---
name: networking-coach
description: |
  Professional networking guide covering conversation starters, follow-up templates, LinkedIn strategies, networking event preparation, elevator pitch creation, genuine relationship building, informational interview guidance, and alumni network leveraging.
  Use when the user asks about networking coach, or needs help with professional networking guide covering conversation starters, follow-up templates, linkedin strategies, networking event preparation, elevator pitch creation, genuine relationship building, informational interview guidance, and alumni network leveraging.
  Do NOT use when the request requires professional specialized advice or falls outside the scope of networking coach.
license: Apache-2.0
metadata:
  author: foundry-skills
  version: "1.0.0"
  tags: "relationships personal-communication networking"
  category: "family-relationships"
  subcategory: "relationships-communication"
  depends: ""
  disclaimer: "none"
  difficulty: "intermediate"
---

# Networking Coach

## When to Use

**Use this skill when:**
- User asks about networking coach
- User needs guidance on networking coach topics
- User wants a structured approach to networking coach

**Do NOT use when:**
- Request requires professional consultation beyond educational guidance
- User needs emergency assistance

## Overview

This skill helps professionals build and maintain meaningful professional relationships. Moving beyond transactional "schmoozing," this coach focuses on genuine connection, mutual value creation, and long-term relationship building. Based on networking research (Keith Ferrazzi's "Never Eat Alone," Adam Grant's "Give and Take"), career development best practices, and social psychology, this tool makes networking feel authentic rather than forced.

## Questions to Ask the User First

1. **What's your networking goal?** (Job search, career change, business development, industry knowledge, mentorship, general growth)
2. **What industry/field?** (Affects strategy significantly)
3. **Current career stage?** (Student, early career, mid-career, senior, career changer)
4. **What's your current network like?** (Strong, moderate, starting from scratch, rusty)
5. **How comfortable are you with networking?** (Love it, tolerable, uncomfortable, terrified)
6. **What's your preferred style?** (One-on-one, small groups, large events, online, etc.)
7. **Do you have a specific event coming up?** (Conference, mixer, job fair)
8. **What value can you offer others?** (Knowledge, connections, skills, perspective)
9. **How much time can you invest?** (30 min/week, a few hours, significant time)
10. **Any specific challenges?** (Introversion, new to the area, career gap, industry change)

## Networking Mindset

### Reframing Networking
```
THE MINDSET SHIFT:

OLD MINDSET (transactional):
  "I need to meet people who can help me get a job"
  "Networking is fake and uncomfortable"
  "I don't have anything to offer important people"
  "I should only network when I need something"

NEW MINDSET (relational):
  "I'm building genuine professional relationships"
  "I'm curious about what others are working on"
  "Everyone has something valuable to share and learn"
  "I network consistently, not just when I'm desperate"

NETWORKING AS GIVING (Adam Grant's "Give and Take"):
  Lead with generosity:
  - Share an article that's relevant to their work
  - Make an introduction between two people who should know each other
  - Offer your expertise or perspective freely
  - Congratulate others on achievements genuinely
  - Be a resource, not a requester

  The return comes naturally over time.
  People remember and help those who helped them first.

THE 70/30 RULE:
  In networking conversations, aim to:
  - Listen 70% of the time
  - Talk 30% of the time
  - The person who talks less but asks great questions
    is always remembered as the best conversationalist
```

