As a college student studying business, one of the first lessons I learned was the importance of LinkedIn and networking. However, if you are like me, you will get bored with four-minute conversations, connecting on LinkedIn and forgetting who it is that you spoke to.
To combat that, here are my top three ways of fostering a real connection with a person in a professional setting. Follow V.A.M. – Vulnerability, Action, and Memorability.
Vulnerability is one of the easiest ways to connect with someone. Share your background, things you’ve struggled with, weaknesses you have, BUT turn them around to end on a positive note. An example would be, “I failed a class my freshman year of college because I struggled with self-discipline. Currently, I’m working to overcome that by practicing time management. Did you, as a professional in my field, struggle with self-discipline or time management before taking on this position?” Give them an in – a reason to tell you something vulnerable about them!
Then, take action! You have a real connection already by speaking about common struggles you both share. Now is the time to ask for a business card, send a LinkedIn request, or share your contact information. Then, if they do not respond to you within 2 weeks, message them! Express your interest in their field and career and ask them to speak a little bit about their professional journey.
Finally, memorability. You want to be memorable but not in a showy way. I usually achieve this with a statement accessory. However, you also want to be memorable beyond your physical appearance. Use manners, ask in-depth questions, but overall, be overwhelmingly authentic. Many people put on a mask in professional settings. Avoid this. Be yourself, throw humor into your pitches, smile, talk with your hands. All of these aspects are pieces of who you are and they should also be involved in who you are as a professional!
Memorability also has another piece. You need to remember who you spoke to! For me, I focus on a specific thing that we talked about and associate that with their name. For example, I talked about family with Fernanda, time-management with Tim, job titles with Jenny, and women representation with Willow. If that doesn’t work for you, however, there is no shame in taking a notebook! Avoid taking notes while the professional is speaking, but after, take down their name and company. Also, their job title! This will help you find them in the future.
Use V.A.M and you will expand your professional network while staying true to yourself (and hopefully landing your dream job)!