My top 9 networking tips

Hi everyone!

I haven’t posted on here in some time, but the list has grown .. so I figured I should!

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Successful networking is doing what others won't think of (or are simply too lazy to do)

Here are 9 networking tips I've learned that have helped me build my network:

1. Don't be afraid to reach out

   1. In fact the younger you are when you reach out, the better!

   2. This is why I'm such a big fan of high school students cold emailing who they look up to - it works

2. Don't forget to follow up

   1. Just because you didn't get a response doesn't mean no

   2. I've personally had incredible conversations after following up 10+ times

3. Tap college networks

   1. Many miss this and think there has to be an official dinner or conference

   2. A simple note to someone who went to your school has a higher probability of getting a response, regardless of the request

4. Don't do what's normal

   1. One of the largest networks I've developed was from staying in touch with people who rejected me during an interview process

   2. Literally nobody does this and gets pissed off instead I've created hundreds of relationships this way, and the fact that you stayed in touch after rejection makes them so much stronger

5. Keep track

   1. Start keeping track of all of your relationships in a centralized place

   2. I wish I understood this much earlier

6. Show gratitude

   1. Every conversation leaves a mark - say thank you and remember what people taught you

   2. This is especially important when it comes to people who introduced you to someone

   3. Tell them how it went, and don't wait for them to check in with you

7. Find ways to stay in touch without an ask

   1. I recommend Google alerts, but you can also send a quick email after seeing that they closed on a deal or got promoted...these do get noticed

8. Don't miss opportunities

   1. I got accepted to University of Cambridge during college for a graduate programme (let's see who gets that spelling) but ended up not going

   2. Some of the top students in the entire world got accepted and went on to have wildly successful careers, so I found a bunch of them through LinkedIn post graduation and we stay in touch to this day

9. Use conferences strategically

   1. I don't like small talk and I really hate wasting time … so the thought of talking to someone for ten minutes about the hot summers in AZ isn't interesting to me

   2. During most conferences, I try to spend a lot more time observing and jotting down notes of what people said rather than talking to them....in a week or two I'll follow up with them with amazing notes

   3. This has worked wonders for me over the years

I hope this helps you guys, happy networking!