Expert tips from LinkedIn and Citi's Women & Co. will help you work a room with ease. To continue the discussion, visit Connect: Professional Women's Network, a free LinkedIn group powered by Citi, at http://www.linkedin.com/womenconnect.

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These expert tips will help you work a room with ease.
Networking Know-How
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2. Know your game. ―You have to find the type of
networking event that is conducive to your style,‖ says Beth
Buelow, a speaker, author and coach. ―Happy hours are my
worst nightmare, but small, structured events that take place
before or after a speaker or workshop—those all work for me.‖

3. Do your research.
Find out who will be at the event
beforehand, and make it your goal
to initiate conversations with at
least three people you want to
connect with. Be ready with
questions and conversation topics
that are relevant to the industry.

4. Dress the part. Even if this is a
casual event, remember that you’re a
professional, and you want to be
remembered that way. It’s always better
to be overdressed than underdressed.

5. Be prepared.
Bring twice as
many business
cards as you think
you’ll need, plus
a pen and paper
to jot down notes
during the event.

6. Be approachable. ―The more closed off you are, the less
you gain personally and professionally. And the more willing you
are to take risks and start discussions, the more you gain,‖ says
Stephanie Berenbaum, co-founder of Fabulous and Frugal.
Read more from Citi’s Women & Co.

7. Listen up. Start by helping potential business contacts
achieve their goals before yours – connect them with your
contacts, share your knowledge, or even contribute to a project.
This selfless attitude will be rewarded when you need
something in return.‖ Read more from LinkedIn

8. Ask for help. If you’re an
introvert, touch base with people
you know who are attending the
event and ask them to introduce
you to a few people, suggests
LinkedIn member Helene Clark.

9. Tout your personal brand. ―A personal brand is the synthesis
of a person’s signature strengths, core values, reputation, image, and
key differentiators,‖ says Diana Baranello, President of Coaching for
Distinction. Everyone’s brand is as unique as a fingerprint—no two
are alike.‖ Read more from Citi’s Women & Co.

10. Know your goals.
Where do you want to end up
in your career? How do you
want to make yourself more
marketable for that goal job
in the next year? How do you
want to make yourself more
marketable for that goal job
in the next three years?‖ Read
more from Citi’s Women & Co.

11. Keep an open mind. Connections can come from unexpected
places. Don’t discount someone who doesn’t have direct or immediate
relevance for you – if they’re an interesting and successful person, they can
open doors to new opportunities down the road. Read more from LinkedIn

12. Know when to go. Not every connection you make
is going to be a fruitful one. When you sense that you’re
stuck in a conversation that’s going nowhere, politely
extract yourself and move on to someone else.

13. Be strategic. Don’t try to meet everyone in the room. As Nicki
Gilmour, CEO of Evolved Employer says, ―Focus on the quality of
your network, not just on the quantity of people in your network.‖
Read more from Citi’s Women & Co.

14. Follow Up. Exchanging business
cards is a great start, but it’s only the
beginning. After the event, keep the
relationship going by connecting on
LinkedIn, sending a nice-to-meet-you
email, and reaching out for a for a
one-on-one meeting.

15. Additional Networking Resources
Read more from LinkedIn
• 15 Small Business Tips to Becoming a Networking Pro
• Networking for Introverts
• Taking My Online Professional Network Offline
• 4 Ways to Stand Out on LinkedIn
• Top 10 Job Search Success Tips
Read more from Citi’s Women & Co.
• Raise Your Visibility at Work: 5 Things You Can Do Right Now
• 5 Tips for Networking Nirvana
• Creating the Change You Want in Your Career
• What is a Personal Brand?
©2013 LinkedIn Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

16. PHOTO CREDITS:
Slide 1: Fortune Live Media
Slide 2: Dell's Offical Flickr Page
Slide 3: Dell's Offical Flickr Page
Slide 5: Dell’s Official Flickr Page
Slide 6: Dell's Official Flickr Page
Slide 7: Dell’s Official Flickr Page
Slide 9: Barack Obama/Flickr
Slide 11: Okeanas/Shutterstock
Slide 12: Paul Bence
Slide 13: TED Conference/Flickr
Slide 14: Jisc infoNet
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