Five Ways to Network Effectively

thegraduate.london

Meeting the right people and making the most of those interactions is what effective networking is all about. Over the course of your career, you'll have plenty of opportunities to network, be it one-on-one or at conventions, trade shows, and the like. But there is more to networking than showing up and exchanging handshakes and business cards. When you have the chance to meet and mingle, follow these five success-boosting strategies to network like you mean it! You never know who you'll meet and how your career path can benefit from the engaging encounter.

Mix and minglegevme.com

Be Conversational, Not "Salesy"

The best way to get off on the right foot is by being genuine. Sales pitches and prepared lingo will come off as inauthentic and give the impression that you may as well be talking to anyone. Be natural and conversational, and let the meeting take shape organically.

As Entrepreneur suggests, "Keep your exchange fun, light and informal – you don't need to do the hard sell within minutes of meeting a person. The idea is to get the conversation started. People are more apt to do business with – or partner with – people whose company they enjoy. Remember, networking is all about relationship building."

Stay Focused

If you find yourself networking within a large crowd at a convention-type setting, it may seem near impossible to concentrate. But you will need to drown out the noise, ignore the chaos, and direct your attention on the person you are talking with at any particular moment. Because if they feel they don't have 100% of your concentration, you may find yourself leaving a poor impression.

Sally Haver, a senior VP at The Ayers Group tells Monster, "When people spend 50 percent of the time looking over my shoulder, I don't feel warm and fuzzy." The grass may be greener on the other side (of the room) but give the person you are speaking with the respect they deserve. Dismissing someone in the hopes of finding that "bigger and better" attendee can result in you standing alone.

Listen (at least as much as you talk)

When time is limited, you may be inclined to talk yourself up. Sure, people want to hear about who you are and what you do, but they are part of the interaction too. This isn't Shark Tank. It's not all about pitching yourself with the goal of getting something in return. Networking is a two-way street with plenty of room for everyone to share the road.

As Entrepreneur recommends, "Don't hijack the conversation. The most successful networkers (think of those you've met) are good at making other people feel special. Look people in the eye, repeat their name, listen to what they have to say, and suggest topics that are easy to discuss. Be a conversationalist, not a talker."

What Can You Offer?

Yes, you want to network to benefit your own agenda, but by helping others, you'll help yourself in the process. As Inc. notes, "If you want to connect with someone, find a way to help that person. It's always worth the trouble to find out a contact's desires and concerns. The chances are high that you'll be able to find something worthwhile you can offer. It's easy to assume that a wealthy and successful contact already has everything he or she desires and wants nothing from the likes of you. If you're thinking that way, get over it."

Monster adds, "There's no better way to establish a business networking relationship than to contribute to the solution of your new contact's pressing problem. If someone states a challenge that they're facing, respond—no later than the next morning—with something of value that addresses their issue."

As Inc. puts it, "Be generous. That doesn't mean you should only reach out to contacts or do things for them when you expect something in return."

As they say, "Do unto others…"

Keep in Touch

Networking doesn't end when the meeting is over. The whole point is to establish an ongoing rapport that will propel both parties towards a better working relationship that is mutually beneficial.

As Monster recommends, "Set yourself up for the next contact. If you intuit that a new contact will have lasting value, start building a bridge to your next exchange before you say your first good-bye."

Entrepreneur suggests, "Get in touch within 48 hours of the event to show you're interested and available, and reference something you discussed, so your contact remembers you."

Keep connected, stay in touch, and see how your relationship can flourish as you advance in your careers.

Network for successcareer.uconn.edu

The next time you network, you'll have the tools to make every moment worth everyone's while. Make networking really work!

Related Articles Around the Web
networking
Subscribe to PayPath Newsletter
PayPath
Follow Us on

Truebill Is The App Everyone Needs, I Use It Everyday To Track All My Finances

I thought I had a pretty good handle on my finances out of school. I worked several jobs while attending university and had little to no problem managing my income. However, once I graduated, I realized how much more complicated personal accounting could really be.

There were so many variables I needed to keep track of. Biweekly bills, monthly charges, and general necessities amounted to a heap of confusing numbers that were often impossible to decipher. The funniest part was that I was actually trying to do this by hand (I don't know what I was trying to prove to myself, either).

After messing up for the 17th time, I decided to give Microsoft Excel a shot. I used Excel a bit in school and I knew all the big-wig finance people used it, so what could I possibly have to lose? The answer is about six hours of my precious time. Excel isn't much of an improvement over handwriting and it's still dependent on the user to manually input all of the information. It's like doing everything by hand with the slightest help, meaning that it still required a tremendous amount of time and concentration. Well that was all for nothing, I guess.

It's sort of funny. I was certain that I could manage my personal finances with ease, when it's practically a full-time job. I was already stressed out enough with my first job and I knew I didn't have enough time to give my finances the attention it deserved.

That's why I decided to try out a budgeting app. My best friend told me that he uses an app called Truebill to manage his finances. "What does it even mean to manage your finances?" I asked him. He told me that Truebill was the personal financial assistant I wished I could have. It could aggregate all of my account information into one place and give me specific insights and actions.

