Networking has proven to be an effective business tool and can be beneficial if done properly. Meeting people and developing these relationships can lead to a brighter future down the road. Meeting new people does take a little bit of practice and starting a conversation from scratch is not as hard as it seems. One of the biggest keys to developing a relationship from the start is taking time to listen to the other person and learning about him or her.
At networking events, it's usually easy to move around and meet several different people. Take time to maneuver around the room a bit and talk to several different types of people there. It's not always possible to know everyone but try and take time to get to know the different people who are attending the event.
When you start conversing with someone, try to avoid providing your whole life story in 30 seconds. If you enjoy your work, it is easy to get carried away on that topic and talk more about yourself instead of getting to know the other person. Talking too much about yourself can be a bit of a turnoff to someone and might bore the person you are talking to as well.
As a way to get to know the other person, start asking questions about what he or she does, hobbies, how he or she joined the organization hosting the event, etc. This way, it gets the person to open up a bit and provides you an opportunity to listen and learn more. I'm not saying to make it a game of 20 Questions and try to avoid too many yes and no questions. Take this as an opportunity to learn more about the other person and find common ground that might be there.
Networking is key but taking time to know the people you meet with is just as important!
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