As someone who knows my networking skills could use a bit of polishing, I had been wanting to figure out how to show up more intentionally in big gatherings. Having been blessed with a talented bunch of friends, we decided to prepare in advance and organized a networking session to shift our mindset and implement strategic preparation as the world’s highest-level decision-making body for environmental matters was convening for the seventh time right here in Nairobi! The tips range from strategic preparation, mastering interaction, and relationship management followed by additional tips if you are coming as a group. Let’s dive in:
Part 1: Strategic preparation and mindset shift
Effective networking begins before you even step through the door, focusing both on your mental state and your professional visibility.
Overcoming internal hurdles
- Change your self-perception: Challenge the thought that you are not important enough for people to talk to you. Do not treat yourself as less, especially when you are working for an organization like the un
- Treat everyone as an equal: Push yourself to treat others as almost equal. Focus on enjoying the interaction rather than what you need from them. Realize you are competent and bring value to them as much as they can bring value to you.
- Lower expectations for vips: People designated as “important” often have tight schedules. Trying to identify who is important usually “doesn’t work”. Instead, just talk to people.
- Frame networking as learning: Remember that an interaction can be solely for you to learn something new. This removes the pressure of needing a concrete outcome (like a job or a grant).
- Practice self-forgiveness: If you struggle with negative internal thoughts, be more forgiving to yourself, acknowledging that everyone finds these intense environments difficult. Going to therapy can help address internal struggles.
- Take time for yourself: Do not overwhelm yourself. If socializing with one person is enough for you, take your time, and ensure you make time for yourself throughout the event.
Boosting external visibility
- Define your goals: Set specific targets for the event, whether they are professional (e.g., aiming for project management goals) or personal (e.g., experience or learning).
- Use linkedin strategically: Make a post on linkedin about attending the conference, ideally about three days before, and use all relevant hashtags (like #unea7). People use these hashtags to search for connections.
- Collaborate on posts: If you feel awkward “selling yourself,” cross-post or collaborate with colleagues. If a colleague posts about your work, it increases visibility and reduces the feeling of self-promotion.
- Control your narrative: If you have the right, go forward and post about your accomplishments or participation so the information is stated correctly, rather than relying on others who might get it wrong.
- Know your delegation: Find out which high-level person is accompanying your country’s delegation.
Part 2: Mastering the interaction
Once you are at the event, these tips help you initiate conversations and sustain momentum.
- Start small (baby steps!): If you are afraid to initiate, start with small attempts.
- Find a “wingman”: If you need help breaking the ice, seek out a wingman (a more confident or extroverted person) who can introduce you to others.
- Stand out: You can try to make people start conversations with you by standing out, perhaps by dressing in an interesting way or presenting important information.
- Read the room: If people are looking around or smiling, they are likely interested in starting a conversation. If people are on their phone or standing rigidly, they are probably not interested.
- Introduce others: If you see two people who are vaguely familiar but not talking, jump in and introduce them to each other. This provides an easy entry point to a conversation.
- Find easy common ground: Make a connection on something that is not a major issue, such as talking about a place like Nairobi or the climate. Avoid overly fake surface-level compliments (like on appearance), as some people perceive these negatively.
- Make work approachable: Have a good conversation about work or the field. Work on your communication skills so you can explain complex things clearly and easily to different audiences. Try to see how the other person can potentially benefit from what you are doing, even if it is just a hypothetical advantage.
- Don’t discard anyone: Do not disregard a person just because they are an intern, as they can still connect you to important people.
- Attend social events: Try to get to the gala or reception if possible and make an effort to dress up!
Part 3: Follow-up and relationship management
The most crucial stage is after the meeting i.e. securing the connection and following up.
- Your contact information should be handy: Have a contact means ready, such as a business card or a digital QR code for your linkedin or whatsapp or if you feel fancy and want to use multiple options a linktree QR will do the trick.
- Prepare for no internet/dead phone: If using a QR code, print it and place it under your phone so you can still share it if your battery dies.
- Capture contacts immediately: If you receive a business card, take a picture of it immediately so you don’t lose the information. To ensure you remember the person, save the contact immediately, ask them to spell their name, and take a selfie with them.
- Focus on depth over quantity: If you are uncomfortable collecting many business cards, focus instead on getting to know just a few people and making a strong, deep connection with them.
- Be the initiator for follow-up: Do not rely on other people to contact you; you must be the one following up.
- Make follow-up meaningful: Collect all contacts and reach out (via email or other contact info). Follow up with a specific question or mention something meaningful you discussed (e.g., a topic, or asking them to introduce you to someone else) to keep the relationship going.
- Use tools to support drafting: If you are unsure how to phrase a follow-up, use ai tools (like chatgpt) to draft a semi-formal sentence based on your interaction.
Additionally, if you are coming as a group:
- Share information internally: Compile an internal excel sheet or folder where you can share information about contacts made (e.g., pictures of business cards or names of people you know) so that other group members can be connected.
- Share event schedules: Compile a list of all side events the group is participating in and share it, potentially arranging to move to one table together to make internal introductions easier.
- Leverage team knowledge: Share your professional goals and targets with your internal group so that members can connect you to people who might be helpful.
In the end remember, at events like UNEA, where history is being made, it is just as important to pause, enjoy the experience, and watch history unfold!
Thank you for capturing this! It was so fun hearing from everyone their best practices and fears we all share!