I loved the idea of having full control over my finances, especially during a time of financial uncertainty, and I realized that Truebill would be the easiest way to accomplish this. The user interface is incredibly simple and intuitive, so it doesn't even feel like a finance app! Truebill offers a multitude of features, with their most popular being the ability to cancel subscriptions with the press of a button.

Okay, I had no idea how many subscriptions I was still subscribed to. In fact, I wasn't even using a quarter of the subscription services I was signed up for. Subscription boxes, streaming services, my old gym, and even an old subscription to my favorite magazine--it was all there and I was livid. How could I let myself waste all of this money and how did I never catch this? Thank goodness for Truebill.

Truebill also offers bill negotiations. There is a 40% fee based on how much you save and Truebill even claims that there is an 85% chance that they'll be able to lower your bill once a negotiation is requested. Why wouldn't I take them up on this? There was zero risk and I would only have to pay once my bill was lowered (which means that I would be saving money regardless).

More standard features of Truebill include the ability to generate a credit report on-demand and even request a pay advance. I only used the pay advance feature once when I wanted to buy a gift for my mom, but didn't have enough cash in hand and Truebill automatically reimbursed itself when I got my next paycheck.

The credit report is another fantastic feature and practically taught me what good credit meant. Truebill's credit report basically shows you which financial decisions have the most significant impact on your credit score and ways that you can improve your credit month-over-month. I've never had such control over my credit and it feels good.

I'll be the first to admit that I was extremely naive coming out of school. I figured that as long as I was attentive, I could manage my finances with ease. We manage money to some extent throughout our entire lives, but once you're thrown out on your own, it's a completely different story. With Truebill, I've finally been able to take control over my finances and stay on top of all of my responsibilities.

Update: Our friends at Truebill are extending a special offer to our readers! Follow this link to sign-up for Truebill.

5 Reasons You Need FanDuel TVG If You Want To Get In On All The Horse Racing Action

My buddies and I always try to make it out to a game, but we never really care which one we end up at. Obviously we have our favorite sports and teams, but it was rarely about what game we went to or who we saw playing. It was about watching the game live.

In the early months of lockdown, all we had was Korean baseball, and trust me, we loved it. The only issue was, none of us had any idea what the commentators were saying. Even then, a few of my friends weren't huge fans of baseball. They were into sports like football and basketball, ones that moved at a quicker pace with less down-time in between plays.

We decided to see if there were any other events going down and came across horse racing. Yes, horse racing. It was perfect--short, fast-paced, and most importantly, an opportunity for betting.

I had never really considered watching a horse race any time other than the Belmont Stakes, but the prospects of the sport seemed exhilarating. Even better, with horse racing we knew we could still recreate the atmosphere of a race track. Salty snacks? Check. Stale beer? Check. A simple and easy way to bet? Check.

One quick Google search later, we came across TVG, powered by FanDuel. It's an online betting platform that takes you right to the heart of the action. We were a little apprehensive about using a mobile app to place our bets, but TVG's ability to bet on live horse races from all over the world was too good to pass up.

Here are 5 reasons why we are obsessed with horse racing thanks to TVG:

1. Betting has never been easier

Use your phone or computer to watch and bet on live horse races in real-time. TVG offers a bunch of features to make betting even simpler--live odds and handicapping tips leverage recent learnings to help you make your best bet. Not to mention, TVG's exclusive race content and wagering guide offers an under-the-hood look into the strategy behind horse race betting.

2. The biggest selection of horse races out there

If you're looking to drop a little dough on a horse race, chances are your best option is your local race track. But watching the same few horses races over and over again isn't the most exciting thing. With TVG you have access to over 150 tracks worldwide with races happening consistently throughout the day.

3. Get a generous sign-up offer when you place your first bet

Once you register your account, you will be eligible for a $200 risk-free bet. All you have to do is place your first bet and you're covered. If you happen to lose, TVG will insure you for up to $200 as a sort of wagering credit. I may have been a little trigger happy when placing my first bet, so having this insurance was a great perk. There are also a bunch of promotional offers available year-round.

4. Making deposits and cashing out at the touch of button

With a ton of payment options such as PayPal, BetCash, debit/credit, wire transfers, and other third-party services, making a deposit is a breeze. But what about the payout? Depending on your deposit method, your withdrawal will be available in a few days. No more waiting in-line to collect your winnings!

5. Watching live races with your friends while betting is exhilarating

Even when we were watching Korean baseball, Zoom calls with my friends were a little dull.

With TVG, we haven't had this sort of fun in months! Every weekend we'll turn on a race and throw our bets in. After a few races, and quite a few drinks, we'll tally up our winnings to see who won the most! Sometimes it's not even about making money, but just having a good time.

TVG is the perfect way to add a little excitement to an otherwise mundane afternoon. It introduced me to the world of horse racing, a sport I never would have considered otherwise.

The races just keep ramping up and thanks to TVG, I can always get in on the fun.

UPDATE: The biggest derby in horse racing is THIS WEEKEND. Get in on the action with your $200 risk-free bet!

Advertisement

fanduel tvg