Work that room.

• Author: Thompson, Pamela
• Position: Networking 101

Congratulations! You're good at what you do. Your technical and professional skills are sterling. But if you really want your hard work to pay off, don't forget that networking and relationship skills are integral to your success.

If this makes you nervous, relax. Meeting people and cultivating relationships with those who can help you advance your career is less daunting than it might seem. Besides, the benefits of polishing your networking skills are too good to pass up.

Networking not only provides potential business referrals, but conversations with other professionals help you identify business sources that you never knew existed. You also can save yourself trouble by learning about mistakes that others already have made.

Networking is a two-way street. If you are a person whom others can rely on for career help, they will be all the more willing to return the favor.

Use these tips to maximize your interactions with the professionals you meet daily.

START HERE

Networking events, whether they are organized by CalCPA, your alumni association or another career-building group, are a great place to begin. You'll be around others who have similar goals, but that doesn't mean you can take it easy.

As uncomfortable as it sounds, you're being sized up by other professionals who are wondering both if you'll do good work for clients they might send to you and if they can come to you for help if they need it. Make a good first impression.

First, wear the right thing. If the networking event is a Hawaiian luau, consider leaving the suit jacket in the car. If the event is being held at a hotel conference room, business attire is most appropriate.

If possible, find out who will be there and focus your networking efforts on the people most likely to complement your skills. As you sign in, check the attendee list. Think of what you might say to people so that you can make the most of your encounter. Now is a good time to set your cell phone and pager to silent alerts. Don't check or respond to messages during conversations. Once inside, if you're shy about approaching someone you don't know, ask a mutual acquaintance to make the introductions.

During the first 5-10 seconds of meeting new people, they usually are checking you out visually and not paying close attention to what you are saying. A good attention-grabbing opener will get the person you're talking to more focused on what you have to say. Develop an introduction that gets attention and leads...