How to Get the Most From a Networking Interview.

Like many of us out there in career transition or hiatus land, it’s important to gain opportunities to extend and expand our personal and professional networks. For the longest time, I have been investing a lot of my time in attending several different networking meetings of the job search variety and I began to see the same people. The one thing that we all had in common was that we were all in the same boat.

Don’t get me wrong. It is extremely valuable to network with one’s fellow unemployed professionals. There ‘s nothing like some fellowship to make you feel as if you are not all alone out there enjoined in the battle to get your next job. I make it a point to attend at least one of these meetings every week and, every time I do, I feel gratified that I am not the only unemployed marketing person in the entire city of Cincinnati – plus all of my unemployed peers are incredibly generous with their time, expertise and share their personal networks freely.

That being said, I’ve decided to put more effort into arranging networking meetings with people in the workforce that might be able to help me advance to the next level. Just like one has more leverage in the job search when one is employed, there is much more to gain from meeting and sharing information with someone that is already employed.

Networking or information-gathering meetings are an extremely effective tool, but here’s a few hints to get the most out of your efforts.

Step 1: The set up
Let’s say that you’ve identified an individual with whom you would like to network. The chances are very good that he or she will be more than willing to meet with you and offer to help you. However, your efforts will be made a lot easier if a mutual friend can help facilitate an introduction. Use LinkedIn or your personal and professional network to find those conduits.

I usually start by sending a BRIEF e-mail in which I request a meeting and provide minimal background. Make sure to emphasize that the meeting will be brief (usually 20-30 minutes) and provide a proposed agenda. Here are the four agenda items I usually include:

Getting acquainted – brief background of the individual and a description of his/her present role.
Getting acquainted – brief background about yourself and a discussion of your most recent efforts.
Sharing networks – a request for the individual to consider sharing the names and contact information of certain people he or she knows that might be able to help you.
Sharing networks – an offer from you to share your network or knowledge with the individual if it would help him or her in their current responsibilities.

Step 2: Preparation
Like any interview, there is a certain amount of preparation required. Here are some items to consider.
Get as well acquainted with the person with whom you are meeting. See if there are any common links (other than the person that introduced you (see Step 1). Be prepared to mention anything that you have in common early in the conversation.
Do some due diligence on the individual’s employer. Is their business up or down? Could the individual benefit from a bit of knowledge you could share?
In the short time you have available, you are going to need to be laser-focused on how this person can help you. It’s going to be a waste of both your time if are not able to provide a list of target companies or a very well articulated and concise vision of your ideal job. Have a list of your target companies or ideal employment situation prepared. Better yet, have it in an easy-to-read form that you can simply leave with him/her and be sure to feature your name and contact information prominently so that it’s easier for him/her to remember you.

Step 3: The meeting
Be respectful of the short time that you have, so keep the discussion focused on what’s important. To be sure, small talk and chit-chat is important, but don’t let it get you off on a tangent. Emphasize that you are respectful of your networking contact’s time. I’ve heard of people taking off their watch and leaving it face up to demonstrate how important it is to keep on schedule.

Proceed through your agenda and don’t be afraid to ask for his/her assistance. Getting the name and contact information is good … getting your networking contact to offer to facilitate a further introduction is even better.

Offer something in return. If you’ve done your homework before the meeting, you might already have a few people in mind from your network that could be useful in helping to advance or enhance your networking contact’s business or career. You also might have some technical or professional knowledge that you could share. I once met with a person that was only minimally active in LinkedIn and I offered to sit down with him for an hour to help him maximize his participation in LinkedIn (See my earlier post -- I Already Have a Job and Don’t Need LinkedIn).

Ask permission to extend the meeting if it begins to run long. Many times, your networking contact will gladly spend more time with you – especially if it becomes clear that the outcomes of the meeting are mutually beneficial.

Step 4: Follow up
Send a THANK YOU !!! I don’t care if it’s an e-mail, a post card, a formal thank-you card or a business letter. Just make sure that you thank him/her for investing part of their day to help you. Make sure to mention at least one or two items you discussed.

If you promised to send him/her some additional information such as names and contact information from some of your own network, then do it as soon as humanly possible.

If your networking contact agreed to introduce you to individuals from his/her network, then make sure to follow up with them within a day of being advised that an introduction was made. Nothing devalues a networking opportunity more than allowing time to expire between an introduction being made and a contact request.

Follow these simple steps and make the most of your networking meetings. You’ll see some immediate impact in terms of the number of potential job opportunities and you’ll also be able to add more individuals to your own network.