How Do You Network with People Without Seeming Like You “Just Want Something” or Are Using the Other Person?

You can’t network with people only when you want something. If you do this, you’ll be pretty transparent and unsuccessful at it.

There are some who give networking a bad name, be careful not to be one of them! You must have good intent and go into it with the right mindset. If during a conversation all you’re focused on is “they think I just want something” then you’re not approaching it properly, and you won’t get much from it.

Consider that networking is about being proactive in cultivating connections and it’s about developing relationships that are mutually beneficial. You should establish your value and determine how your skills and experiences can be advantageous to others, then offer to provide it. Your most valuable relationships are built just on that—VALUE. And of course, you should offer it without expecting anything in return.

Always be genuine and sincere, people will remember you for it (or they’ll definitely remember if you’re not!) This will help create trust and respect among your connections, which helps to develop meaningful relationships, as you successfully build up your spheres of influence.

You should consider signing up for our Get NetWorkWise Certified course where we dive deeper into what networking really means and what it truly is—and how to do it right. You’ll be provided with the knowledge, tools, and resources focused on basic and advanced relationship-building skills that can be applied immediately. And when completed you can earn our esteemed certification in professional networking.

Make it a great day and remember to always NetWorkWise!