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The Question That Ends a Meeting Quickly

February 21, 2011 by

“So tell me what your company does?”

When I get this question, I start thinking about what else I need to do today.  Why?  Despite having LinkedIn, Company websites, databases available via public library, etc., it tells me that this person across the table has not even taken 5 minutes to do a simple search.

Your willingness to invest into the meeting has a direct correlation with how much you will get out.  The more research you do the more likely you’ll understand the type of connections they will have, how you can help them, etc.  It’s also the first indication to the person with whom you meet whether or not you are taking the meeting seriously.

See the tool “10 Questions to Understand a Company” – whether your contact is a CEO, CFO, lawyer or banker – you can use these questions to understand what they do.

If you are meeting a service provider (lawyer, banker, etc.) most of them have extensive websites with explanation of services, biographies, etc. 

Always look beyond the work experience to their participation in professional associations, college/grad-school alumni, etc. – this gives you another area for networking and indicates where they invest their time. 

The reason you get more out of the networking meeting is because you leap past discovery into greater discussion about their background, issues about their business and how you can help one another.   Both of you will walk away from the meeting with a greater satisfaction and you’ve just made yourself more memorable to that person.

Also, see “Practicing the 80 Percent Rule of Networking” , “Anatomy of a Networking Meeting” and “Networking Meeting Checklist” to help your preparation.

Remember that this person will be likely networking/meeting with a dozen more people – so being memorable is important.

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

Filed Under: General Tagged With: ,

Taking My Own Advice … Almost

October 6, 2010 by

Now that I’m back into search mode again, I am reading my own material.  

I can recall the events and meetings with fellow candidate that served as the source for every post and tool.  What stands out for each is either discovering a more practical method for search or how to improve our expectations.

Getting back into search has helped me remember why I gave the guideline to use ideas on the CandidatesChair as a starting place, even though they are all based on real-life experiences.

As much as candidates want to be seen as individuals, the same is true for networking contacts, hiring manager, recruiter, etc., everyone comes with their own set of circumstances.

Before you deliver a pitch, hit send, etc. – take a moment and ask three questions about the person you are addressing.

ONE:  How many times will they receive a similar message/pitch?

TWO: What is important to me to know about this candidate?

THREE: How well do they know you?

Let’s use some live ammunition from my current search: My e-mail template for setting up a networking meeting (See “Tools You’ll Need”).  I can use the template word for word and know it works pretty darn well – it can work better.

For questions one and two, it’s as simple as adding an extra sentence can cement the connection (e.g. same college, profession, company), establish credibility in area (e.g. specific experience addressing one of their needs), or increase their desire to network with you (e.g. people in your network of interest to them).

For the third question, I may use other means to deliver the message than e-mail, to help boost the level of connection or jog their memory.  I’ll use LinkedIn, College Alumni message board, ExecuNet, or with a forwarded article of interest.

The lesson I have relearned is that the advice and tools give you a jump start in creating a message.  Asking myself these three questions helps me make it more effective.

Good luck today.

Mark

Filed Under: E-mail to set up networking meeting, Preparation Tagged With: ,