Lately, I have been doing a lot of meet and greets with college students looking to land a job in the corporate world. I spent a lot of time my first year on my Disney College Program, at least one day a week, committing to doing meet and greets with leaders in the field I wanted to pursue, communications. The contacts and connections I made have truly lasted my 12 years here at Disney and have shaped the course of my career, which is why I NEVER say no to a request when someone reaches out to meet with me.
I have, however, realized that when it comes to the professional world and networking, it is a skill that must be honed like any other skill we have. They say first impressions are lasting impressions and they are not wrong; a weak handshake can change my opinion of someone like THAT. I know that not everyone has had the ability to hone their networking skills, or the art of the meet and greet so I wanted to share some tips that have helped me over time. A lot of this is wisdom that my father imparted on me and I gotta say…he’s one of the BEST! Oh, and go pour a glass of wine, iced mint tea or a La Croix and settle in…this post is a bit long; but I promise it is REALLY worth it! xoxo
Tip 1: Securing the Meet and Greet
Chances are you have received contact information of someone that you would like to meet with. Email is the best way to reach out and often is less aggressive than a phone call. You want to let them know you’ve been referred their way, and by who, along with why they thought this person would be a great contact for you.
For example: Good afternoon, Jill! Sarah Smith provided me with your contact information as someone who would be beneficial for me to talk to in regards to the Marketing department here at our company. Sarah mentioned that you have been working in this field for over twelve years and truly enjoyed her time partnering with you on many projects. I would love to meet with you and learn about your background, your experience here in the company and maybe a few tips and tricks you may have for someone like myself interested in joining the team. Looking forward to talking with you soon! Thanks, Erika
You have established a positive connection with Jill, a coworker Sarah, and have complimented Jill’s experience at the same time. By following up with Jill’s background and establishing that you are interested in learning more about Jill is a great way to continue a positive email without asking Jill for much more than for her to talk about her. As someone who was in journalism for a hot second, I can tell you that people’s favorite subject to talk about is themselves!
Tip 2: The Introduction
So you completely won Jill over with your email and you both have set up time for the meet and greet, you asked for no more than 30 minutes of her time. It is important to be respectful of the person’s schedule and not asking for TOO much. When you arrive at Jill’s office you want to introduce yourself with a strong, but not too strong, handshake. Always introduce yourself while looking the person in the eye and thanking them right off the bat, for example: “Hi, Jill! I’m Erika Jarvis, thank you so much again for meeting with me today!”
Make sure during this introduction that you explain your ‘why’ again for meeting with Jill and provide a bit of background about yourself. “As a communication intern here in the company, I’m interested in seeing where my marketing background would potentially fit best and position me to be a successful member of the team. As I mentioned in my email Sarah thought you would be the best person for me to meet with. I’m really eager to hear about your career path and learn more about the vast career paths and departments we have to offer.” Then you can get into your line of questions. However, be prepared throughout the meet and greet for Jill to ask you about yourself as well, be genuine and honest but not TOO honest aka I just want to get a job.
Tip 3: The Actual Meet and Greet
You want to make sure that you have a handful of questions that you would like to ask Jill without it looking like an interview. I’m the most impressed with those who I meet with that have a few questions written out, but allow the conversation to flow and are not just ending my answers with an “Uh huh, and so another question I have is…” I find myself not enjoying the meet and greet, and you want Jill to enjoy talking to you and being a potential champion for you and your career.
A few things I recommend:
- Ask Jill about how she got in the company/what is her journey
- What is it about the Marketing dept does Jill like so much?
- What has been a standout moment for Jill in her career/in the department?
- What is the best advice she has received in her career?
- Is there anything Jill wished she had learned prior to her career?
From here you have established your interest in Jill and her background and there is MUCH to learn from these questions. You have asked Jill for advice indirectly by asking her what is the best advice SHE received. You also asked what you should know prior to your career by hearing what Jill wishes she had known prior to hers. Win. Win.
Tip 4: Securing More Meet and Greets
At one point during the meet and greet you will want to secure other contacts of Jill to meet with and continue to grow your network. Hopefully, your preparation, strong handshake and questions have impressed Jill and she is open to passing you on to other colleagues of hers. Be upfront and honest, “I really enjoyed learning about your career and feel like there is so much I can learn from you. Would you happen to have any other colleagues who you think would be open to sharing their career journey with me as well?”
I like to suggest getting at least 2-3 names from each meet and greet. Imagine, if Jill gives you three names and each one of those people gives you three names, well you’ll be really busy with meet and greets but you will be growing your network at a rapid rate! This was my goal when I was on the Disney College Program and I was looking to secure a communication internship. By the time I had my interview I had done a meet and greet with every leader on the other end of the interview phone call; I was no longer just a name but I was a face, and a person they had connected with. Oh, yes, I got the job and worked in our internal communication department for a handful of years!
Tip 5: The Thank You Card
This is a tip that I will absolutely, 100%, definitely not let you skip! You MUST always follow up the meet and greet with a thank you card. Now, notice I included that word card. I am of the old school mindset that a hand-written personalized card can really be your ticket to standing out. I suggest a nice, clean card with your name on it, but if not a plain/generic thank you card will do the same trick.
Make sure that in your thank you that you call out something that you took away from the meet and greet, and how you plan on applying it to your continued path. “I really enjoyed learning how your background in graphic design set you up for success and am looking into online classes I can take to learn more as I continue to pursue a role in marketing.” This shows Jill that you were listening and really taking away something from the meeting.
I will say, if you cannot get out a card then an email is ok but I urge you to always push to do the thank you card. I even used to sit in my car after a meet and greet, write up the thank you card and then run it back in to drop off with the receptionist. You have to do whatever you can to stand out!
Miscellaneous Tips:
- Always have a nice notepad/pen with you
- Have a copy of your latest resume on the off-chance you are asked for it
- Follow up with your meet and greet if you do meet with any of the contacts you shared
- For this, you can absolutely send an email letting Sarah know that you met with Jill and truly appreciate her helping you two connect
- Arrive early for your meet and greet, and if you need to wait in your car until 5 minutes prior then so be it.
- I have had TOO many people arrive 15-20 minutes early and then call me to tell me they’re ready to meet. This is a huge inconvenience and you don’t want to stand out negatively.
- If you have a business card, be sure to leave it behind so your meet and greet has your contact information as well.
- STAY IN TOUCH! Always try to reach out to who you’ve met with if you’re applying for a new role and it’s in their department to let them know or to advise them you have secured a new job, etc. Always make sure you are staying on their radar.
So are you over my meet and greet tips yet?! I hope not and that you think you can learn something here. Like I’ve said, I’ve been on both sides of the meet and greet and I want you to absolutely crush it the next time you meet with someone and also to help ease you of any nerves. Do you have any other meet and greet questions? Drop me a comment below and let’s chat!
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