More than just small talk: The art of making authentic connections at networking events
Ever attended a corporate mixer where all you did was make awkward small talk? To make these networking events work for you, experts shared some strategies so that conversations go beyond the mere exchange of business cards.
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A tea break during a trade seminar? She would get ready to start handing out business cards. Or, if it was a meeting over lunch, she would plan what conversation opener to use for potential clients.
Ms Cindi Wirawan, career coach and founder of Cindiw, which provides career coaching programmes, said: “It’s a common misconception that people network because they need something, like a job or new client.”
Instead, she recommended focusing on how I could provide value, such as sharing relevant insights related to the other person’s industry, connecting people with similar interests (like Ms Liew), or highlighting relevant job opportunities .
She likened networking to planting seeds and tending to a garden, because meaningful connections are cultivated over time.
What most people generally do instead is that they start networking only when they need something. For instance, she has seen how jobseekers – ranging from final-year university students to mid-career professionals – attend networking sessions only when they are looking to be employed.
This approach hinders authentic relationships and reinforces the transactional nature of networking sessions, when it does not have to be that way.
Mr Gerald Tan, projects director at career guidance service provider Avodah People Solutions, agreed that networking is a give-and-take for all parties.
“By offering information and opportunities, you build credibility ... When the time comes to ask for help, the law of reciprocity kicks in. Because you have helped someone before, they’ll be inclined to return the favour,” he said.
SIMPLIFY, DON'T RUSH
Okay, so now you're at the networking session and you see someone who might be open for a chat with a complete stranger. What do you do?
For one thing, the experts I interviewed said that first impressions are key, and it starts with a good personal introduction and an elevator pitch, otherwise known as a short speech to convey a key message or to persuade someone to do something.
Ms Sherrin Lim, training director at Imageworks, a consultancy specialising in personal branding, said one step that is often overlooked is to find a way to make your own name memorable among the crowd of attendees.
