to a career and life you'll truly enjoy. In today's video I am going to walk you

through my five top tips on how to socialize your way confidently casually

yet professionally through any networking event so that you can make

new acquaintances and friends and be able to improve your communication

skills

Ready to get the job you want? Top Notch Interview is coming soon! For more info

and free training head to JOINTNI.COM

As a career strategist I've had the honour of being able to help numerous

professionals land their dream job offers and so if this is something that

you're interested in working with me one on one I can give you details about that

at the end of this video many times when we go to networking events we can feel

very awkward we feel kind of nervous and that all makes us not want to really

talk to anybody and I know firsthand because I'm this way I actually don't

really enjoy going to networking events because I feel as though we have to

force conversations with each other just so that we feel accepted but at the same

time I've learned to master some techniques along the way and I know that

you don't have to feel awkward when going to networking events so here are

my five top tips on how to communicate at networking events tip number one

remember the point of a networking event is to meet others not to get a job most

networking events simply offer opportunities for people to connect it's

not a job fair now if it is a job fair that you're going to then that's a

completely different story but that's not what I'm talking about today I have

seen so many instances where I would be at a networking event and you see that

one or two people in the room who treat the networking event as if it's a job

fair and you could tell they're running around the entire room going after each

person handing out their resume handing out their business card not even

remembering people's names not even getting to know who they really are

they're just out for themselves and no one likes that person no one wants to

connect with that person and no one's going to refer that person to any job

tip number two go with the intention to make one new friend just one if you find

more than one great here's a different way to see it instead of going to a

networking event to look for contacts you should actually go to a networking

event with the intention to make one new friend the reason for this is if you're

going to a networking event with the mindset of finding new contacts

all of a sudden that feels very cold and intimidating but if you tell yourself

that you're just going to make a friend and try to meet someone who you think

you're gonna be able to connect with that all of a sudden changes the whole

dynamic changes the energy for how you carry yourself and it increases your

chances of actually eventually making that contact so if you're going to a

huge networking event why would you only look for one friend well the truth is

unlike in elementary school when we were kids you're not going to be able to go

to this huge party and be able to make 10 friends all within an hour as adults

that just doesn't happen anymore so it's better to spend your time looking around

the room and get to know just a small handful of people and decide who you

want to get closer in connection with in terms of having deeper discussions with

them throughout the evening and exchanging contact information with them

as well so the weight of you networking events is to see them as opportunities

to make a new friend yes I said a friend not hundreds or tens or dozens of

friends just a new friend which leads me to my next point tip number three be

curious if after this initial conversation you find that the both of

you do have a genuine curiosity for one another

you both are on the same wavelength and you feel that this person could be that

potential friend that you're going to connect with then it's good throughout

the evening you don't have to stick by them the whole evening but it's good

that if you go decide to talk to other people you both end up talking to other

people that once in a while you find that person and you just check in to see

how they're enjoying it so what this does is it establishes the new bond that

you've just built with them through multiple interactions and again that's

going to increase your chances of having them as a real contact after the event

is over and who knows that could lead to a job offer one day tip number four hang

out with them if the vibe seems good but move on if not as much as you may like

it when other people ask about you and you talk about yourself you have to

remember that other people like being asked about them too so when first

starting a conversation with an individual at a networking event

be curious about them ask them how do you like the event so far ask them what

they do ask them where they're from you know start it with just a few ice

breaking types of questions get to know them and within those first 10 to 15

seconds you'll probably get a good vibe as to whether you want to keep talking

that person the rest of the evening or whether it's useful useful for you to

maybe find someone else who you may have a better connection with now being

curious does not mean interrogation don't just stand there and ask them

questions and not really listen to what they're saying you want to connect you

want to understand what they're saying hear what they're saying and have

relevant stories to share with them and finally tip number five make sure to say

goodbye to that person if you're leaving first and connect online don't forget to

say goodbye and add them to LinkedIn if you decide to leave the evening first

taking the time to go up to them saying goodbye to them shows that you genuinely

value who they are value them as a human being and again this increases the level

of interaction between you two the level of familiarity between you two and

increases your chances of seeing that person later on in the future so there

you have it those are my five tips on how to make a new friend at a networking

event now if you're someone who is currently well into your job search

you've been looking for a while you haven't had much success and you realize

that you need one-on-one professional help then feel free to reach out to me

head on over to my website lindaraynier.com/standoutgethired read

through the page fill in the application form and if it seems as though we are a

potential match then one of my team members will be reaching out to you

directly if you like this video then please give it a thumbs up subscribe

share it with your friends thank you so much for watching and I will see you in

the next video

Ready to get the job you want? Top Notch Interview is coming soon. For more info and

free training head to JOINTNI.COM