## Elevator Pitch

### Crafting Your Introduction
```
ELEVATOR PITCH FRAMEWORK:

TEMPLATE 1: THE PROFESSIONAL PITCH (30 seconds)
  "I'm [name], and I [what you do in plain language].
   I work with [who you serve/work with] to [the outcome you create].
   Currently, I'm focused on [current project or interest].
   I'm particularly interested in [what excites you about your work]."



TEMPLATE 2: THE STORY PITCH (for deeper conversations)
  "I started out in [background], which taught me [insight].
   That led me to [current role/field], where I discovered I'm
   really passionate about [specific interest].
   Right now, I'm working on [current focus], and I'm fascinated by
   [question or trend in your field]."

TEMPLATE 3: THE CAREER CHANGER
  "I'm transitioning from [old field] to [new field].
   My background in [old field] gave me [transferable skills],
   and I'm excited to apply those to [new field] because [genuine reason].
   I'm currently [what you're doing to make the transition: courses,
   projects, volunteer work]."

TEMPLATE 4: THE JOB SEEKER
  "I'm a [title/role] with experience in [2-3 key skills].
   Most recently, I [recent accomplishment or project].
   I'm exploring opportunities in [target area] and would love
   to learn more about how your team approaches [relevant topic]."

PITCH BEST PRACTICES:
  - Practice out loud until it feels natural (not memorized)
  - Customize for the audience (tech event vs general mixer)
  - End with something that invites dialogue (a question or interest)
  - Keep it under 30 seconds (they'll ask for more if interested)
  - Be genuine -- enthusiasm is contagious, scripted feels flat
  - Avoid jargon unless you're sure they're in your industry
```

## Conversation Starters

### Event-Specific Openers
```
NETWORKING CONVERSATION STARTERS:

AT A CONFERENCE/EVENT:
  "What session are you most looking forward to?"
  "What brought you to this event?"
  "Have you been to this event before? Any tips?"
  "What's been the most interesting thing you've heard today?"
  "I just came from [session]. Have you seen anything good?"

AT A MIXER/SOCIAL:
  "Hi, I'm [name]. How do you know [host/organizer]?"
  "This is my first time at one of these. Are you a regular?"
  "What do you do when you're not at networking events?" (humor helps)
  "I love your [specific item -- bag, pin, shirt]. Where'd you get it?"

AT A DINNER/SMALL GATHERING:
  "What's keeping you busy these days?"
  "Working on anything exciting right now?"
  "How did you end up in [their field]?"
  "What's the best part of what you do?"

ONLINE (LinkedIn messages, virtual events):
  "I really enjoyed your post about [topic]. It made me think about..."
  "We both know [mutual connection]. They mentioned you'd be great to talk to about..."
  "I'm in [related field] and your work on [specific thing] caught my eye."
  "I noticed we both attended [event/school/program]. How was your experience?"

UNIVERSAL DEEP-CONVERSATION STARTERS:
  "What's the most interesting problem you're trying to solve right now?"
  "If you could go back and give yourself advice at the start of your career, what would it be?"
  "What's something about your industry that most people misunderstand?"
  "What trend in your field are you most excited about?"
  "Who's been the most influential person in your career, and why?"
```

### Graceful Exits
```
HOW TO EXIT A CONVERSATION GRACEFULLY:

AFTER A GOOD CONVERSATION:
  "This has been a great conversation. I'd love to continue it --
   can I grab your card or connect on LinkedIn?"
  "I've really enjoyed chatting. I should mingle a bit more,
   but let's definitely stay in touch."

WHEN YOU NEED TO MOVE ON:
  "It was great meeting you. I'm going to go grab a drink / find
   the restroom / catch up with someone I see across the room."
  "I know you probably want to meet more people too -- let's
   exchange info and connect after the event."

THE CONNECTOR EXIT (best strategy):
  "You know who you should meet? My colleague [name], they're also
   working on [relevant topic]. Let me introduce you."
  (This adds value AND gives you a natural exit)

WHEN STUCK WITH A TALKER:
  "That's really interesting. Excuse me for just a moment --
   I need to [legitimate reason]."
  (Then physically move to a different area)

AVOID:
  x Looking over their shoulder for someone "better"
  x Checking your phone while they're talking
  x Ghosting mid-conversation without a word
  x Making up elaborate lies to escape
```

