Emily Luijbregts, PMP, is a project manager in Breda, Netherlands.
Successful networking is a fine art. Too little and you can lose potential contacts and opportunities; too much and you can push potential connections away by being overzealous. So, how can you thrive? How can you make the most of your potential contacts? In this article, I’ll share some tips to help you on your networking journey.
1. Every opportunity is a networking opportunity. It’s not just at PMI chapter events where you can network with other like-minded individuals. A conference, coffee shop or business trip can also be a great opportunity to network with people in that location.
When I used to travel a lot, it was a great way to explore another country/city as I could connect with local project managers, share knowledge and see more of a location than just the hotel and airport.
2. Make a plan. It’s a good idea to understand who will be at an event. At a conference, this could be done by looking up the speakers or reaching out on social media. I tend to do this beforehand so I can plan coffee dates/networking opportunities during breaks, etc.
Another suggestion is to look on networking sites (like Projectmanagement.com and LinkedIn) and connect with others who might be able to help you build your contacts.
3. Know who your influencers are. In every industry, there are key people who are very useful to connect with (either for their
Please log in or sign up below to read the rest of the article.
ADVERTISEMENT
Published at Mon, 06 May 2019 04:00:00 +0000
