Tips for successful networking

Whether you are looking to make new contacts in your industry or searching for your dream job; networking is essential to forming new relationships and expanding your connections.

Here are three ways to improve your networking skills:

• Listen

Networking is all about building relationships. One of the best ways to establish a connection faster is to simply listen to the other person with no interruptions. Listening helps to understand the other person’s concerns and identify opportunities where you can offer them value.

• Ask for an introduction

Ask friends and acquaintances for introductions to people they know or people who you would like to meet. Being introduced through someone else can help ease nerves and take the pressure off approaching a stranger.

• Prepare questions

Preparing a few ice-breaker questions can help to get the conversation going and avoid small talk. If you are attending a networking event, do some research ahead of the event about the people who will be there and formulate your questions around their interests, knowledge etc. Having a list of well-prepared questions also helps to increase your confidence and demonstrate your enthusiasm.