When you are planning your visit to a conference please think about some of the following tips. These are provided by Marc Ramos, networker extraordinaire, who presents a “How to Network at OHUG” (Oracle HR User Group) to a standing room only crowd each year.

• Do your planning: Who do you want to meet?
• Don’t “Work a Room”…”work” can be tedious, laborious, and sometimes painfully awkward – just socialize instead.
• Leverage a “Wing-Man/Wing-Woman”…think Maverick/Goose (Top-Gun). Network with a partner so that you can feel more comfortable when you walk up to a group.
• Diversity: talk to others who are VERY different than yourself. Age, Race, Gender, Role…you’ll be pleasantly surprised with your findings.
• Be humble/generous: the greatest networkers in the world are Shoe-Shine professionals at the airport. They have a ton of information to share and make you feel like the most important person in their world during your time with them.
• SMILE…this incredibly simple act invites conversation. read more »