How to Network and Why it is Important

Shake Hands with Anyone

Believe it or not, almost everyone feels awkward at networking events.  It is a room of people where people only know a handful, and they are not sure who they should talk to first.  Usually, the best approach is to introduce yourself to the first person you see.  When you begin to discuss your interests, that person will usually introduce you to the key people that you need to know.

For example, you see a woman standing near the entryway who is not already engaged in a conversation, just approach her.  The conversation will naturally flow, and then she will introduce you to another person.  This is the simplest way to work the room.  Eventually, you will come full circle.

Have a Variety of Topics in Your Back Pocket

You never know what you could have in common with a person--and people always surprise you.  Maybe you both have climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge, maybe you both love deep-sea fishing, or maybe you both love to attend Major League Baseball games.  It is also smart to check current events right before you leave or on your way over to the event.  Sometimes a new headline might sneak its way into a conversation.  Just make sure not to make any super politically charged statements--it might turn people off.

Having a list of generic questions prepared is good, but having specific ones while revealing you did research before the event is even better.  Everyone loves telling stories without having to start at square one.  A notebook to write down pertinent information might be useful in this situation, just in case something really sticks out as interesting.

Make Sure to Get Their Contact Information

This is probably the simplest, yet most commonly made mistake.  Someone attends an event, has numerous spectacular conversations and no way to contact the people following the event.  I like to send a little thank you blurb to everyone that I met via email.  That way, you remind them who you are, and you stay on their mind.

Also, if you get business cards, it is useful to make a note on the back of each one.  You can write when and how you met them and your common connection.  This way, you will be able to remember who they are in case he or she invites you to coffee or another event afterward.

Don't be afraid to put yourself out there, and don't be afraid to show them who is boss.

The How-To Guide on Working with People You Dislike

It has happened to all of us--we have been stuck in a group with that ONE person that makes us so angry we could yell.  Somehow, we have all survived those experiences with varying levels of injury.  As anyone who works in a professional setting will tell you, you will always have to work with someone that you cannot stand.  Here are a few pointers that I have found useful to myself when I am put in these situations.

The One Who Won't Pull His/Her Weight

I think I find this situation the worst.  I am always of the opinion that "if you are not going to try, then why are you even here?"  This kind of person is dead weight on the team--you can ask him/her to fulfill a task, but there is no guarantee that it will be completed or completed to an acceptable level.

Fill the Void Yourself

I know this is not a solution that anyone wants to hear, but it is the honest truth.  If you have a dead-weight, then it is still your team's responsibility to get all elements together for the project.  Sometimes, this means that you have to bite the bullet yourself and do the part that the dead-weight will not do.

There is one bonus to this outcome.  (Hard to believe, I know.)  Your professor/boss will be able to detect the dead-weight in the group very quickly.  The person who did not complete their part is easily detectable.  If it is a written paper, a professor will be able to read it and know that it is all in one voice.  Presentations are a chance for the biggest red flags to pop up.  If there are gaps in a person's knowledge, it is going to be blatant when someone is standing in front of the class with very few things to say.

Let the Gaps Stay Present

Sometimes you are under too much stress to do anything than your initially assigned part.  In these cases, you have to let the chips fall where they may.  Sometimes one must "suck it up" and let it just happen.  If the parts were assigned by your professor, he or she will know exactly who did and did not fulfill the necessary obligations to fulfill the project's specifications.

This is not my first suggestion, especially if the parts were not specifically assigned to each person.  The professor may think that you or your group forgot an essential part of the assignment.  This can strongly affect your grade.  But, if you have to take a few points off of your grade rather than bombing then entire assignment, that may be a sacrifice you must make.

Explain the Situation to the Professor

I know that no one wants to be a tattletale, but if you are having that much trouble with a member of your group and everyone in the group has done everything that they could, sometimes you have to go to your last resort.  There has been only one time that I have had to do it, but the professor seemed to already know what was going on.  The professor knew that the one group member had not been meeting during all of our planning meetings, and he was very aware that the group member was not researching his piece of the project.  Professors are often significantly more perceptive than we give them credit for.

The One Who is the "Know-It-All"

Your first instinct, in this case, may be to confront the troublemaker of the group.  That is not the best choice.  If a group member is starting out hard-headed, there is no reason to believe that they won't continue to be.  The best thing to do is to make strong suggestions, and take things in the direction that you believe will produce the best product possible.

Avoid the Screaming Match at All Costs

Lawyer personalities--we are all Type A.  This means that we do not always keep our cool, but in this case, it is imperative.  No one likes the person who overreacts or explodes.  It makes everyone fearful of your future reactions to their ideas and input.

Screaming matches also do not make one appear very professional, but rather immature.  This is something that people will remember well into their professional careers--when they are either facing you in the courtroom or sitting across from you in the conference room during negotiations.  The impression that you leave with people now is the impression that they will have for the rest of time.

No One Can Actually Know It All

There is no such thing as someone who is omnipotent.  No single person can actually know every piece of knowledge that is possible to know.  When someone makes a mistake, do not be quick and unsympathetic.  It could be you that has cases and facts mixed up, and you do not need someone to turn around and meanly point it out to you.

When the "Know-It-All" comes down off of his or her pedestal, there is no need to make it a larger deal than it is.  After he or she admits that he or she made a mistake, let it go.  Everyone will respect you more for that than pointing out the fact that you are right and rubbing it in.  Be a team player and support the others.  Do not let others define you.

There is No Such Thing As Perfect

Even if you have the exact group that you want, nothing will be perfect.  Friends will make mistakes.  People who you thought you could trust will let you down, and life will give you your fair share of speed bumps.  No matter what, keep your head held high, a strong sense of dignity, and your composure.

Believe me, I have been there.

Thank You Notes Dos and Don'ts

If you are in a professional industry like law, thank you notes are a way of life.  It seems like one is expected whenever you attend any event or meeting with another professional.  Because of this, you definitely want to have the knowledge of dos and don'ts in your arsenal of skills.

Dos

• Always open with a greeting thanking them for their time
• Refer to specifics of your conversation
• Make sure to speak formally
• Handwritten is usually better
• Unless they have specified email
• Make sure that you actually do say thank you (seems intuitive, but some people forget)
• Stay upbeat and positive
• Sign off with your name (another no-brainer, but some people make the mistake)

Don'ts

• Do not address them very informally
• Unless they have specified that you may
• Do not use colloquial language
• Do not write in cursive if you cannot write neatly--write in print if needed
• Do not just rewrite "thank you" in a multitude of ways
• Do not send on poor quality paper--always use stationary with matching the envelope

Before you send the note, double and triple check spelling and grammar.  It is best to rewrite a note than to keep the mistakes in your note.  When addressing the envelope, make sure to include the person's title.

An example is as follows:
John Smith
Defense Department Partner
Smith, Esq.
1234 Main St.
Seattle, WA 12345

As always, we hope that these tips help!