After the Networking Event—What’s Next?

When networking, you will likely meet people who are looking for jobs like yourself, some just laid off and others who have been on the market for months or longer. You will encounter others who are well connected in the DC business community, sales persons or business owners looking to gain a customer, and career coaches and recruiters. Any of these individuals could turn out to be good connections for you to make.

Each time I attend a networking opportunity, I leave with several business cards and connections that could lead either to freelance, contract or permanent work, or new friends, or even guest bloggers. These are just quick meetings, nothing definite, but bearing potential. So, what’s next?

Without follow-up, all these networking connections are just noise. It’s up to you to make the music. On the same or next day after a networking event, you should:

• Make sure the notes* you jotted on the business cards you collected are meaningful, while you can still remember enough about the people and what they said. I recommend that for later reference you also date the cards and add the name of the event or organization.
• Sort your cards (and your memories) into: A. those with true long-term potential; B. those with peripheral common interests; and C. those who are probably not going to be part of your immediate circle.
• Start contacting your A group first. Invite them to join your online network (LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.) or set up a time to meet over coffee.
• Write short greetings to your B group, and if you are so inclined, to your C group. After all, this latter group may have connections to other people you’d like to know.

Now you have begun the networking process—and it definitely doesn’t end here.

*See the October 20 post.