Smart Cookies

It’s easy to get preoccupied over the holidays. Gifts to buy, family to see, snacks to set out for Santa “ the list goes on, usually to the detriment of our professional lives. But if you’re vying for a new career, a promotion at work or more business in the New Year, the seasonal party circuit offers networking opportunities like no other time of year for the Smart Cookie looking to get ahead.

One key to efficient, effective networking is getting the goods on the guest list prior to an event. If you don’t know who’s attending your office party (or can™t remember what the VP looks like) do a little research on staff profiles ahead of time. For a non-work event, Certified Management Consultant, Linda Allan suggests politely asking the host who the guests will be: I’m looking forward to meeting some wonderful people at your party! Could I ask who™s invited?

Also important: knowing what’s appropriate. Work functions are great for connecting with co-workers “ including the higher-ups “ but aren’t the right venue to openly scout for a promotion or raise. As long as you’re not negative or pushy, however, dropping subtle hints to your colleagues (and boss) is fine: œI love what I’m doing now, but if something opened up in accounting I’d definitely consider taking on a new challenge.

Another office-party must: assess your dress, suit or whatever you plan on wearing beforehand. These are not social parties but, rather, business parties with a social aspect, Allan emphasizes. Never wear anything that can be seen œover, under or through, and, after two cocktails, know to cut yourself off. Being flashy and loud isn’t going to help your cause. The best way to go about networking is to be genuine and get to know others because, as Allan points out, œpeople want to help people they like.

And let’s not forget the approachability factor, something Scott Ginsberg a.k.a. œThe Nametag Guy (he’s been wearing a nametag 24-7 for the past 10 years) knows a thing or two about. The St. Louis-based entrepreneur created a series of books, speaking engagements and online seminars based on years of carefully honed networking and approachability tactics.

Besides pinning your name to your lapel, Ginsberg suggests some simple tricks to make others want to come up and talk to you. First, relax (try a few quick breathing exercises) before your event. Next, ask the right questions. Instead of the standard stock, throw out what he calls œpassion-finding questions, which aim to get the other person talking about what he or she is into. When you get people talking about their passion, says Ginsberg, œthey light up like a Christmas tree. An example of a ˜PFQ would be asking someone, what keeps you busy during the day? as opposed to ˜what do you do for a living? This tactic seems especially fitting now if the person you are speaking with is unemployed.

Christie Mann, a leadership coach and consultant, agrees: It’s easy during the holidays to pull something from the season and become genuinely curious about the other person’s answers, she says. The reason we want to ask a slightly more personal question versus ‘What do you do?’ is it gets us to a more meaningful point of conversation.

Once you’ve zeroed in on someone you’d really like to connect with, œprompting questions work particularly well. œOdds are most people have the social sensibility that once you ask them a question they will throw the same question back to you, Mann explains. œIf there’s something you’d like to chat about this is a good roundabout way of doing it, as long as you’re genuine in your approach.

If that something happens to be your job, career or business, whatever you do, don’t downplay your work. œThe key is to make your job stand out, she adds. The way you describe your current situation can have a big impact in conversation.

According to Ginsberg we should each craft a sound bite that describes what we do in an (accurately) interesting and positive way. A friend of his, for example, went from “financial planner” to “holistic financial planner.” Though it’s really just a more appealing way to refer to her line of work, it piques your interest and people want to know more.

As for making a graceful exit (from a networking conversation; I know you’re not done with the party), remember to express genuine interest in continuing the discussion at a later date. If you’ve built rapport and some sort of connection with someone, exchanging business cards assures networking success. That’s why Allan recommends carrying business cards to every event you attend “ although you should never offer one of yours up first. If you’re chatting and having a great conversation say, ˜We’ve got to reconnect. May I have your business card to touch base? Then, extend your card.

Remember to always keep a hand free so you can easily grab for your card. This means you shouldn’t be eating and drinking at the same time. One hand full of eggnog and the other full of pretzels won’t help your networking cause.