Keep track of events in your industry and existing networks
Your virtual networking activity can get you a long way, but eventually, you need to meet people in person. There are lots of free options these days as well as ones that cost a small fee to attend.
Conferences
Job fairs (go to these armed with copies of your up-to-date CV)
Trade fairs
Industry happy hours
Company open houses
Chamber of commerce events
Alumni events
All these are designed to bring people with a similar interests together.
Find events on Meetup
I’m a big fan of meetup.com. Unlike many one-off events, Meetup groups get together regularly. A regular event means you only have the anxiety of walking into a room full of strangers once, and it allows you to gradually build relationships with the other group members.
Once you have created and verified your account, Meetup.com will ask about your interests. Click on Career & Business along with any other categories. You are then free to explore and find groups relevant to your career interests. You can explore by group, or by date.
For example, if you’re a graphic designer, type in “graphic design,” and it will pull up groups dedicated to this subject within five miles (you can change the location and distance). Find active groups with a large number of members. Do this by seeing if they are currently hosting events.
You will probably have to try out several groups until you find one that feels right; where you connect with at least one or two people. It is unlikely to happen on the first visit. Commit to attending at least three times before deciding if it’s the right group for you. And if it isn’t, don’t hesitate to move onto the next one.
The key to getting the most value from any networking event is to speak up, not just show up. If you join a group that meets regularly, become what I call a citizen of the group, and not a visitor. Citizens actively and regularly contribute and are trusted members. Visitors are not.
Meet people for one-to-ones as well
Not everybody does well in group settings. Don’t forget, this course is about giving you networking options, to find the one that suits you.
If you are strongly introverted, and the idea of a group event is exhausting and stressful, don’t do it to yourself! It will be difficult to present the best version of you anyway. It's probably better to focus on some of the ideas in the previous chapter about meeting people one-to-one. It will cost you no more than the price of a coffee, and you will have their full attention.
Aim to meet people regularly
However you decide to meet people, aim to have two to three events on your calendar each month. And, if you are actively looking for your next job, double those numbers as soon as possible.
Turn these actions into habits in the same way you probably start each day checking emails and social media messages, and it won’t feel like networking. It will be automatic, and it will pay off over time.
Let's recap!
Networking should entail a combination of virtual activities and attending events to meet people in person.
Experiment with several groups on meetup.com until you find the right combination of people and locations.
Actively participate at every event.
If you are a natural introvert, think about meeting people one-to-one over a coffee.
In the final chapter of this course, lets look at some simple, quick ways to nurture your contacts so people don't forget you!
