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On your mark, get set . . . network!
Career world's answer to speed dating puts the focus on efficiency
As long as you've got your one-minute elevator pitch and a fistful of business cards, you're ready to play the new, career version of musical chairs for adults. It's called speed networking, and -- unlike the child's birthday party game -- everyone gets a seat at the table, and all participants can walk away winners.
"Speed networking, which has been called speed dating for businesspeople, is growing," said Debbie Rodkin, executive director of
Re:Focus on Careers, an Atlanta-based networking organization dedicated to helping professionals with career development. She also facilitates speed networking events. "One advantage is that it helps people learn to better communicate. You're forced to explain yourself clearly, in a short amount of time, so that someone knows how best to help you. Once you learn how to do it, you can make more contacts than you would through normal networking."
At a speed networking event, everyone has an opportunity to give his or her one-minute pitch -- what he or she does, wants to do and needs -- not to a few people he or she happens to meet, but to everyone in the room in a fast-paced, organized way.
It may be a two-minute, one-on-one exchange of two people sitting across from each other at a long table. When the bell rings, everyone switches partners.
Or it may be a group of people sitting at a round table with a facilitator, each of them giving his or her speech to the group and getting leads, referrals and advice back. At the bell, everyone moves to a different, assigned table and starts all over again.
Companies, such as Chicago-based eXtreme Networking, have refined the process even further. They reduce the element of chance by asking participants to fill out professional profiles ahead of time and list their careers, employers and job titles. Then the companies use software to electronically match participants and place them at tables with the types of business contacts they want to meet.
Highly focused networking events can make finding new business leads at a convention more productive, but a growing number of professional organizations say that letting everyone meet one another serves their purpose of breaking the ice and helping people extend their networks.
"Often, people go to an alumni event, see some friends and end up talking to the same people all night. They don't meet anyone new and different," said Ann Jenkins, assistant director of alumni relations at Stetson University in DeLand, Fla.
Mingle-maker
That no longer happens since a Stetson alum suggested trying speed networking at alumni functions. She's held three events in Florida, with enthusiastic response, and recently teamed up with the Georgia State University alumni organization to co-host an event in Atlanta.
"Networking should be about including everyone, so we were pleased to hold an event with Stetson alums in Atlanta. The more people who can meet each other, the better," said Dave Cohen, alumni programs coordinator at Georgia State.
Cohen has developed a three-tiered program for alumni functions: casual meeting and greeting, followed by a guest speaker and then a round of speed networking. "At the end of the night, I feel like people are leaving with something of value," he said.
At the Georgia State/Stetson University meeting, Georgia State alumna Rodkin facilitated the speed networking. She began by asking questions: Who is working? Who is looking for a job? Who is a recruiter, or who works for a company that is hiring? Who wants to make new business contacts and grow his or her business?
"You all will have an opportunity to get to know every person in the room," she assured participants.
Explaining the round-table format, she said that everyone would give his or her elevator speech at each table, and the job of others was to listen and offer suggestions and leads. To make the best use of the time, she told them to "lead with what you want to do and the type of contacts you'd like to meet, not what you do." Mention companies or industries where you'd like to work as well as key words, job titles and something distinctive about your experience that will hook your audience, she said.
"The whole point is to give people enough information to get them thinking about how they might help you or who they might know who could. To do that, you have to be clear about what you want," Rodkin said.
"Speed networking is a great opportunity to practice your elevator speech and learn from others," said Heidi Berger, a career coach who works with professionals and small business owners. "You'll hear some who aren't very prepared and others who do it very well, so you can keep honing your own speech."
Berger often attends Re:Focus on Careers and Georgia State alumni events because "they're well-structured, and you meet people in all different types of work," she said. She's found it a good way to make business connections and let future clients know about her services.
Bill Gray is an associate with Accenture, a consulting, technology and outsourcing firm, and is president-elect of the Stetson University Alumni Association. He told fellow participants that he had two reasons for coming: "I wanted to let people know that my company is always looking for new technology and consulting talent and to get more Stetson alums in Atlanta involved in our alumni activities." College connections can be valuable long after graduation, he added.
Marlene Kruelle, associate online media director of the interactive ad agency Definition 6 and a Stetson University alumna, said, "I was looking for new business opportunities for my company and wanted to tell people about two positions that we have open. It was my first time to try speed networking, and I really enjoyed it."
Give-and-take
After losing his job to downsizing this year, John Cash was looking for a new position. He explained to the group that he has an MBA and eight years' experience in brand marketing. He's helped sell consumer package goods, such as Cheerios and Sprite. Cash told participants that his ideal employer would be in the sports/entertainment industry (perhaps a company that markets sports teams) or a nonprofit organization.
"This is my second career transition, and every position has been better than the last. I know I have transferable skills, but it's harder when you're looking for mid- to senior-level positions," Cash said.
He's found attending events sponsored by Re:Focus to be a good way to move beyond his comfort zone, expand his professional contacts and stay focused on his job search.
"While others give their speeches, I'm sifting through my mental Rolodex to see who I know who could help them," Cash said. "Speed networking is about giving as well as receiving. As a tool to help you build your network, I think it works. Tonight, I made two good contacts and was able to help a couple of people in two hours. It was worth my time."
Cash also has learned a key point: It's not good enough to collect the business card. "You have to follow up and be proactive," he said.
"It's not networking at all unless you follow through. Collecting business cards is not networking. Nor is talking to your buddy all night or standing in the corner and not talking to anyone at a business gathering," said Wendy L. Kinney, owner of PowerCore, an Atlanta referral marketing association with 700 members. "Speed networking forces people to network more effectively."
Fistful of business cards
Normally, her 43 teams of 12 to 32 professionals from different career fields have closed meetings to exchange leads and referrals. A couple of times a year, she plans larger networking events to give members from different teams a chance to meet one another.
"In two hours, you can meet 40 to 50 new people," she said. "It's not a place to make a pitch for your product but to let people get to know you and what you do."
Kinney said that it was a good way for her to make new contacts whom she could introduce to her clients, to the benefit of everyone. "I'll meet someone that I know a client would enjoy meeting and introduce them by e-mail or suggest that we all go to lunch," she said.
"Speed networking is like chili peppers. You can use it to spark up your career," Kinney added. "It shouldn't be your only networking option, but it's a great thing to add to the mix."
"People have told us they like it because it's fast and fun," Jenkins said. "We're planning to incorporate an event at our homecoming weekend this fall. We're thinking of setting up tables of different career fields, like health care or communications, and let alums who work in those fields get to know one another."
