Vent: I used to think networking was just handing out business cards like candy

For like 5 years I'd go to every career mixer and just push my card on anyone who'd take it. I thought that was the whole game - collect contacts, get a job. Then last summer I talked to this older guy at a conference in Austin who said he never took a card unless he had a real conversation first. He told me 'cards are clutter, memories are connections.' That stuck with me. Now I focus on asking 2-3 good questions per person and only swap info if we actually clicked. My follow up rate went from like 10% to 70% after I switched. Has anyone else found a better way to actually build real connections at these things?

3 comments

3 Comments

karencampbell13d ago

Why waste time chatting when you could be handing out 50 cards in the same hour?

murphy.tessa13d ago

Did I accidentally network with 50 people or just collect their trash for a landfill?

kim_ramirez313d ago

My friend Dave used to hand out cards like candy at tech meetups until he realized half the people just tossed them in the trash. He switched to asking one genuine question per person and now he actually has coffee buddies from those events.