Networking is the life line of any career. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a college student trying to find their next internship, networking correctly can open a lot of doors for you.

Here are seven tips to use for your next networking opportunity.

1. Smile and like you mean it

Not the “Why do I have to be here?” grimace and not like your driver license picture smile. People notice if your smile is genuine and being genuine is a sign of trustworthy person. In turn, trustworthy people get hired.

2. A firm handshake goes a long way

Leave your limp noodle handshakes at home and your hand kissing for debutante season. It’s important to have a firm handshake, but it’s even more important as woman to be able deliver a solid handshake in a business environment. A 2001 University of Alabama study by psychologist William Chapin showed that “women with firm handshakes tend to be evaluated as positively as men are.”

3. Be prepared with your business card

A proper business card has your name, a work email and work number. Your proper business cards need to fit your industry. If you’re a creative, the more memorable the card is, the better. If you work in finance, healthcare or a more formal industry, stick to a classic design on heavy weight paper. Be sure to have a stack in a professional case. Business cards go like hot cakes and not having enough makes you look unprepared.

4. Talk to everyone

Competitors, connectors, your next boss and even the people not in your industry. No one is too good for your attention. The six degrees of separation is pretty accurate—everyone knows someone. Your job is finding the people who know the right people for you. Whether you like it or not, personal relationships tend to land you at the top of the list.

5. Be sure to know the most relevant news

The weather and non-political (unless you are at a political event) news are great icebreakers. Knowing what’s happening in the world shows that are you’re informed and can tap into relevant issues for work. Even better is knowing industry news. Your competitor’s CEO just switched companies? Know when and her new responsibilities. Are you in advertising? What’s trending in design? What’s the next big thing? Who did the most-talked about commercial? Are you a writer? Who broke the latest news? Who won the latest writing award? What’s trending on the runway? What aren’t people talking about?

6. Ask appropriate personal questions

Beyond the who do you know, asking the right questions helps create common ground. Sincerely ask how their day is going, how long they’ve been working for their current company, what attracted them to their current job and what they’re interested in outside of work. Talking about what you love excites people and leaves the impression you’re an enjoyable person to have around. Don’t ask if someone is married, what their religion is and for other personal information you don’t share in work settings. Propriety isn’t dead.

7. Follow up

Take all of those business cards you collected and start making LinkedIn connections. Find the cards of the people you had lengthy conversations with and send them a quick email thanking them for their time one to two days later.

Developing a relationship with people before your job hunt starts gets your foot in door before you’re printing out resumes.

string(3649) "
Networking is the life line of any career. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a college student trying to find their next internship, networking correctly can open a lot of doors for you.
 Here are seven tips to use for your next networking opportunity. 
 1. Smile and like you mean it
Not the "Why do I have to be here?" grimace and not like your driver license picture smile. People notice if your smile is genuine and being genuine is a sign of trustworthy person. In turn, trustworthy people get hired.
 2. A firm handshake goes a long way
Leave your limp noodle handshakes at home and your hand kissing for debutante season. It's important to have a firm handshake, but it's even more important as woman to be able deliver a solid handshake in a business environment. A 2001 University of Alabama study by psychologist William Chapin showed that "women with firm handshakes tend to be evaluated as positively as men are." 
 3. Be prepared with your business card
A proper business card has your name, a work email and work number. Your proper business cards need to fit your industry. If you're a creative, the more memorable the card is, the better. If you work in finance, healthcare or a more formal industry, stick to a classic design on heavy weight paper. Be sure to have a stack in a professional case. Business cards go like hot cakes and not having enough makes you look unprepared. 
 4. Talk to everyone
Competitors, connectors, your next boss and even the people not in your industry. No one is too good for your attention. The six degrees of separation is pretty accurate—everyone knows someone. Your job is finding the people who know the right people for you. Whether you like it or not, personal relationships tend to land you at the top of the list.
 5. Be sure to know the most relevant news
The weather and non-political (unless you are at a political event) news are  great icebreakers. Knowing what's happening in the world shows that are you're informed and can tap into relevant issues for work. Even better is knowing industry news. Your competitor's CEO just switched companies? Know when and her new responsibilities. Are you in advertising? What's trending in design? What's the next big thing? Who did the most-talked about commercial? Are you a writer? Who broke the latest news? Who won the latest writing award? What's trending on the runway? What aren't people talking about? 
 6. Ask appropriate personal questions
Beyond the who do you know, asking the right questions helps create common ground. Sincerely ask how their day is going, how long they've been working for their current company, what attracted them to their current job and what they're interested in outside of work. Talking about what you love excites people and leaves the impression you're an enjoyable person to have around. Don't ask if someone is married, what their religion is and for other personal information you don't share in work settings. Propriety isn't dead. 
 7. Follow up
Take all of those business cards you collected and start making LinkedIn connections. Find the cards of the people you had lengthy conversations with and send them a quick email thanking them for their time one to two days later. 
 Developing a relationship with people before your job hunt starts gets your foot in door before you're printing out resumes.
"

The Kar-Jenner family is loaded thanks to their business prowess (and fierce momager, Kris Jenner.) Kim Kardashian said it best when she lamented that it “seems like nobody wants to work these days,” but these sisters never have a day off. And that’s why the topic of Kylie Jenner’s net worth is so intriguing.  But

Talking about student loans can be an uncomfortable subject. Considering how stressful your debt pay-off journey can be, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by how much you still owe. Fortunately, there are a few ways to successfully pay off your student loans in a speedy fashion so you can finally breathe that sigh of relief

Taylor Swift is a megastar singer-songwriter known for her narrative songwriting, catchy pop tunes, and versatility across genres like country, pop, and indie folk. She breaks every music record with ease, partially thanks to her die-hard Swiftie fans who follow her with vigor and buy out every single show. And with Taylor Swift’s net worth

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become overwhelmingly popular in the past few years. The world has leaned full-force into technology and entrusted AI with, well, everything. You can see AI commercials, AI-powered statistics during sports games, and there was even a whole writer’s strike over the AI Invasion of storytelling and Hollywood. As I’ve watched tens

Ever since the pandemic popularized (or forced) virtual meetings and, countless companies adopted the hybrid work model or went completely virtual. And once the public health crisis was declared over, we remained confined to our desks in our kitchens and attics working from home. And it’s not just work. Doctor’s TeleHealth appointments, therapy visits on

Look, I get it. We live in a social media-driven world, where millions of people log into their multiple accounts daily — even hourly! — to promote the illusion of their ideal life. They share snapshots of the highlights of their days: trips to the cafe, lush travels to islands, shopping trips at luxury fashion

Everyone knows they should probably be saving more money. And while it might seem savvy to skip the occasional impulse buy, don’t be too quick to pat yourself on the back when you refrain from buying yet another pair of ripped blue jeans. In times like these — when the recession is here and a

Recently, I found the perfect gift for my roommate — a sweatshirt of Rocky and Creed fighting, if you must know or needed last-minute inspo. She’s a fan of the franchise, and as a Philadelphia native, I couldn’t resist. Waiting until Black Friday (guaranteed sale), I logged onto PacSun’s website to be met with the

Ever since I started working 40 hours a week, I’ve realized that my mother is a superhero. Because, as a single 25-year-old, I don’t want to do…One. Single. Thing after work. Like everyone I know, I resent the monotony of my life from Monday to Friday. There is barely any time after 5 PM to

In the words of Ferris Bueller: “Life comes at ya fast.” I learned this when, after graduating college, I suddenly had to get my life together and financially support myself. The horror. But I’m also young and fun (I swear!). I want to go out with my friends, follow trends, and buy myself a little