## Follow-Up Templates

### Post-Event Follow-Up
```
FOLLOW-UP TIMING:
  Within 24-48 hours of meeting someone.
  The longer you wait, the less they remember you.

EMAIL/LINKEDIN FOLLOW-UP TEMPLATES:

TEMPLATE 1: STANDARD FOLLOW-UP
  Subject: Great meeting you at [event]

  Hi [Name],

  It was great chatting with you at [event] yesterday. I really
  enjoyed hearing about [specific thing they mentioned].

  [One of these:]
  - As I mentioned, here's that [article/resource/contact] I thought
    you'd find useful: [link]
  - I'd love to continue our conversation about [topic]. Would you
    be open to a coffee chat sometime in the next few weeks?
  - I'll keep an eye out for [thing you offered to help with].

  Looking forward to staying connected.

  Best,
  [Your name]

TEMPLATE 2: REFERRAL/INTRODUCTION FOLLOW-UP
  Subject: Connecting you with [Name]

  Hi [Person A],

  I wanted to introduce you to [Person B] -- we met at [event] and
  I immediately thought of you because [reason the connection makes sense].

  [Person B], [Person A] is [brief context about Person A].

  I'll let you two take it from here!

  Best,
  [Your name]

TEMPLATE 3: VALUE-FIRST FOLLOW-UP
  Subject: [Article/resource] related to our conversation

  Hi [Name],

  After our conversation about [topic] at [event], I came across
  this [article/podcast/tool] and thought of you: [link]

  [Brief sentence about why it's relevant to what they said]

  Hope you find it useful. Would love to catch up more sometime.

  Best,
  [Your name]

TEMPLATE 4: INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW REQUEST
  Subject: Would love 20 minutes of your insight on [field]

  Hi [Name],

  [How you found them: mutual connection, LinkedIn, event, etc.]

  I'm currently [exploring/transitioning into/learning about] [field]
  and your background in [specific area] is exactly the perspective
  I'd love to learn from.

  Would you have 20 minutes in the next couple of weeks for a
  quick coffee or phone call? I have specific questions about
  [2-3 topics] and would genuinely value your insight.

  I'm happy to work around your schedule.

  Thank you,
  [Your name]
```

## LinkedIn Strategies
```
LINKEDIN NETWORKING PLAYBOOK:

PROFILE OPTIMIZATION (before you start connecting):
  [ ] Professional headshot (smiling, clear, current)
  [ ] Headline: Not just your title -- what you DO and for WHOM
      Bad: "Marketing Manager at ABC Corp"
      Good: "Helping SaaS companies grow through content strategy | Marketing Leader"
  [ ] About section: Your story in first person, conversational, keyword-rich
  [ ] Featured section: Best work samples, articles, media appearances
  [ ] Experience: Results-focused, not just job descriptions
  [ ] Skills: Listed and endorsed (ask connections to endorse)
  [ ] Recommendations: Give them to get them (write for others first)
  [ ] Custom URL: linkedin.com/in/yourname

WEEKLY LINKEDIN ROUTINE (30 min/week):
  Monday: Engage with 5 posts (thoughtful comments, not just "Great post!")
  Wednesday: Share an article or insight (original content preferred)
  Friday: Send 3-5 connection requests or messages

CONNECTION REQUEST BEST PRACTICES:
  ALWAYS add a personal note (don't use the default message):
  "Hi [Name], I [how you found them or what you have in common].
   I'd love to connect and [reason]."



  "Hi Mike, we're both in the [industry] space and I've been following
   your work on [topic]. Would love to have you in my network."

  "Hi Lee, [Mutual connection] suggested I reach out. I'm exploring
   opportunities in [field] and your career path is really inspiring."

CONTENT STRATEGY:
  - Share industry insights and commentary (not just reshares)
  - Comment on others' posts with substance (add to the conversation)
  - Celebrate others' achievements (genuine, not performative)
  - Ask thought-provoking questions
  - Share lessons learned (vulnerability builds trust)
  - Frequency: 2-3 posts/week, 5+ comments/week
```

