Have you ever made any of these networking mistakes?
The good news it, connecting with others is a big part of any career, so you have lots of time and room for improving any networking mistakes you may have made in the past.
Networking doesn’t always come in the form of a room full of people drinking bad coffee, shaking hands, and exchanging business cards. Networking includes all the ways you connect with other people, and the times you connect people to each other.
Since we all have to do it at one point or another, it is good idea to brush up on some good networking skills, so you can avoid these networking mistakes.
An article written by Kat Boogaard for Inc. lists 5 major things to avoid doing while networking:
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Making a huge ask. It’s better to make a relatively small, simple, and specific request. Rather than asking that person to recommend your new business to everyone, for example, see if he or she would be willing to make an introduction to one person you’re interested in meeting.
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Only talking about yourself. It’s important to remember that networking isn’t just an outlet for shameless self-promotion. Instead, it’s an opportunity to forge relationships with other professionals.
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Assuming you’re the first priority. It’s a common trap to fall into — assuming that your own needs and goals automatically fall at the top of everybody else’s priority list. But, here’s the truth: The people you’re connecting with are busy, and you aren’t the first thing they need to deal with on any given day.
- Doing all of the taking. That means you shouldn’t be the only one extracting value from that exchange. You also need to bring something to the table for that other person.
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Neglecting to be gracious. It’s important to remind yourself that your networking contact didn’t have to help you out. That person took time out of his or her own day in order to benefit you — and that’s undoubtedly worthy of a hearty and genuine display of your appreciation.
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