Get Creative with Your Networking...Through Your Image
Dan Schawbel has a great post over on the Personal Branding Blog, "The Demise of Job Boards and the Rise of People Searching."
In his post, Dan posits the theory that job boards are "dead," decreasing in importance in the job search process. Going forward, "people search" will be the way jobs are found.
Quote: "A 'people search' means that you name the top companies you want to work for and find people who are employed at those companies. Then, you network with them, form a strong relationship and they perform the job search for you."
Well, I'm not sure it will be automatically that easy (!), but I definitely see where Dan is going with this train of thought.
Part of his message emphasizes the importance of defining your brand and message - whether job seeker, freelancer, small business owner, or corporate executive.
I've been to a number of networking events lately and one thing struck me the other day - it's hard to network effectively if you don't stand out in people's minds - in a positive way.
I watched the dynamic in the room - as new people would arrive, eyes gravitated to the tall, the well-dressed, and those who had a presence about themselves.
I'm tall, so if I happened to be standing with a shorter person and a new person joined our group, I ended up with more attention in comparison with the shorter colleague. That's great for me, but I felt a little uncomfortable at times when the other colleague seemed to be left out.
I specifically remembered a gentleman with a striped shirt and patterned sport coat - they were both tasteful and subdued, yet made a strong statement. His outfit caught my attention (in a positive way) and I made a point of seeking him out to chat.
Clothes make the (wo)man, without a doubt. You don't have to spend a lot of money to stand out, however. Color and creativity can help when you don't have lots of cash.
Some ideas...
Guys - a good quality, bright tie will draw the eye upward (if it's a tie-sort of event, or you wear suits regularly). Choose a bolder shirt/tie combo with your basic, dark suit.
Work with a knowledgeable sales person at a quality department or men's store if you have any questions about your taste or ability to mix and match. [If your wife or girlfriend sometimes won't let you out of the house with what you're wearing...talk to the salesperson ;-)]
Casual event? Put on a freshly pressed button down shirt. Polish those dress shoes.
Polo shirt event? Go for color...how do you look in turquoise, yellow or bright green? All the other guys will be in navy, dark green or red. Stand out with a little jolt of bright color.
Jeans? Clean, please. Just because your job, industry or business allows for very casual dressing isn't an excuse to look like you pulled on the jeans at the bottom of the laundry pile.
Ladies - add some personality to those basic suits and jackets. Bright colors, interesting jewelry, a great scarf. There are some wonderful stores here in the Minneapolis-St Paul area that offer great jewelry at very low prices. Just pick pieces that look classy and a little upscale. Or - perhaps pick a signature piece and wear it all the time. A strong pin, necklace or group of bracelets can make a personal statement in a low key kid of way.
Don't get carried away with too much bling, jingle or...too much. One strong piece is better than little pieces all over (rings, plus necklaces, plus bracelets, etc.). Unsure of what works? Find a salesperson at a good department or women's store who you can ask for advice.
Women can get away with a little bit more playfulness with their hair, if you have that type of personality, style or image. Uh, no...not big red stripes. That's not what I meant. If you're gray, be a beautiful gray. If you like highlights and they give you confidence, go for it. Toss those curls, or straighten those longer locks. It's worth spending a bit on a cut or color that gives you presence and confidence.
Consider fun, bright colored shoes or sandals (again, if it fits your image, industry or situation).
Maybe you can carry a bright purse, portfolio, business card case or writing pad cover. If you are the "gal with the yellow purse", hey - you stood out.
Other ideas?
Shoulders back, chin slightly up, open expression. Think tall, stand tall - no matter what your height.
Don't clutch those business cards too tightly! Look at the card of the other person before you stuff it in your front pocket, please.
Speaking of business cards - use yours to stand out. Bright colors, strong graphics, an interesting logo, strong text...all things you can use to make your card unique.
Neat, clean fingers and nails PLEASE! Don't hesitate to slip off to the bathroom to wash your hands before you mix and mingle. Sticky hands don't do it for networking.
Hopefully those are a few ideas that can make you stand out from the crowd at your next networking event ~ ~ ~
UPDATE: I just attended a much younger, more casual event, with a high proportion of...shall we say...technology-savvy individuals.
Even in that environment, many of the ideas I presented above are worthwhile. First impressions matter when you are trying to get a job, consulting gig or venture monies. Clean, neat, and pulled together are always appropriate.
