At parties, seminars, and other group meetings you attend whether you are employed or not, you’ll have opportunities to network with a number of people.  Here are a few basic tips for handling those occasions:

• Start a conversation, go up to someone you don’t know and introduce yourself.

• Collect as many business cards as you can comfortably carry.  Make sure you have enough of your own business cards to dispense as well.

• Avoid too much talk.  Have a strategy for what you want to say & learn.

• Don’t wait for someone to suggest what he or she can do for you; propose how you might help your new contact.

• Don’t talk to one person too long.  If a conversation gets stale, end it gracefully.  If the conversation is productive, make an appointment for drinks or lunch and move on to another person.

• Don’t spend time with people you already know; instead introduce them to your new contacts.

• Set goals for yourself; during each networking event, try to meet a certain number of people.

• Always begin and end conversations with a positive statement.

Everyone can be a great networker. Practice makes perfect, so make sure you make the most of any situation that presents itself.

We’d love to hear any of your advice for networkers.  Leave your helpful tips in the Comments section below!

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