Networking Tips for Online and In-Person Events

Laurie Hyllberg

Laurie champions Kinsa Group’s position as the top food and beverage recruiting firm in the nation and its presence in the global FMCG marketplace. To her Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Business Management, and Marketing she adds over 20 years of executive search experience in the food and beverage industry at Kinsa. Building a network of executives and professionals through membership in the Women’s Foodservice Forum, Institute of Food Technologists, FaB Wisconsin, Chicagoland Food and Beverage Network, and maintaining professional expertise in recruiting as an Executive Board Member for the Recruiters Of Wisconsin association, Laurie is able to connect top talent in the food industry with food and beverage processors and foodservice providers growing their teams at the C-Suite, VP, Director, and Management level. Connect with Laurie today!

Networking has always been a great way to discover employment opportunities, build friendships, recruit, and share information with peers to achieve a successful career path. Individuals in a variety of industries can benefit from networking whether it’s in-person at a networking event or online on a social network. Check out Kinsa Group’s networking tips for online and in-person events:

Networking In-Person Tips

1. Set Up Goals: Be deliberate, create a plan and know what your end-game is before going to the event.

• Find out who will be there.
• Know whom you want to meet.
• Determine who may be able to facilitate important introductions.

Be careful, however, not to be so rigid in the goals that you miss out on unplanned opportunities that present themselves.

2. Ask Yourself How You Want To Be Known: Leading up to the event, ask yourself how you want key contacts to remember you. When you attend, add to conversations with essential details people should know about you. If you are trying to build your candidate network, be sure to share important information about your employment brand.

3. Jump Right In. Lastly, don’t just stand in the background.  Try to find a conversation circle and lean in so that the circle expands to include you. Begin by listening and when the time is right, try one of these opening questions to spark a meaningful conversation:

• How did you come to be at this event?
• Last year I went to the national conference, but this is my first time at a local/regional event.  What about you?  Have you been to this event before?
• It’s always hard to set aside time for these things, but so nice of [insert name] to host us tonight.  Don’t you think?
• I looked at the attendee list and saw [insert name] is here.  Have you seen him/her?  (The person you’re speaking with may have met the person and be able to introduce you.)

Networking Online Tips

1. Network Online Often: Networking online can be a much easier and faster way to connect with others. Checking your newsfeed a couple of times a week is a simple way to maintain a presence online and stay connected with your peers. Building online relationships can become fulfilling and helpful when you need advice, a referral, or even a new job. Creating a strong online network is one of the best ways to advance your career in today’s day and age, and it is very possible your next career opportunity will be from a LinkedIn connection.

2. Make the Right Connections Online: When you begin networking online, it’s best to try to connect with peers in your industry rather than solely with leading influencers. While following well-known influencers is a good way to stay current and keep up with trending topics, the people you should really prioritize getting to know are the people who you could be working alongside one day.

3. Network by Helping Others: Being helpful is a great way to make lasting connections online. You can accomplish this by sharing your connections work such as a blog post, a video, or even something as simple as a tweet can be a great way to make a good impression online. Promoting a webinar or blog that you think is interesting helps out not only the people who created it but peers in your network who might find it useful. Also, referring someone online for a job can be a great way to help others.

Connect with Kinsa Group to Build your Food & Beverage Network

Whether you’re searching for your next food & beverage career opportunity or looking for that perfect food & beverage candidate, Kinsa Group is here to help. Contact us today.