To many networking is viewed as a necessary evil of job search. It doesn’t come easy for reasons ranging for fear of rejection to not knowing how exactly to go about it. But even for the most seasoned networking pro who has mastered the networking basics there are some general rules of the road to follow. Here are the top networking etiquette tips:
1. Respect peoples time. Don’t assume because you may have a flexible schedule, others do too. When meeting to network, be on time and keep the meeting to an agreed time frame.
2. Be prepared. When requesting a networking meeting with someone, have an agenda, know what want to accomplish in the meeting. Be clear about what you need from them. Don’t expect others to figure it out for you.
3. Be gracious. Thank people for their input and time with a follow up email.
4. Follow up. If someone gave you a contact name, be sure to follow up with that contact. If you are unable to or plan to follow up in the future be sure to let the person who gave it to you know.
5. Keep your network informed. This means keeping your network appraised of your status including any changes to your search activity including when you land a job.
Though seemingly simple, a little courtesy goes along way in networking.