The Secret to Successful Networking: Make Yourself Memorable

by Rosetta Thurman

categories: Networking, Personal Branding

Published October 23, 2009 @ 04:55PM PT

The key to building a great reputation is to make sure people know who you are in the first place. If you can sell yourself as someone nonprofits would want to hire, it becomes easier not only to get hired, but also to find out about jobs that may never even be advertised in the first place. You know by now how important networking is to a job search, but if no one ever remembers meeting you, all those happy hours and business card exchanges may all be in vain.

Case in point. Last night I attended the DC Young Nonprofit Professionals Network's anniversary reception hosted at the White House. Buffy Wicks, Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement opened her remarks by asking a few folks in the audience to share the names of some of the nonprofits they worked for. I remember one young African American man that said he was with a nonprofit called Dreaming Out Loud. I remembered the confidence and pride in his voice and I ended up running into him at the happy hour afterwards. It turned out that the young man's name was Chris Bradshaw and he was the Founder and Executive Director of the organization. The passion he displayed in talking about his work with youth was quite moving and I ended up looking up the nonprofit on Google when I got home that night to see how I could get involved.

I remembered Chris Bradshaw, even hours after I had met him. And being memorable can do wonders for your reputation. People will go to bat for you later on if you can stamp a good first impression in their minds. As Naomi Christine Leapheart of Philadelphia Young Nonprofit Leaders recently advised:

Invite yourself to everything (like free nonprofit events and conferences) and make a valuable contribution when you get there. Ask a compelling question or make a comment during Q & A portion of the event.

Speaking up at events and sharing your passion for nonprofit work can definitely enhance your presence at networking events. So the next time you head out to a nonprofit event, think about how you can convey your knowledge and enthusiasm for nonprofit work while you're there. Because simply showing up at a happy hour isn't enough if you don't do or say anything that people will remember.

Photo credit: Customers Rock