The Atlanta Lawyer December/January 2020 | Page 25

IN THE PROFESSION
you joined a group. You need to actually
engage with the other members to develop
relationships. For me personally, I have
enjoyed taking part in online groups such
as Boss Lady, Esq. and Lawyerist Insider.
Because the groups are closed to the public,
you develop a sense of community and
trust among the members, which you don’t
get with live networking where a different
group of people may show up every time.
Always Be Networking
You spend lots of time with your friends—
but do you actually know what they all
do? Extend that circle to friends of friends
about work all the time, but if you never
mention it, you are leaving networking
opportunities on the table. Make sure
your friends know you are available and
eager to help, even if it’s to connect them
with an attorney in another legal field. You
can easily become the go-to person for
any legal issue in your group of friends.
Of course, a lot of the people you interact
with socially will be in fields unrelated to
yours. You can still use these relationships to
grow your network by offering to introduce
them to the type of people they would like
to connect with and letting them know
what good introductions are for you. (Once
they have introduced you to someone,
you will definitely
want to schedule a
virtual coffee with
that person.) A little
thought and effort
and a willingness to
make direct requests
will help you grow
your
professional
network
within
your social circle.
Embrace Southern
Etiquette
and acquaintances and you already have
a huge network. Whether you are at a
social event, hanging out at a restaurant,
getting some exercise, volunteering, or
however you usually enjoy spending
your free time, there are plenty of
people you already see on a regular basis.
The key to networking in your social
circle is to be intentional. Set goals for
yourself when going to an event, such
as “I will meet one new person at yoga
class today” or “I will actually ask Jason’s
mom what she does when I go to the PTA
meeting.” The flip side of this is to make
sure your friends understand what type of
law you practice. You do not want to talk
Your mother was right
when she told you
you should always
write a thank you
note. In this digital
age, people love getting a handwritten card
in the mail. Since so few people bother to
take the time, sending a note old school
makes you stand out. I have even received
thank you notes for my thank you notes!
You only have so much time available
for networking. Reaching out to people
periodically helps maintain relationships
and keep you in mind when you have not
seen someone in awhile. While something
like a virtual coffee merits a handwritten
note, there are plenty of times when
sending a quick email will also do. If
you know someone just wrapped up a
difficult case or you saw an article that
reminded you of them, you can email them
to check in. If you particularly enjoyed
someone’s contribution to an online
group or presentation at a CLE, why not
take a moment to let them know that?
I’ve personally been on the receiving end
of some one-liner emails that have made
my day. We all lead busy and stressful
lives. When someone take the time to send
a thoughtful message, it makes a long-
lasting and positive impression. It is much
less work for you to send a quick note
than spend hours at an event, and it will
have more of an impact on your recipient.
When someone takes
the time to send a
thoughtful message,
it makes a long-
lasting and positive
impression.
If you are looking to create a healthier and
more balanced life in 2020, making changes
to your networking habits will help. By
taking your networking more online, you’ll
save the time and stress of driving all over
Atlanta. Remote networking also removes
the temptation to indulge in alcohol and
unhealthy snacks when you go to evening
events. Introverts will benefit from spending
shorter but more focused amounts of
time strengthening relationships instead
of casting a wide net in a crowded room.
Networking within your existing social
circles helps deepen those relationships
while saving time and energy by not going
to as many networking-only events. You
will also save time and energy and see a
better return on investment from sending
a few personalized notes each week rather
than showing up to shake every hand in the
room but not really connecting with people.
Sure you will still want to go to some in-
person events, but think cautiously about
how you are spending your networking
time before saying yes to every invitation.
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