Top Ten Networking Mistakes Most People Make at Networking Events

Networking is one of the most impactful things one can do to improve their career. It can be a gateway to new job opportunities, professional relationships and connections, careers in different industries or countries, and a quick way to acquire the latest job trends and news in your field. However, essential networking skills are often neglected and underdeveloped, leading to careers that feel flat and stationary. 

Due to a lack of practice, people often make the same networking mistakes and give up on networking efforts altogether. One has to understand that networking goes beyond exchanging a business card and phone number. It requires consistent effort and a nuanced approach to develop new contacts into meaningful relationships.

We’ll go over 10 tips, reminders, and strategies that make you more impressionable, polite, and memorable in your next job or networking event. 

Sometimes people get too wrapped up in talking about themselves. They want to talk about their life story, and their dreams, and vent their frustrations. 

Forcing your contact to engage with a monologue instead of a conversation is a major networking mistake. People will lose interest if they can’t have their own input. Your contacts will also assume you are self centered and may avoid talking to you in the future, so realizing when to let other share their opinions is essential.

Networking involves both giving and taking, so approach your conversations with the same balance. After sharing your thoughts, actively seek an opinion and answer from your audience. Inquire if they've encountered similar situations. By taking time to listen, you'll grow a stronger relationship in your new connection.

Professionals become tunnel-visioned with their industry. Engineers think they better spend time wisely with other engineers who can help them. Marketers do not see the value in interacting with people from accounting. Designers and sales likely never cross paths.

However, there are many opportunities missed by solely networking with contacts within your profession. Diversity is integral to cultivating a robust professional network. Engaging with individuals from various departments, markets, and fields provides invaluable insights into your own job and industry.

Networking with individuals from diverse backgrounds grants access to information you wouldn't have if you only interacted within your field. Such conversation allows you to fill each other's knowledge gaps, fostering mutual growth and understanding.

Lastly, individuals from different professions can still inform you about vacancies, seminars, job fairs, etc. For instance, if you’re a salesperson seeking opportunities in a biotech company and your contact in the biotech industry introduces you to a hiring manager, it doesn’t seem to matter that your contact is actually involved in accounting and not sales.

Acquiring knowledge is integral to networking. By refraining from asking questions, you miss out on valuable insights. Queries and advice are readily accessible from your network, demanding minimal effort. Ensure you capitalize on this opportunity to acquire valuable knowledge.

Do not underestimate how much people love feeling like experts. It brings immense satisfaction to share their expertise with others, especially those junior to them. Your questions can evolve into mentorship opportunities one day, which is one of the best things new connections can provide for you.

If you have a question, don’t hesitate to reach out and start talking to others. If your contact says something that you think needs elaboration, then ask right there, and they’ll likely explain. Of course, do not make it feel like an interrogation, but generally speaking, if you have a question, then speak up!

Attending job fairs, exhibitions, seminars, and networking events are all brilliant ways to expand your network by meeting new people. However, it's important to avoid the misconception that simply having a ticket means you can just show up, hand out business cards, and be done.

Prepare for the event so you can engage with others. Networking is conversing, and if you have nothing to say or contribute, then people will not remember you.

When attending an event, conduct research on the topics the event covers. Even better, review your overall networking goal. For instance, if you aim to start selling textiles in Latin America, familiarize yourself with relevant aspects of Latin America or its textile market.

By doing so, you'll appear as a well-informed individual. Coming prepared with research demonstrates initiative, and people will perceive you as worth their time assisting.

You never know who you will bump into in these business networking events or even in an elevator - so it’s worth remembering an elevator pitch.

A networking conversation can be intimidating. It requires a degree of courage to introduce yourself to a stranger. It's even scarier when you're exposing things you may be insecure about, such as your recent unemployment or holding a low position in your company to new connections.

If you find yourself feeling a bit nervous about doing something, it's often a sign that you're moving in the right direction. Remember, a little bit of risk is necessary for great rewards, and most of the fears we associate with networking are simply our own insecurities. At worst, people may forget who you are or not be interested in talking to you – but the potential gains far outweigh the risks. Keep pushing forward!

