Making the most of summer networking

The summer is here and the sunshine has arrived but that doesn’t mean your job search has to be put on ice! We’ve put together some tips on how to use summer networking to maximise your opportunities and get you one step closer to your next role!

When it comes to summer networking, here are 4 tips to help you make the most of your networking opportunities:

1. Attend Summer Events

Look for industry-specific conferences, webinars, and networking events happening during the summer. These events are often more relaxed and offer a great chance to connect with professionals in a casual setting. Take the time to get know your new acquaintances and make the most of every potential opportunity. Try and go to as many social events to extend your summer networking further. Think about what is going on locally around you; fetes, sporting events, and village fayres - you never know who you might bump into.

2. Stay Engaged Online

Even during the summer months, stay active on professional social media platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter. Share interesting articles, engage with others' posts, and join relevant discussions. With social media now making it easy to stay in touch, ask yourself is now the time to declutter your online connections and start making new ones? Out of those 500+ connections you have on LinkedIn, are there any former colleagues and school friends who can you arrange to meet up with? Maybe have a coffee and catch up and see how could they help you?

3. Plan what you want to say

Build an elevator pitch and think about how you can get the most out of your meetings and gatherings. Take the time to think about where you are going and who you are going to be talking to, the more you think about this the greater awareness you will have of what you want to say. Prepare for these opportunities like you would an interview. Opportunities are attached to people. If you believe in yourself, others will too.

4. Follow Up

After attending networking events or meeting new connections, make it a habit to follow up with personalised messages or emails within a day or two. Express gratitude for the opportunity to connect, reference something specific from your conversation, and propose a next step or a future meeting. Networking is a 2 way process, so think about how you can help them. Remember, building a strong professional network takes time and effort. Be patient and persistent and focus on nurturing meaningful connections and focus on quality not quantity.

Renovo is the UK’s leading specialist provider of outplacement support. We work with both organisations and individuals to support all their career transition requirements. If you would like to understand how Renovo can help, you please email info@renovo.co.uk