Everyone knows first impressions are very important. These days face to face meetings happen less and less. I have recruited on roles that offer a Skype interview and the employee never even meets his/her manager F2F(Face to Face). Things have definitely changed over the years. Since the F2F meeting is almost becoming extinct, what would happen if you got really, really good at meeting people? I’m not talking about being really good at shaking hands, although that is an art too(maybe to discuss another time), I’m talking about being really good at striking up a conversation with a complete stranger and honestly connecting with them. Here are some helpful tips to start you off…
Do your homework. – What if you’re headed to a networking event and you know the president of a prestigious local company is going to be there. You would really like to chat with him because you plan on applying to his company the next time there is an opening that matches your skill set. Do you walk up to him and say, “Hello Mr. President, how’s it going?” If you said “Yes,” please email me(thedsmrecruiter@gmail.com) immediately and we will meet to chat about it. Anyway, with so many avenues to research, said President, you NEED to do your homework on him/her. Head to the Google Machine(I stole this phrase from a buddy) and see what he/she has been up to the past couple months/years. Being the president of a company the social media networks are probably set to private or show very little, but it’s worth a try. Give the name a search on Facebook or Twitter to see what you can find. Maybe he/she likes shows at the Civic Center and you just saw the Oz last week. Talk about it! Heck, read a newspaper. Maybe you’ll find something in there that will be of some help to find a topic to discuss. The possibilities are endless with this one, especially because so much information is right at your finger tips.
No idea who’s going to be at the “party?” – This happens more times than not. So what are you supposed to do if you don’t know who is going to be at the networking event? Come up with a list of general questions to ask people about themselves and their companies. I don’t want to do all the work for you, but if you want to talk about more about these please email me at thedsmrecruiter@gmail.com, but here are a few examples. After you get the general information about someone, ask questions that are more in-depth. “What is the last book you read and what is the most influential book?” This is one of my “go-to” questions because I love to read. Most of the books I’ve read have been referrals from people I’ve asked. It doesn’t matter their position or job title. People who read have probably read a great book that I haven’t.
Asking someone about their company is a little different. Sometimes they don’t want to give away too much info, so you have to walk that line. One of my favorites is “What do you see your biggest problem being in the next 12 months?” I love this one, because when the individual gives the answer, you can immediately follow-up with, “Why?” Plus, if it’s a problem, and you know someone who fixes those types of problems, you connect those two and immediately have a business relationship with that individual. BOOM!
Conclusion – The advice above is strictly from my experience. In the staffing industry, networking groups are a must. So I’ve had a little experience with what works and what doesn’t. Everything I’ve mentioned above is so much easier if you keep a pulse on what’s going on around you. Whether it be you picking up the Juice Magazine or the Des Moines Register, following local journalists on Twitter and Facebook or connecting on LinkedIn. Be knowledgeable about what is happening in your area. Know if there has been some layoffs, know if there was a recent merger of two companies in the area, know if a company in Des Moines has just hired a new president. All of these tasks are relatively easy and inexpensive, so I don’t think you have an excuse.
If there are any books you’ve read that you think would be of some benefit to me, please either comment below or send me an email(I don’t have to type my email address again do it?)! I’ll respond with a couple that I enjoy to return the favor. Also, networking events. Know any? Let me know!
Happy Hunting!
The Des Moines Recruiter 