Popular Good Icebreakers For A Networking Event Aaron SanbornJenna ArcandMay 31, 2024 Bigstock

After months of saying that you're going to strengthen your professional network, you've finally decided that it's time for the rubber to meet the road and attend a networking event.

Getting up and going to a networking event is half the battle. But the hardest part is talking to people and building new connections. HiHello recently published a list of potential networking icebreakers that go beyond the "average icebreaker." Some of these icebreakers are solid, but first things first: establish a conversation and then try some of these icebreakers out.

Starting A Conversation At A Networking Event

Hopefully, you have done your research prior to the networking event and have a good idea of who you want to connect with and why you want to connect with them. Some job seekers are looking to make connections because they're interested in a particular person's industry or company. Others may just be looking to make a connection because they think it could come in handy for a future career change or professional collaboration. It's also possible that you admire someone and just want to meet them.

Whatever the reason, it's important to do a little research about them so you can introduce yourself by making a personal connection. That connection could be complimenting them about a previous accomplishment, the way they conduct themselves, or talking about how something they did really resonated with you.

Keep things within reason. You don't want to come across as gushing or stalker-like. You just want to show them that you know who they are and would like to establish a connection.

From there, you need to use your judgment and common sense to gauge how the conversation is going. If the person seems preoccupied, busy, rushed, or uninterested, you may not want to push your luck too far. But, if they seem legitimately interested in speaking with you, keep the conversation going.

In cases where you're unable to connect with who you are looking for, be bold and talk to other people. You never know who you'll meet at a networking event. Start with small talk and see where it goes from there.

6 Icebreakers To Further Your Networking Conversation

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If your objective is to learn more about the industry or the company that your new connection works for, then you'll want to focus your questions in that direction. Keep it simple. You're there to make a connection and learn, not beg for a job.

If the conversation is going really well and you want to learn more about your new connection, you could try some of these icebreakers:

What talent or potential do you have that is not fully realized at your current job?

What single activity at work, if you could do it every day, would most increase your appreciation of and success at your current job?

What's something you believed earlier in your career but think about differently now?

Is there a certain person who inspired your work? If so, why?

What's your proudest accomplishment?

What's the most valuable piece of career advice you've been given?

These questions are all great ways to get a better sense of how your new connection thinks and operates as a professional. It's also very likely that you'll get some great career advice listening to their responses.

Keep in mind that if you're going to ask one of these questions, you should also know how you would respond to them because your new connection will probably turn around and ask you the same thing.

Networking conversations should be a two-way street. Hopefully, your new connection is just as interested in learning about you.

Be Sure To Follow Up With Your New Professional Connection

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After putting all this time and effort into making new professional connections, you don't want it to go to waste. Make sure to get a business card or email from your new professional connection before leaving the networking event.

Send an email to your new connection within 48 hours to tell them that it was nice to meet them and thank them for the conversation. You should also connect with them on LinkedIn, and then nurture the professional connection by consistently providing value through sharing industry-related articles of interest, meeting up for coffee from time to time, and exploring ways to collaborate in the future.

The more you network, the easier it will be—and the better you'll get at it. These conversations will just come naturally and, while some of these icebreakers may still come in handy, chances are you'll develop your own questions along the way. Always do your research, take time to prepare, and remain confident.

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networking Cover Letter Spring Cleaning: 4 Ways To Fix Your Job Search Aaron SanbornJenna ArcandMarch 19, 2024 Bigstock

Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.

In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.

For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.

Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach Bigstock

Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:

• How did I learn about this job?
• How did I apply for the job?
• Did I earn an interview?
• What was the ultimate result?

A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:

Negative Trends

You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.

The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.

One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.

The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.

This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.

Positive Trends

You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.

The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.

The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.

Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.

The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.

Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention Bigstock

Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.

Let's start with resumes!

Every resume should be tailored to the position in order for it to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. It may seem like a lot of work, but it's actually less work than submitting the same resume over and over again and never hearing back.

The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.

Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.

While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.

As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.

If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.

Build Your Personal Brand

Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.

Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"

Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.

By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.

You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.

Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search Bigstock

Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.

There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:

• Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
• Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
• Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!

Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!

Need more help with your job search?

Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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