Many individuals resort to a plethora of excuses to justify why they cannot meet people. Some may even cite their identity as an introvert as a reason for avoiding networking. However, whether you are introverted or extroverted has little impact on your social capability. Therefore, it's crucial to be honest with yourself and refrain from using excuses as a crutch to avoid discomfort.

Another key networking mistake to avoid is only talking about business. When you attend business networking events, it may feel natural to focus solely on industry topics. However, to set yourself apart from everyone else and make yourself distinct, you need to diversify your conversations.

Talking about other topics makes a new relationship feel familiar more quickly. But more importantly, you will be more memorable. Mixing your conversation with professional and non-professional topics will create a bond between you and the people you are meeting. Forming a genuine connection is so important that it can help mitigate any other networking mistakes you’ve made at that event.

Introducing people you have met with others in your professional network will greatly raise your value. It’s one of the best ways to “give” back to your network.

When someone asks for advice about a topic that you’re not familiar with, you can dig into your network to find someone who can support or help them better. 

You can also take a more proactive approach with your network. You can invite people from different groups out for dinner and drinks. You could host dinner parties or board game nights at your house and extend invitations to individuals whom you believe will complement one another's requests.

Once you’ve established yourself as a person who connects with others, people will come to you with opportunities. You will also get invited to more events and meetings, thus growing your network even faster.

It is natural for some people to refrain from complimenting others. However, it is important to actively praise others for the great things they've done. Doing so not only makes you appear more humble but also fosters positive relationships, as people appreciate being complimented.

Sometimes people are so intimidated at networking events that they overcompensate by pretending they are too aloof to be impressed by anything. There is nothing wrong with giving people praise for good work that they’ve done, whether they are "superior" or "inferior" to your level. A swift “Wow, that’s impressive!” is all you need to give someone a long-lasting smile and a positive impression of you.

While not giving compliments won’t hurt you, it can only help you. On the other hand, a networking mistake you want to avoid is downplaying others or trying to one-up them with your accolades.

It’s a networking mistake to view business networking events as a competition. Others will notice if you're actively trying to appear as the best person while tearing down others, and it will give people a negative impression of your personality.

In the professional world, we are often conditioned to think only of materialistic gains for our actions. If we do something, we expect to be compensated with something tangible like money, gifts, or assets.

In networking, there are going to be times when people will ask you to do something for nothing in return. You cannot have the mindset that you will only “take”; sometimes in networking, you need to give, even when there is no compensation in sight.

When you network, you’re playing the long game. That contact you did a favor for will remember you. They will spread your positive reputation. They will give you information when you need it. They will connect you with others whom they meet. 

If you have a hard time dealing with doing things for people for no gain, you can at least think of it as a “long-term investment”. But a better mantra is simply to do things for others to form relationships. Build up your brand as a reliable person. Your professional network becomes more than just contacts used for material gain, and your relationships will become more fulfilling.

Perhaps the most common networking mistake is collecting a large number of contacts and doing nothing with them. Do you ever ponder the number of contacts lingering on your social media like LinkedIn or in your contact list, gathering digital dust? And among those, how many recall you from the single interaction you shared? 

When you find yourself in need and delve into your network, will you feel confident reaching out to someone you haven't spoken to in five years, having only met them once? They might not be as dependable as someone you regularly communicate with.

If you’re the type who collects a lot of contacts, you can even create a calendar system to remind you to check up on your contacts. Something as simple as “Check on Danielle, Ryan, and Cindy every 3 months” is a reliable way to maintain a large professional network.

If you avoid these 10 networking mistakes, you’re guaranteed to go further in your career. Some key takeaways here.

• Be mindful and supportive of others by listening and giving praise.
• Keep up with your professional network by checking on them every once in a while.
• Discuss topics other than those related to business.
• Remember to give, do not always take. 
• Don’t be afraid of meeting new people and creating new connections. The biggest networking mistake is not trying to network out of anxiety.

There are plenty more tips and tricks that can help you obtain your dream career on Cake. You can learn everything from pointers for getting jobs abroad to guides on how to format your resume!

--- Originally Written by Christopher Grudge ---