When you are looking to change jobs, one of the first things you are advised to do is network.  This is great if you are outgoing, love to meet new people and are naturally engaging.  The rest of us, however, think of networking as the boring and dutiful obligation of “working a room” by shaking countless hands and gathering business cards.  With a bit of planning, this doesn’t have to be the case.  Here are a few tips to give you a different perspective of the whole networking scene and to help you navigate it with at least a modicum of enthusiasm!

·        Be prepared!  Arrive with plenty of business cards and a pen.  While this sounds simplistic, many people view networking events as something they “must do” (as in get a root canal) and don’t bother to properly prepare.

·        Decide before hand how many people you plan to interact with…and then follow through.  Make the number realistic, but don’t set your standards too low either.

·        Instead of acting like a guest at the event, put yourself in host mode and make it a point to seek out and greet as many people as possible.

·        Remember that people love to talk about themselves so remember the 5 w’s…who, what, when, where, and why.  Even introverts can ask “are you from here”, “where did you go to school”, “who do you work for”, “where did you grow up”, etc.  Just make sure you don’t get yourself caught in a situation where the person feels so engaged with you that you can’t get away!

·        Listen to see if there might be a problem you can solve and make a referral to someone in your business network.  This can also give you a great excuse to contact them again.