Networking, Business Cards & Social Media
Okay. So you’ve just come back from a networking event, like a hiring fair, and have a pile of business cards you’ve collected from all the people you’ve interacted with. Now what?
In the past, we might have input the information into our computer or phone’s contacts and emailed everyone a follow-up letter. While this is a great idea, once the initial follow-up email has been sent, that’s where it may end for a number of your contacts. Let’s face it, life is busy and out of sight means out of mind.
A more current method is to first conduct a search for your new contacts on any social media sites you use: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. (Personally, I check LinkedIn first, as that’s my “go to” professional site.) From there, if the contact has a profile page, I can research further about their experience, company information, and other links prior to writing my follow-up email.
When requesting to add them to your network, be sure to write a personalized message within the body of your request. A pet peeve of many is receiving LinkedIn requests that use the generic request sentence without a reason as to why you’re connecting. Be creative and personalize your message instead!
Once connected, it’s easier to keep consistent communication with everyone and keep top of mind with your network. You can message them, or when you see their posts, you can comment, like, or share, and keep the dialogue going. Also, while you’re networking online, don’t forget you may want to connect with people of interest in relevant groups you participate in.
Happy networking!
Brenda
Employer Services Coordinator
