How to Avoid Common Networking Mistakes

Public Service Announcement: Time is valuable—respect it! I get asked to do networking meetings or informational interviews a lot. Daily. And while I have to protect my time, I try to be helpful when it's someone in my community or a friend. But let’s be blunt: these meetings rarely provide any direct professional benefit for me. I see them as an opportunity to pay it forward, just as others have generously done for me over the years. Lately, however, I’ve noticed that many people don’t fully appreciate the value of time. Here are three mistakes people make when asking for me to give up my time: 1.  𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. I understand that life happens, but I’ve been canceled on last minute far too many times. For example, “My teacher just assigned a big project, and my group needs to meet at the time we scheduled for lunch. Can we move it to next week?” As a small business owner, every hour of my day needs to create value. When I dedicate an hour to someone else, I’m stepping away from generating value for my business. Last-minute cancellations, while better than no-shows, still disrupt my day and leave me unable to fully utilize that time for other priorities. 2. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁. I've found myself in situations where I told someone I would meet with them and then asked when they wanted to get together. Their response to me was, "Oh, I am so flexible. I can meet just about any evening after 7:30 or Thursday and Friday afternoons between 4:00-6:00" I am a parent. My kids play sports. I work incredibly hard to ensure I don’t miss a single game or event. To be honest, I’m not going to skip my child’s soccer game to grab coffee and discuss careers in the talent space. If you’re serious about setting up a meeting, be respectful of the other person’s time. Offer three specific time slots spread across different parts of the day (morning, lunch, afternoon). For example: “I know you’re busy, so here are three options that might work. If none of these fit, I’d be happy to suggest other times.” 3. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗲. We live in the age of Google. You need to Google me before the meeting and know a little about me before you ask for my time. I consider introductions as social currency. If someone is willing to make connections for you, they are essentially giving you a check to cash... the value is determined by YOU. Don’t waste your opportunity or my time by being unprepared.

Top 3 informational "interview" mistakes I see ... I have to be honest. I’ve had a lot of these conversations. I see the same missteps over and over. Doesn’t matter if you’re just starting out or deep into your career. Why most people miss the mark: 1️⃣ They treat it like a job interview (it’s not). 2️⃣ They ask surface-level questions (curiosity is your superpower—go beyond “What do you do?" "Can you recommend me for this role?") 3️⃣ They don’t follow up (huge missed opportunity. Not just immediately but 3-6-9 months out). Here’s how to fix it: ✅ Shift your mindset—go in to learn, not to impress. ✅ Ask better questions—“What skills helped you succeed?” “Based on my background, do you think I’d be a good fit for this role-company-industry?” "What keeps you excited about your work?" “Where do you see this industry heading?” "Who else would you recommend I speak with?" ✅ Follow up—send a thank-you, reference something specific and keep the door open. This is a great time to communicate your hook. Small tweaks, big impact. The goal isn’t just networking—it’s creating connections that open doors. Comment 👇, what are some of the pitfalls you see in these conversations?

Networking 101: please do not do blind introductions. Instead, you need to learn the simple trick of how to do Double Opt-In Introductions. First, if you are trying to introduce two people who don’t know each other- even if you think you’re being nice… you have to make sure both people actually want the introduction. When you’re connecting two strangers, good intentions aren't enough. This is crucial when your network includes successful professionals, public figures, or even local influencers. The worst email or text you can send them is like this: Pretend Billy is a local business owner you know. “Hey Billy! I thought you might like to meet Janelle. You both are XXX and Janelle was asking me about..." And you've copied Janelle on the message too. Perhaps you met Janelle recently and thought, "She'd be perfect for Billy's network!" Or maybe you're trying to impress her by name-dropping. Either way, this approach is a networking no-no. And now you’ve just passed this intro on to Billy. But here’s the thing: I promise you Billy is not happy about it. He’s annoyed now. And he might not even reply. So please don’t do this. It makes you look bad. I’ll show you how to avoid it. Instead, you just do 1 thing differently: Simply ask Billy first if he wants the introduction. Send a message like this: "Hey Billy! Can I introduce you to Janelle? She's XXX and she's doing XXX and I thought you might talk about XXX. If that's OK, I will copy her on this thread or send a new message to you both." That's it - that's all you have to do. But why does this work? Well, it works for a few reasons: (1) Billy might not want the intro. (2) If Billy says Yes, now he'll follow-up. (3) If Billy says No, or doesn't reply, then you have saved face. It’s a small thing but once you start doing this you’ll be seen as a better connector. You'll make better introductions and connections just by doing this 1 thing. Remember: Consent isn't just for personal relationships—it's the cornerstone of professional networking too. This is the best way to do it, right? Or does anyone actually appreciate these random intros? 

Want a referral? Don't be transactional! This is one of the biggest networking mistakes I see. If the only time you’re reaching out to people is when you need something, you’re doing it wrong. Being transactional in your approach doesn’t build trust, it pushes people away. You might get ghosted, ignored, or worse, leave a bad impression that lasts. Networking isn’t about what others can do for you; it’s about building genuine relationships that benefit both sides. But 9/10 times, YOU have to make the first offer. Think about it—why would someone help you out if the only time they hear from you is when you’re asking for something? People help people they like and trust. Trust takes time and effort to build. So, instead of reaching out only when you need something, establish a relationship and offer value first. Engage with their work, share insights, or simply be a supportive connection. When you focus on giving, you’ll find that people are much more willing to help you when you need it. Networking isn’t a short-term transaction—it’s a long game. Play it smart, and you’ll see better results. (Sorry for the EXTREME closeup - we're slowly honing our video game...) 🪖