The best way to network is to talk to people. Get to know them, what they do, and how they got to where they are. It is surprising in the connections that I have made to learn everyone’s path to their current position. The ability to hold a conversation with a person face to face is one that is necessary to creating connections with people. The easiest way I have found to do this is to practice. Small talk is always hard and can seem unnecessary and boring, but when you are talking with a person, if you can genuinely listen and get to know them and remember something about them, it will serve you well if you need to use that network in the future.

Holding a conversation with someone is more than just speaking with them. Eye contact and engagement is another important part of networking. If you lack the ability to hold eye contact with a person or many people when speaking, it disengages you and automatically it is harder to create a connection with another person. Acting engaged while speaking, asking follow-up questions, as well as carrying a conversation is also important. These traits allow for the other person to truly understand and know that you are interested in connecting with them.

Lastly, asking questions is the best way to genuinely connect with a person. Asking questions is one of the best ways to connect with others because it shows that you are trying to get to know more about them. I believe that when you are trying to connect with others it is imperative to come with a list of questions or to always have some questions in the back of your mind. Creating questions and other things that can be used as talking points is also another way to ease the path to forming connections to help you in the future.