When asked what one of the top job search requirements is, every advice blog you read, career counselor you talk to, and mentor in your field will all include one common practice: networking. Lucky for you, society is making networking increasingly easy, accessible and generation-friendly with events like Speed Networking and websites like Network Roulette.

The downside of this trend is that your networking pitch now has to be so honed and clean to reach the person you are talking to in 3 minutes or less and present a clear argument as to what you can offer and how they can help. With regular networking you had an entire meeting to get through the small talk, chat about your thoughts and feelings and eventually come around to the real point of the conversation, your career. Speed networking takes out all the padding and leaves you with the simple question: How can we help each other out?

This can also be a benefit for those of you who do not excel in the small talk, yet you still need to be practiced and prepared for the art of the speedy network. Career advice blog BrazenCareerist has some tips that might help:

Use your time wisely.
Your conversations with each new connection are kept short and sweet so you can meet a lot of different people. On Network Roulette, you only have THREE minutes to make your connection. Don’t spend your time with long introductions or niceties such as “Hello, how are you?”, “Nice to meet you,” etc. Get straight to business by asking “How can I help you?”

Know what you need and what you have to offer. Don’t be vague.
Go into each speed networking event that you attend with what you want to get out of it in mind. On Network Roulette, we provide you with ‘Looking/Providing’ fields that you should always fill out before the event. Fill these fields out every time. They’ll force you to stay focused and make sure that you and your random match know instantly if there is potential to help each other.

Don’t be afraid to pass.
Let’s be realistic. You’re not always going to be matched with the perfect person. If you are matched up with someone who does not seem like a good connection, don’t be afraid to move on. Your time is valuable, and so is theirs. Thank them for their time and move on to the next match.

Be a connector.
You may not be able to help everyone but you probably know someone else who can. If you think that a person you have been matched with would be valuable so someone else in your network, introduce them. People will love you for introducing quality people to them and being likable is an important trait for every networker to have.

Be authentic.
“Say what really interests you, not what you think should interest you,” says Sarah Peck, Brazen community leader.

Always follow up.
The biggest mistake that people make is not following up. It means you’ve wasted your time. Go into every speed networking event that you attend understanding that the quick conversations you are having are only the beginning. Building a strong, long-lasting relationship with another professional requires more than that.

If you’re speed networking on Network Roulette, follow up by becoming a Fan of the person you connected with. When they fan you back, exchange private messages. Or you can just exchange emails during your 3-minute chat.

Brazen careerist - http://www.brazencareerist.com/

Actual page - http://www.brazencareerist.com/2011/01/11/how-to-become-the-worlds-greatest-speed-networker?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+brazen_careerist+%28Brazen+Careerist%29&utm_content=Google+Reader