Relocating & Networking in a New City
GenYNetworking.com received a question about how recent graduates can network when moving to new cities when they have no previous network connections. Here are a few tips:
- Ask well-connected people you already know to introduce you. Think about people you already know who are generally well-connected, and ask them to introduce you on a social networking site or via e-mail to their connections there. My mentor and professor is a good example of someone I would ask for networking help if I was relocating. As a professor, he keeps business cards and lists of former students who are living in different cities. If a current student is looking to move, he gives them a list of former students to connect with. Having a mutual connection will give you a starting point for conversation and make approaching new connections a little easier. It’s also great if you can ask the “connector” in your life for a little background information on the people or research them online to discover talking points or think of questions you want to ask ahead of time.
- Play the newbie card. I think it’s totally appropriate to reach out to people you want to meet and ask them to meet up once you relocate, but I suggest doing your research first. Don’t be afraid to play your “I’m new and looking to meet people” card. Also, it’s even better if you can take a week or two to visit the city before you get there. Take time to meet people you see as potential employers and have informational interviews with companies you would like to work for before you take the big plunge and move. (Tip: In these situations, you are asking for information NOT a job. It’s all about making the connection first.) It will be worth the investment to make networking connections before you move. Generation Y is at a huge advantage by having social media tools when reaching out to new people.
- Ask each new person you meet for the names of three other people you should meet. When relocating, you are trying to build a new networking and this is mutually understood. After having coffee with a new networking connection ask, “Based on my interests, could you provide me with the names of three people you think I should meet?” It is even better if you can ask to tap into their network naturally in conversation. When you are talking about a future career you might be interested in or something you have experience with ask, “Do you know anyone who does that that I should meet?… Would you be willing to connect us?” It is even more effective if you look at who they are connected to online on professional networks like LinkedIn before your meeting and specifically ask if you could be introduced to very specific people.
Have you relocated? When it came to networking what did you do right and what do you wish you would have done differently?
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About the Author
Gina Bericchia is a student of life and social media. She is a writer and Generation Y blogger. She graduates from Otterbein College in June 2010 with degrees in Public Relations and English.
