I had one of those “ah ha” moments this past weekend, during a social gathering for an organization I’ve been volunteering with the past six months. The social was an opportunity for volunteers to meet one another and share experiences they’ve had through their participation in the program. I was looking forward to the event and shortly after I arrived, I found myself mingling with several volunteers and learning about why they chose to join this program. The gathering was proving to be a great success! 

Then I met Chris. Chris approached our group, introduced himself and immediately started talking about his new business venture, a Web site marketing firm. He directed our attention to his shirt, which sported the logo and Web site address for his new business, and started handing out business cards. Everyone smiled and congratulated him on the new venture, but it was clear that the group dynamic had drastically changed, in just a matter of seconds. As I looked around at other members of the group and caught their reactions, I could tell that everyone, with the exception of Chris, was feeling uncomfortable. We were caught off guard by Chris’ brazen approach to use this social gathering as a forum for promoting his new business. 

Chris took advantage of what he saw as an opportunity to do some PR for his new start-up company. While he obviously felt like this was an appropriate decision, I beg to differ. There’s an appropriate time and place for promoting one’s business and professional accolades and this was clearly not the right setting for Chris’ five minute infomercial! Whether you’re a hiring manager looking for top talent to join your team, or a professional who is interested in exploring a new job opportunity and researching great places to work, the opportunities for networking are endless! The critical factor, in my opinion, is evaluating whether the event is truly an appropriate forum for recruiting talented professionals or marketing oneself to prospective employers.

While I can completely appreciate the fact that there are many professionals out there who are motivated to achieve success and land their next “dream job”, networking is something that needs to happen more organically, particularly when it occurs in a setting that is not specifically geared toward this purpose (i.e. a volunteering program). If you force your personal agenda on other professionals whom you’ve just recently met, you risk coming across as inauthentic and self-absorbed, which are not the redeeming qualities most hiring managers are looking for in their next great addition to the team. 

Don’t get me wrong–I am a big advocate of getting involved in community organizations, professional associations, and volunteering programs. There are many positive aspects of becoming an active member in these groups. But, these added perks, such as connecting with other professionals who may be a great resource in helping you achieve your personal goals, should be the “icing on the cake,” not one’s sole motivating factor for joining the group. If you’re focusing on what the organization can do for you, you’re missing the point. The other members are going to eventually sense your lack of true interest or enthusiasm and the negative impact of this discovery could be lasting.

It was very obvious to everyone in our group that Chris was not truly interested in volunteering and giving back to the community. His motivation was to network with other professionals in order to convert his fellow volunteers into new clients for his business. His overzealous approach backfired….big time. I know the next time I’m at a social gathering for this volunteer group and I see Chris venturing my direction, I’m going the other way!  If I wanted to listen to a sales pitch, I can head over to the nearest car dealership. There’s no question that Chris has a lot to learn when it comes to demonstrating appropriate rules of etiquette when engaging in professional networking.

According to the Web site Careerealisim, there are three smart rules to smart business card etiquette.

1. Keeping your business card to yourself!  Don’t hand it out to every single person who walks by you! It’s annoying and, as career coach Tai Goodwin states, “It’s the equivalent of receiving junk mail at home.”

2. Giving your business card to someone when they ask for it. If you are truly interested in connecting with someone after the event, simply ask them what would be a good way to contact them in the future. Additionally, if someone asks you for your business card, take a moment to write something that will serve as a reminder to that person of the context of your conversation (i.e. discuss career opportunities or providing insights on professional certifications).

3. If you are successful in making some promising connections, don’t waste the contact information you’ve gathered during the event. If you ask someone for their work number or email address, take the time to follow up with a thank you and let that person know that you would like to keep the dialogue going.

This definitely isn’t rocket science, people. Don’t take advantage of situations where it’s not appropriate to engage is blatant networking, like my fellow volunteer, Chris. And in those situations where it is okay to engage in such activities, make sure you follow the simple guidelines listed above.

Now that you’re more aware, I have a feeling you’ll be amazed by how many other professionals you cross paths with who aren’t following these rules!  As a result, they end up sabotaging their own attempts to make positive connections with other professionals who may serve as great resources in the future.

Stephanie Miller, Aureus Group Account Manager

About Stephanie Miller
Stephanie Miller has worked for Aureus Group for almost five years.  As a Senior Account Manager within the Finance and Accounting division, Stephanie partners with organizations throughout the state of Iowa and provides staffing solutions within the accounting, finance, and human resources departments. With a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Nebraska Wesleyan University, Stephanie is currently pursuing a master’s degree in negotiation and dispute resolution at Creighton University and is a certified professional consultant.

Stephanie reports that two of the most rewarding aspects of her job is seeing how pleased the client is when she’s successful in identifying a professional who meets the level of experience/skills the company desires for a particular position and also helping a candidate make a successful career change. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband, Chad, and their two dogs, Benny and Olive. She also loves to travel, check out new restaurants, watch movies, run, attend sporting events and theatrical performances, and volunteer through the United Way a few times per month.