Career Development Handbook Career-Development-Handbook | Page 17

• It could be “I would like to meet 5 hiring managers by end of the event”, or “I
would like to obtain 5 tips and insights about the industry” etc.
b. Interrupting a conversation
• When your “target” person is engaged in a conversation, there are ways to
“edging” yourself into the conversation, without being seen as interrupting nor
intruding.
• First of all, make sure that this is not a one-to-one conversation, in which case, it
could be about confidential matters, and you would be deemed rude intruding
the conversation.
• In the event that your “target” person is
engaged in a group conversation, you may
stand quietly at the first instance, at the edge
of the group, to listen in on the conversation.
If the conversation is something where you
would be able to add value on through
sharing your thoughts, you may interject the conversation with your comment s
at an appropriate “time of pause”, to share your thoughts. Otherwise you may
interrupt a brief silence during the conversation with “May I join in?”.
• Subsequently, you may remain in the group conversation for a while, before you
politely thank the “target” for sharing his/her thoughts, and ask for his/her
business card, through offering yours, so that you would be able to follow up with
further thoughts and questions in the near future. (And make sure you do actually
follow up!)
c. Introduction
• The initial introduction should be an ice-breaker in a networking situation, rather
than a formal introduction with your name and title.
• Ideally you should try to form an invisible bond with the person you are speaking
to. A great way to start a conversation would be to reflect on something about
the event that you are both attending at that moment.
• It would be useful to have an elevator pitch prepared for such instances, so that
you are able to introduce yourself with an “impact” and leave an impression.
• Networking would not be effective, if the person you have interacted with is not
able to recall a single bit about you.
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