Networking For Women

5 Tips For Making Connections

Reading time: About 5 minutes.

Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

A good portion of my readers are working or in college, which is why when I asked if you wanted to hear more about networking, the answer in messages was yes!

All of these tips are great for anyone but, according to LinkedIn data, “women in the U.S. are 28% less likely than men to have a strong network“¹ Here are 5 things you can do to start networking, an activity I believe is one of your best moves for finding work opportunities or being more involved in your community (even in your twenties, ladies!).

1. Introduce yourself to the people in charge.
   
   If you’re attending an event and don’t know who to talk to, consider finding who organized it. Not a clue? Ask someone that question! Every event organizer I have met has been like-minded in that they’re enthusiastic about people having the best time. Since they invited the attendees, they’ll likely know exactly who to connect you with.
   
   For example, the President of my local Chamber of Commerce is a great matchmaker at pairing guests to either other industry players or people who he knows will play host with a warm personality.
   

2. Set up the event or be the speaker.
   
   This tip might be best for people who have experienced a few networking events beforehand but don’t feel like your age or lack of experience should prevent you! If you want to meet more moms, set up an event at your church. If you want to meet more working women in your area, set up a mixer and see if a local restaurant will host during one of their slower days of the week.
   
   Likewise, if you find yourself repeatedly teaching the same concepts to people you know, apply or ask a group if they’d like a speaker on the topic. A few years ago I met a nutritional specialist because they hosted a small lunchtime education hour and I met a Facebook ads expert the same way!
   

3. Know what you’re looking for in terms of target market, referral, or connection
   
   This is a huge thing you need to consider, even if your “why” is fairly simple. What’s the reason you want to attend a networking event? You may be craving mentorship from business owners or professionals with more life experience than you currently have or you want to get your name out there. You might want more friends who have niche interests in your community to connect with or you may be seeking referrals for sales. Whatever the reason, it’s better to have one than not.
   
   When we go into an event or meeting with no objective, we increase the opportunity for wasted time. I’m not talking about needing something from someone but having a basic plan or list of questions will always make for smoother conversations.
   
   Examples include: asking what people’s goals are, what they enjoy most about their job, what brought them to the event, or if they’re part of any community groups.

   
   

4. Add a notes section to your business cards.
   
   Seriously, if you don’t have a business card you should get one! Yes, even if you are a college student (add your name, email, major, and what you’re hoping to do for a career). Yes, even if you don’t have business cards from your job (make your own on Canva with their thousands of free templates.)
   
   Most importantly, (besides your contact information) include a spot on the back for “notes.” This addition to my business cards has been a game changer for me. Working in the service industry I can write down a quote or what we talked about on my card and hand it to them. They’re more likely to return my call or reach out.

5. If it’s a one to one, do your background research.
   
   If you are having a one to one meeting or a job interview, make sure you do a little research, which is easy these days thanks to the internet. You can Google the company and the people you’re meeting to easily find where they work, what they stand for, and sometimes see how their career has changed over time.
   
   I’m not saying you should meet someone and ask about their Facebook photos 10 years ago. I am suggesting you know just enough to ask questions like, “Your LinkedIn says you went from teaching to working in insurance. How did you decide to make that move?” You’re likely to gain a lot of insight about who they are or what drives them and they’ll appreciate a little interest.

At the end of the day, consider that no one is going to invite you to the leaders’ table. You’ll need to do that yourself, if you want to be there. Networking can be more powerful than a resume but you need to know what you want to get from it and how, whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, student or worker bee.

Did these tips help? Have any other tips to share? Let’s comment about it.

1. https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog/talent-acquisition/women-less-likely-to-have-strong-networks

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