What follows is a story problem. It will count for 10% of your grade.
You find yourself at the Chamber of Commerce networking lunch. As you walk in, you see a number of people you know and several more who look to be new to this event. What do you do?
OK, times up. Pencils down. The answer, of course, is C — it depends. Either activity can benefit your networking. The trick is, before you even walked in the door you should have had a plan for your attendance at the event.
Now, in general, you’ll want to meet the new people. They are the way to expand your network. Still, there will be times when chatting with old friends is more than just a pleasant pastime.
Whichever way you choose, you should always have a goal and a reason for reaching for it.
So, which do you tend to do when you go to a networking event? Is it part of your plan?
