Playing the Long Game

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Networking can be one of your best professional strategies. At it’s core, networking is never about the “ask” — it’s about everything leading up to that. When you think about networking in this way, you are much more focused on building relationships, communicating, and just having personal conversations with people in order to build a connection. When you play the long game, and you initially have no demands or expectations from a relationship, you are much better when the time comes to ask for something from that person. Instead of starting from nothing, you already have a strong rapport with people who will gladly help you! That is the magic of building a network.

While you invest personal time, and at most some cash, you gain a potential client pool, viable mentors, credibility in your industry, and continuous education in your field. So, instead of asking, “Should I attend a networking event?” ask yourself “Which networking events are worth my time?”

What to look for in any networking event:

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Narrow down your events based on your career needs. Are you stumped on a particular project? Do you rely on new client leads in your business? Are you looking for a job? Is there a new work responsibility you need more information on? Do you need to learn about a particular industry or topic? Look for sessions that will fill in that void, or at the very least connect you to the right people and the right information.

Find an event that fits you. Are you a morning person? If so, go to a breakfast event. Hate working a big crowd? Find a smaller round table discussion to make more peer-to-peer connections. Have anxiety about networking? Try a happy hour event, where things are almost always a little more casual, and approaching small groups is easier. Do you have big picture problems or project specific questions? Try a larger forum with a panel of experts, or even a conference. You will learn from the experts themselves, gain access to topical information, and be exposed to many peers in your industry.