It can be frustrating to try an activity, and not get the results you hoped for.  Sometimes when I talk with learners about this, it turns out that some important element was missing.  Pause and reflect on your own experience: what went well? What didn’t quite work for you? 

• Were you clear about what you wanted to learn, first of all with yourself, and then with the person you talked with?
• Had you created questions that would uncover that information? 
• Were you prepared with a brief introduction about yourself? 
• Were you talking with the right person, to gather the knowledge you wanted? 
• Were you clear with them when you arranged the conversation about what you were looking for?
• Were you nervous or scattered? 
• Could it have been an “off day” for the other person?

This list of questions is meant to constructively help you review your networking attempt, in hopes of equipping you with some new tactics to try in the future, so you can feel good about getting back out there and trying it again.  We feel strongly that preparation and practice are key! 

For more information about this topic, check out the networking on-demand tutorial, or if you prefer to learn by reading written material, read the networking section of the Career Center.