When I was teaching a class about job hunting, one of the parts that students had the hardest time grasping was networking with live people they didn't know.
They didn't know how to start conversations. Anum's column provided some good, and clever ways, to do just that. If you're stuck trying to start conversations, try these. What is the worst that can happen? Someone walks away or says no? As a recruiter or salesperson you should be used to that already so what do you have to lose?

Ev

22 Conversation Starters For All Our Networking Needs

By Anum Hussain
Are you from Australia? Because you meet all my koalifications.
Conversation starters like the one above give me joy daily. I follow Tinder Nightmares, an Instagram account surfacing real stories from real users. But deep behind the comedy of these sometimes desperate attempts to trigger a relationship is a real issue ...
Starting conversations is difficult. And awkward. And just all around uncomfortable. 
While I may not be a Tinder user, I can relate to the struggle of starting a conversation at conferences, social events, and even internal company parties. Even when I'm speaking at conferences, I often hide in a corner avoiding the pre-presentation cocktail hour until it's my time to get up and speak.
To help poor souls like myself, I reached out to some of the most well-connected folks I know. In the presentation below, you'll find 22 unique conversation starters - which means If you're looking for the generic, "so what brings you to this conference?" you've come to the wrong place.

1. "Have you found a place to put your coats / bags, or are we just holding on to them?"

2. "Are you Italian?"

People always want to know why you think they’re Italian. This anonymous contribution comes from someone who says the line “does wonders on Tinder.” That must mean it works at conferences, too, right?

3. "After this, I'm thinking of flying to France, Hong Kong, or Rio. Which should I go to? Why?"Contributed by: Mark Roberge, Chief Revenue Officer

4. "Are any of you experiencing issues connecting to the Wi-Fi?"

I mean, the answer is almost always ... "YES."

5. One time I introduced myself to someone & we wound up helping each other a ton. Let's make it round two? Contributed by: Matt Bilotti, Student Investor

6. "Mind if I squeeze in and share this cocktail table?"

While this yields a one-word response, it serves as a staring point for approaching someone. 

7. "That's a sweet startup tee. I think I've heard of that company ..."Contributed by: Harvey Simmons, Marketer & Product Evangelist

8. "Is your phone dying too? There's got to be somewhere to charge this."

Lingering around a charging station is also a great way to meet others doing the same. 

9. "I like your bag. Where is it from?"Contributed by: Sasha Hoffman, Entrepreneur & Biz Dev

10. "Know anywhere I can get some good food or drinks around here?"

 Even when the answer is “no,” we may find  a new pal to go on a drink-finding journey with. 

11. I'll be honest, the only person I know here is the bartender, and I just met him. Mind if I introduce myself?

12. Looks like I'm not the only crazy chick who showed up in heels. How are you holding up all day?

13. Gotta love  bathroom wait lines, am I right?

No. No one loves these lines, but might as well chit chat while we wait.

14. I'm tired of chatting with my colleagues - I see ‘em all the time. What are you all  talking about?Credit: Pete Holmes

15. I'm not sure I knew what to expect when I came here. Have you been before?Contributed by: Meghan Anderson, Product Marketing Director

16. "How are you guys getting to the next event? Want to share a cab?"

Oftentimes, people don’t have a plan yet. Offer a ride-share and secure yourself a set time  to connect with them.

17. "Have you  downloaded the  mobile app? Which sessions have you selected through it?"Contributed by: Rachel Sprung, Product Marketing Manager

18. "If there’s one question you don’t want me to ask because you’re sick of answering it, what would that be?Credit: Conversation Arts

19. "You guys look like you're having the  most fun here, mind  if I join this conversation?"Contributed by: Corey Eridon, Managing Editor

20. "Is it quieter on  this side of the  room? I can hardly hear over there."Credit: The Muse

21. "Have you checked out [XYZ]  app? What did  you think?"Contributed by: Brian Balfour, VP of Growth

Simply replace [XYZ] with the hottest app of that year - Twitter, Whatsapp, Snapchat, etc.

22. Man, I hate networking.

Might as well start with the one thing just about  every attendee has in common. ;)

If you got to the end of the post, you may enjoy hearing that upon using the "koalifications" pick-up line on my best friend, she responded with, "yours are irrelephant."

19 Networking Tips I'm Sick Of Hearing

I thought this was a new spin on common advice.

