Most (90%) of those who approach me for career advice are WOC and second generation immigrants with limited formal training on navigating networking meetings. I want to share what I've learned through 150+ meetings (been on both sides), in the hopes it will be helpful for others:

To start, remember that most people want to help. If anyone has grown in their career, it’s thanks to mentors, champions, and other people helping them at various points. Most want to pay it forward and the only reason they won’t want to meet with you is b/c they are busy.

When sending a cold email to arrange a networking call/coffee, follow up 3x before giving up. Most people have busy inboxes and genuinely miss your email, or plan to reply later and forget. 9/10 times people eventually reply and are open to meeting, or ask you to reconnect later.

Example of a follow-up emails: “Hi (NAME), I wanted to follow up in case you missed my email. If you have 20-30 min in the next few weeks, I’d love to connect with you to….” and/or “Hi (NAME), I wanted to follow up one last time to see if you’d be available…”.

Request 20-30 min of time, max. You honestly don't need more than that. ALWAYS travel to them and offer to pay for the coffee or lunch. Make it as easy as possible for the other person - remember they’re carving time out of their busy day for you. They are doing you a favour.

Plan for the meeting by doing research on the person’s work, education, etc. Come w/ thoughtful questions prepared.

EXAMPLES: What are the biggest trends/shifts you have noticed in your sector over past few years? What are top 3 things I should do as I look for a job in XXX?”

Have a thought-out answer to the question “How can I help you?” and other questions about your career goals. The more specific you are, the easier it is for the other person to think of people and opportunities to connect you with – now and in the future.

Ask them if there's anyone else you should speak with as you navigate your career journey or job search. If you have prepared for the meeting well and left a strong impression, people will offer connections and will try to help you. If they forget to connect you, follow up (3x!).

If you have a few min left in your meeting but the convo is flowing well, acknowledge that your scheduled time is almost up and ask if they have to leave soon. If they have time, they will continue the chat and let you know when they have to go.

I always end a meeting by asking someone if there is anything I can do to help them ( @jacquelinegyl posted about this the other day too). Remember that networking is reciprocal. It is give and take. So give. Sometimes the “take” part for you comes later – even years later.

SEND A THANK YOU EMAIL!!!! It’s surprising how many people DON’T do this. Thank people for their time/energy/advice/connections and share 1-2 pieces of advice they gave that really resonated with you. Ask them to connect you with the people they mentioned (if applicable).

When someone does make a connection/introduction for you, ALWAYS loop back with the original person and update them. Thank them again for the introduction, let them know you met their contact, and if appropriate/applicable, share the outcome of the meeting.

If you ever want to intro your contact to someone, make sure to check w/ them first. Can’t tell you how many times people send me intro emails and put me on the spot. Sometimes I can’t even help or already know the person, so it’s awkward. Double opt-in: https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-double-optin-intro-an-email-template

Stay in touch. In my exp, esp when I was a new grad, people rarely helped me find a job on the spot. But over the years, I regularly updated mentors on my career growth. Sometimes I'd send touch-base emails saying hi or sharing an event/article. Same people now share opps w/ me.

If you get rejected from a job or opportunity, always ask for feedback. And be graceful about receiving it. Sometimes you may want to stay connected, esp if they're in your sector. Hiring managers who rejected me from jobs are still in my circle today + have given me other opps.

And lastly, be genuine. People can tell when you are connecting with them for superficial purposes or *just* to get that internal referral. Don’t use people. Don't be an asshole.