortable in a conversation, find a polite way to excuse yourself

When Following Up

• Try to follow up on the terms that have been established during the conversation
• Start the follow up with a thank you
• Wait at least 12 hours to follow up and try to follow up during standard work hours