can I ask networking contacts to meet somewhere more convenient to me? by Alison Green on April 10, 2017 A reader writes: I recently got a couple of networking contacts who are in the part of my field that I’d like to move into at some point. I reached out to the contacts and they were lovely and offered to meet for coffee, but I didn’t realize that one person’s office is a 45-minute […] Read the full article →
how do I network with a senior person when I’m much more junior? by Alison Green on January 19, 2017 A reader writes: I am a fairly recent college grad (2013) who was hired by the local city government just a few months out of college into the job I’ve had for the last three years, the first two of which I was working part-time while juggling other jobs and internships. Now, however, I have […] Read the full article →
I feel guilty that I got a job through family connections by Alison Green on November 2, 2016 A reader writes: So I am a year and a half out of college. I work as a Teapot Package Designer (obviously not my real field). I’ve been in my job since May of this year and I’m definitely happy to be here. I like the work, my team is great, and I’ve learned so […] Read the full article →
when your mentor won’t respond to your emails by Alison Green on October 7, 2016 A reader writes: I graduated from college nearly two years ago, and am looking for a professional mentor. I’ve worked at my current job at a small nonprofit since October. After working in a similar but very corporate field for the past two years, I know this is where I want to be. A family […] Read the full article →
when does following up with people about meetings or favors turn into being a pest? by Alison Green on May 12, 2016 A reader writes: I have a question regarding two different scenarios I am dealing with that share a commonality: how often to follow up without being irritating. The first scenario involves a company that I have been in touch with regarding consulting opportunities. This company does consulting projects with other companies in my industry, and […] Read the full article →
why won’t people answer my networking emails? by Alison Green on May 11, 2016 A reader writes: I attend any conventions where I meet with a variety of people and get a lot of business cards. My usual networking M.O. is to follow up with an email asking about themselves, their company, what they are working on and — because I’m trying to move into a new field — if […] Read the full article →
am I being stingy with my contacts? by Alison Green on March 7, 2016 A reader writes: Four years ago, I worked at a company that hired a junior person to assist an adjacent department. She was never my assistant and I did not work closely with her; in fact, she only touched one project for my group. We were not close, but we were friendly and I think […] Read the full article →
8 embarrassing LinkedIn mistakes by Alison Green on February 22, 2016 LinkedIn can be a pretty awesome tool for networking, expanding your contacts, and even finding jobs, but it has its own unique etiquette land mines. Here are eight of the most common faux pas people make on LinkedIn – and how to make sure that you avoid them. 1. Sending generic connection requests. It was probably […] Read the full article →
how to turn down requests to meet, network, or pick your brain by Alison Green on March 23, 2015 Gain even a little bit of success in your field, and you’re likely to start getting requests from strangers or near-strangers to meet, network or “pick your brain.” In the beginning, you might enjoy this – it’s flattering, after all, and it can be a way to pay forward help that you yourself received from […] Read the full article →
is my mentor ignoring my emails? by Alison Green on February 26, 2015 A reader writes: While I worked at a mid-sized company, I developed a wonderful mentor relationship with one of my managers. He has always been very supportive, offering to be my job reference, etc. After 2.5 years working together, I left to work abroad at another company for 1.5 years. We kept in touch while […] Read the full article →