Nice take Anum!

Ev

Blah Blah Blah ...
19 Networking Tips I'm Sick Of Hearing
 
 by Anum Hussain

Here's the thing: I have a personal vendetta against 99% of the networking content on the internet.
Every piece regurgitates the same pointers on perfecting business cards. Every article repeats outdated advice on how to work a room. That's why, for the past few months, I've attempted to surface real, actionable methods for building relationships. I've gathered stories on hustling for connections, uncovered email templates that trigger responses, and more.
But today I'm taking a break from all that. Instead I'm going to have some fun by featuring just about every tip you've already heard.
So if you're looking to be an old school networker and bask in some awkward fun while neglecting how social conversations have evolved over the past ten years ... then this 18-step process is for you. Shall we enjoy it together?

Step 1: Research a few people you want to connect with prior to the event.

Step 2: Eat a proper meal to avoid chatting fatigue.

Step 3: Learn big, fancy words to impress people with.

 Step 4: Take a moment to boost your self-esteem before working a room.

Step 5: Don't be afraid to enter the room. You went there to network afterall.

Step 6: Approach someone new and say hello.

Step 7: Give them a firm handshake so they know you mean business.

Step 8: Then employ the buddy system to divide and conquer.

Step 9: Keep your introductions brief and to-the-point.

Step 10: Look really interested even when you have no idea what someone is saying.

Step 11: If that doesn't work, just sprinkle in pop culture references.

Step 12: If all else fails, say something super inspirational to sound super smart.

Step 13: Just make sure you're not the jerk on the phone the whole time.

Step 14: Don't be afraid to admit when a conversation isn't benefiting you.

Step 15: Know when to end the conversation.

Step 16: Hand out your perfectly polished business cards to stay in touch.

Step 17: Send professionally-written follow up notes to everyone you meet.

Step 18: If they ignore you, keep following up. Don't stop until they respond.

 Step 19: And of course, dress to impress for post-conference parties.

Tired of all these so-called tips, too?
If you're looking for modern, effective networking pointers, I recommend these posts that over 35,000 people have already found helpful:

• 19 Subject Lines Stats Impacting Our Email Open Rates 
• Here's My Free Template For Tracking Personal Connections
• How I Identify The Right People For My Professional Network

Networking vs. Being a Creep

People I talk to often say they don't like networking events because they don't know what to say to people. Matt Bilotti wrote a fun article about how to get started talking to others at a networking even or any social occasion.
How many of these techniques have you tried?
Ev


How I Approach Strangers Without Being a Creep
Matt Bilotti  approach-strangers-networking

I'm at an event. I don't know anyone here. I'm standing by the food to make it look like I'm thinking about what to eat. I'm trying to look like I'm too cool to talk to anyone.
Really, though, I'm secretly hoping and waiting for someone else to come and say hi. 
There's many articles online about how to "work a room," but they all advise the same thing: Break out of your comfort zone. This typically comes paired with a graphic like so -

But hardest part isn't getting out of your comfort zone; It's knowing when it's appropriate to join a group of strangers without being that person who suddenly initiated an awkward silence.

As uncomfortable as it may feel, there's really no way to avoid wandering around the room for a bit while feeling like that creepy dude or dudette lurking. I've picked up a few tips to keep myself from looking suspicious when I wander: 

  Keep a drink in your hand - even if it's just water. 

  Listen carefully while casually strolling through groups. 

  Walk slowly to get a gauge on what's being discussed.

While walking by slowly a few feet away from a group, I give myself at least 15 seconds to gauge their conversation. Within these 15 seconds, I look for any of the following five signals that it's okay to start talking to one or all of the folks in the group. 

Signal 1: Someone is bored or ready for an escape.
Is one of the individuals in the group glancing off into the distance at least twice within that 15 seconds?
Are they a third or fourth person in the group and clearly looking in a different direction with the others?
This is the perfect opportunity to target this unengaged individual, make eye contact, and free them from their misery by smiling and introducing yourself.

Signal 2: Someone is using drawn out words, filler words, or single responses.

There are a few words that, when used repeatedly, trigger that a conversation is ending - or at least that one person is done with it. Examples include ...

• Mhhm
• Yeahhhhh
• True True
• Cool ...
• Yep
• Yeah
• Nice

Hear these words repeatedly? BOOM. Jump in. These people are done with one another, making it the perfect time to approach.

