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Common sense might suggest that
summer is a bad time to make new business connections -
people are gone on vacation, leave town on weekends, and
there are fewer business events to attend. However,
summer is actually a great time to develop new
connections and deepen current ones. People are more
relaxed and not as busy. And there's no reason you can't
have some fun while connecting with others!
Here are some ideas that will
hopefully inspire you to take advantage of the summer to
get out of the office and grow your network:
Get tickets to a sports
event and invite people you'd like to know better. A
baseball game? If you like tennis, how about the U.S.
Open in late August? Drinks at a sports bar for soccer
fans? Invite people who don't know each other so they
can expand their networks.
Have lunch at a scenic
outdoor restaurant with a business friend. The Boathouse
in Central Park, Rock Center Cafe, and Cafe St. Barts
are convenient in midtown Manhattan. If you're downtown,
the Southstreet Seaport and World Financial Center have
terrific waterfront restaurants; check out
www.riverToriverNYC.com for a wide array of downtown
events. If you can, go for a late lunch and take the
rest of the day off.
Fishing? Golf? Hiking?
Shakespeare in the Park?
Attend charitable and
company events: golf outings, picnics, sailing, softball
games. Don't worry that you aren't any good at the
activity - think of the PR value of winning the prize
for the worst score (spoken from first-hand experience).
Join a committee or
volunteer to organize a program for a professional or
non-profit organization - summer is when the events for
the fall and spring are planned and it's a great way to
build your brand name.
Organize a brown bag
breakfast or dinner for friends, former colleagues or
people you know with a particular interest; ask each
person to bring another person. Meet in a park or in
someone's home that has a backyard or balcony.
Back to school - if you
have children from pre-K through college, you will
likely have an opportunity to meet other parents at
school orientations, move-in day, etc.
Reach out to a job seeker
(or accept a networking request from someone who has
contacted you); they are likely to be well connected
from their job search efforts.
Too hot? It's cool inside
Broadway shows, concert halls, and museums. If your
group is all female, how about a day or half day at a
spa?
Have fun! All work and no
play make for a dull person. When business events start
up in the fall and someone asks you how your summer was,
you will have something interesting to say.
Wishing you a productive and fun
rest of your summer.
Copyright 2007 Laura Hill
Laura Hill is founder and managing
partner of Careers in Motion (http://www.cimllc.com),
a career coaching firm based in New York City. She works
with individuals at all levels - from college graduates
to senior executives - in the areas of career strategy
and planning; market positioning; resume development;
job search; interviewing skills; and negotiations. |
