Robin Madell* says ending a networking conversation tactfully gives everyone the chance to make the most of their time.
Some people think that the hardest thing about professional networking is starting a conversation with someone.
But once you’ve cleared that hurdle, a more daunting task awaits.
How can you extricate yourself from a networking conversation when you’re ready to move on and continue meeting people?
Ending a networking conversation tactfully
Here are some tips on how to tactfully end a networking conversation that’s hit a dead end—without offending the person you’re talking to—so that you can both make the most of your networking time.
— Think about your goals for the event
In some professional situations—such as a lunch or one-on-one videoconference—the conversational goal is to get to know someone and bond, spending a half hour or longer in deeper discussion.
But at a networking event, the goal is often to “work the room,” having short chats and meeting as many people as possible in the time allotted.
For many who network, the objective is to come out of the event with a handful of business cards and new contacts who could end up being future prospects, clients, or industry connections.
Consider your goal of networking before the meeting starts—is it to talk with one or two people who seem like a fit for your business goals, or to glad-hand with a larger number of attendees and emerge with a wider network? Either answer is acceptable depending on what you want your networking experience to be, but if it’s the latter, then keeping this goal in mind can help strengthen your resolve in using the tactics below to shake loose from a conversation.
— Widen your circle and invite them to come along
Leaving someone standing alone at a networking event while you walk away toward another conversation—or being the one left behind as someone else detaches from you to talk to someone else—can feel awkward and uncomfortable for both parties.
With this in mind, one way to shift gears while networking is to expand your tête-à-tête to include others around you, and let the chatter take its course, absorbing both of you.
You can invite another person near your group or walking by to join you, or suggest that you walk together over to a neighboring group, which will naturally present you both with new conversationalists.
This way, you can meet others and change chatting partners without leaving someone in the lurch.
— Ask what types of contacts they’re hoping to make
Another way to gracefully change up your networking moment and end a conversation is to ask the person you’re talking to about their goals for the event, and who they’d like to meet there.
If you’re in the same industry but in different roles, you may know someone who you could introduce them to.
If you don’t know others at the event, you could suggest taking the person’s contact information and circling back later if you find someone who fits the bill.
— Let them know you don’t want to take all of their time
Instead of the semi-rude approach of just saying you need to circulate, rephrase your departure to save face for them.
Make your exit about freeing up their time to talk with others, rather than the other way around.
It may seem like a small detail, but it’s one that makes a difference in how someone feels when you cut out, and it’s much more polite.
Network thoughtfully
Networking can be awkward enough, but pulling the plug midstream on a conversation can be tricky and make you feel tactless if you do it carelessly.
Put yourself in the other person’s shoes, and think about how you’d like to be tactfully dismissed at a networking event.
Understanding your goals and helping others to meet theirs is what networking’s all about—so take the time to make smooth transitions between your conversations, and you’ll form better relationships all around.
*Robin Madell is a contributor to the On Careers section of U.S. News & World Report and serves as a copywriter, speechwriter, and ghostwriter. She is the author of Surviving Your Thirties: Americans Talk About Life After 30 and co-author of The Strong Principles: Career Success.
This article first appeared at flexjobs.com
