4 Networking Tips from an Executive Recruiter

1. Perfect Your Elevator Pitch

If you are going to any type of event and plan on meeting several people in a short amount of time, you will need to be prepared to make strong connections, quickly. To successfully make a valuable connection in 30 seconds or less, you will need to be able to articulate who you are and what you can professionally bring to the table.

Before developing your elevator pitch, take a step back and ask yourself these questions:

1. What do I do?

2. How do I want to be identified?

3. How am I already perceived?

4. What industry do I want to be a part of?

5. What do I want to be known for?

2. Use Social Media

92% of recruiters use social media to source candidates, and 73% of recruiters have reported that they have hired candidates they connected with through social media.

Twitter is one great resource to use. To connect with recruiters on Twitter, search for the word “recruiter” and your city and search hashtags such as #accountingjobs. Once you find a few people to follow, retweet their content. If they see that you’re interacting with them on Twitter, they may be more inclined to shoot you a message to find out more about who you are and what your interests include.

3. Actively Stay in Touch with New Contacts

Don’t put new connections on the backburner. Make sure you exchange business cards with those you meet, and send a thank you card or email within 24 hours. Let the person know that you enjoyed speaking with them and would like to stay in touch. Every couple of months, send them a quick note with a link to an article they would find interesting.

4. Remember to Reciprocate

You have to give in order to get. Networking isn’t about what someone can do for you; it’s about what you can do for others. Helping someone out by passing along a speaking opportunity or setting up a meeting between contacts with mutual interests will go a long way in building a rewarding experience.

Ed Fleischman is the founder and CEO of The Execu |Search Group, an industry-leading professional recruitment and temporary staffing firm serving 10 different practice areas. When he founded the firm in 1985, it was focused on serving accounting firms, boutique hedge funds and private equity funds, but since then, it has evolved into a full-service firm serving the recruitment needs of clients in the following areas: Accounting/Finance, Creative/Digital, Financial Services, Health Services, Human Resources, Information Technology, Legal Staffing, Life Sciences, Nonprofit and Office Support. Prior to starting The Execu |Search Group, Ed, a CPA, was the Director of Human Resources for Spicer & Oppenheim, an international accounting firm based in New York. He also served as a senior member of a national recruiting firm after beginning his career in public accounting. As part of the firm’s ongoing efforts to advise and inspire job seekers, they offer insight on all aspects of the job search process on the company blog.

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