Signal 3: Someone has their feet pointed in another direction.

This may sound silly, but if somebody is standing in a group conversation but their feet are clearly pointed in a direction outside that group or the person they're speaking with, they are most likely ...

• Not interested in what the other person is saying
• Looking to move in that direction in the near future
• Leaning up against something with swag - in which case, they might not be looking for any conversation at all.
  

Signal 4: Someone is taking deep breaths or nodding slowly.

If one person is ending their sentences with long, deep breaths, it generally means they're ready to move on. Beyond the big breaths, from my experience, nothing is as crystal clear as when someone is nodding their head slowly. This is typically a big sign that the individual is tuned out.
I've found both these instances to be great opportunities to approach that person and spark a conversation.

Signal 5: Someone is wandering around confidently looking for conversation.

When I notice somebody else is wandering around the room on their own or look like they're employing the same strategy as me, I try to intercept their path and make eye contact.
Sometimes they're hoping to find someone like me to chat with. Other times, they may have their own agenda that doesn't involve me. I can typically sense this when they don't return my eye contact and keep moving around.

These five key signals come into play at every event I attend, resulting in at least five to six valuable conversations. No awkward introduction, no awkward interruption, just a natural start for both me and the person I'm talking to.

What Passive Candidates Really Want

It is a candidate driven marketplace for sure, especially in IT.
What will attract these candidates?
Thanks for the insight Ron!
Ev
A Heck of A Nice Guy

The Truth About What Passive Candidates Really Want
the-truth-about-what-passive-candidates-really-want
by Ron Stewart

nShare556

 

Expect to see a surge in the recruiting of passive candidates. While only 25 percent of global respondents from LinkedIn’s research are actively looking for work, 45 percent of candidates say that they would be open to speaking with a recruiter, which means that the passive talent pool could be a great source for finding fresh candidates. But how do you convince candidates who are satisfied with their job to make a switch?

Here are three things that can make the difference for a successful hire and what notable business leaders have to say about them. 

Figures First

While many commentators claim that money isn’t a main motivator, LinkedIn’s recent survey begs to differ. In fact, both active and passive candidates cite money as a top priority when it comes to a new job. For passive candidates it is actually the No. 1 pull factor for deciding to change careers. While active candidates sometimes prioritise opportunities for advancement and more challenging work, financial incentives — including annual salary, compensation, and benefits — are all contributing factors to motivate passive candidates to take on a different job role.

“Compensation and perks can open doors and entice a candidate,” says Sabrina Balmick, marketing manager for ACA Talent. “With a more competitive compensation package, your company will be able to attract better quality candidates who are serious about building a career with your organization.”

Work/Life Balance

Next on the list of pull factors for passive candidates is work/life balance. Employees are increasingly placing a higher value on their time, and will factor this in when contemplating a job offer. Many passive candidates want their jobs to be challenging and rewarding — but not take up their entire lives. The prospect of time at the end of the day to pursue their hobbies, head out with friends, or home to their family could very well entice candidates to make the switch.

“It’s important for businesses of all sizes to ensure that their employees have a good work/life balance,” says Tim Kitchen, founder of online marketing company, Exposure Ninja. “Many of my employees have the benefit of remote working and flexi-time. Everyone wants to be able to find the work/life balance that works for them and this is a good way to do it. And it means that when my employees are on the clock, they’re on fire.”

Company Culture

Professionals around the world agree that whether their prospective company is a good place to work is a highly important factor. 56 percent say the company’s work culture reputation is most important factor when considering a new job. 85 percent of active candidates and 90 percent of passive are passionate about the work they do, and a company that appreciates their work is essential. As a result, company branding and social media presence is more important now than ever.

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” is the phrase coined by Richard Plepler, CEO of HBO. Plepler is a leading advocate of transparency in the workplace, creating a company culture where employees feel able to contribute. He further said in an interview with the Financial Times: “The work environment that we create has to be transparent. Everyone can say what’s on their mind and once we make a choice, everyone is behind it.”

The Truth of It

When it comes to recruiting passive candidates, those pull factors need to be ever so slightly stronger. While a bigger pay packet might be the main draw, don’t overlook the importance of providing employees with a good work/life balance and creating a strong company culture.