## Networking Event Preparation
```
EVENT PREPARATION CHECKLIST:

BEFORE THE EVENT:
  [ ] Research attendees and speakers (who do you want to meet?)
  [ ] Prepare 3-5 conversation starters (event-specific)
  [ ] Update your elevator pitch for this audience
  [ ] Set a goal: "I'll have 3 meaningful conversations"
  [ ] Bring business cards (or have LinkedIn QR code ready)
  [ ] Dress appropriately (when in doubt, slightly overdressed > under)
  [ ] Eat beforehand (networking on an empty stomach = distracted)
  [ ] Charge your phone
  [ ] Plan your arrival (early is easier for introverts -- fewer people)

AT THE EVENT:
  [ ] Arrive with open body language (uncrossed arms, smile, make eye contact)
  [ ] Approach people standing alone or in open groups of 2-3
  [ ] Lead with curiosity about THEM (not a pitch about you)
  [ ] Exchange contact info with anyone you'd like to follow up with
  [ ] Take notes on your phone after each conversation (their name,
      what you discussed, any commitments you made)
  [ ] Don't spend all night with one person -- circulate
  [ ] Goal: quality over quantity (3 great conversations > 20 card swaps)

AFTER THE EVENT:
  [ ] Within 24 hours: Send follow-up messages to everyone you connected with
  [ ] Within 1 week: Complete any promises you made ("I'll send you that article")
  [ ] Add to your CRM or contact tracking system
  [ ] Schedule follow-up coffee/call with top connections

FOR INTROVERTS:
  - Arrive early (smaller crowd, easier to start conversations)
  - Set a goal of just 3 meaningful conversations (then you can leave)
  - Use the buddy system (go with a friend who can introduce you)
  - Prepare questions in advance (takes pressure off improvising)
  - Give yourself permission to take breaks (step outside, bathroom, drink refill)
  - Schedule decompression time after the event
  - Remember: listening IS participating, and introverts are often better at it
```

## Informational Interviews
```
INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW GUIDE:

WHAT IT IS:
  A 20-30 minute conversation where you learn from someone in a role,
  company, or industry you're interested in. It's NOT a job interview
  and should never be treated as one.

FINDING PEOPLE TO INTERVIEW:
  - LinkedIn (search by role/company, check for mutual connections)
  - Alumni networks (shared school = built-in reason to connect)
  - Professional associations and meetups
  - Friends of friends (ask your network for warm introductions)
  - Speakers at events you've attended

REQUESTING THE INTERVIEW:
  [See follow-up templates above for the request email]
  Key elements:
  - How you found them
  - Why specifically them (be genuine)
  - What you're hoping to learn
  - Time-bounded request (20 minutes)
  - Flexibility on their schedule

QUESTIONS TO ASK:
  About their path:
    "How did you get into this field?"
    "What does your typical day look like?"
    "What do you wish you'd known before entering this field?"

  About the industry:
    "What trends are you seeing in the industry right now?"
    "What skills are most valuable in this field?"
    "What are the biggest challenges facing the industry?"

  About opportunities:
    "What advice would you give someone looking to enter this field?"
    "Are there specific companies or roles you'd recommend looking into?"
    "What would make a candidate stand out for a role like this?"

  Closing (critical):
    "Is there anyone else you'd recommend I speak with?"
    "What's the best way to stay in touch?"

DO NOT:
  x Ask them for a job (this is informational, not a job interview)
  x Go over the agreed time without asking permission
  x Show up unprepared (research them and their company first)
  x skip to follow up with a thank you

AFTER THE INTERVIEW:
  - Send thank you within 24 hours (reference something specific from the conversation)
  - Follow through on anything you discussed
  - Connect on LinkedIn if you haven't
  - Keep them updated on your progress (they're now invested in you)
  - Pay it forward (when someone asks you for an informational interview, say yes)
```

## Relationship Maintenance
```
MAINTAINING YOUR NETWORK:

THE KEEP-IN-TOUCH SYSTEM:

Tier 1: Inner Circle (15-20 people)
  Frequency: Monthly touchpoint
  People: Close mentors, key colleagues, important connections
  Actions: Coffee, lunch, phone call, meaningful message

Tier 2: Active Network (50-75 people)
  Frequency: Quarterly touchpoint
  People: Professional friends, former colleagues, industry peers
  Actions: Email check-in, comment on their posts, share articles

Tier 3: Extended Network (150+ people)
  Frequency: Semi-annual or annual
  People: Conference contacts, alumni, loose connections
  Actions: Holiday message, congratulations on promotions, annual update

TOUCHPOINT IDEAS (not "just checking in"):
  - Share an article relevant to their work
  - Congratulate them on a promotion, publication, or achievement
  - Introduce them to someone they should know
  - Invite them to an event
  - Ask for their opinion on something in their expertise
  - Send a holiday or year-end note
  - Comment on their social media posts with substance
  - Forward a job posting that might interest them or someone they know

TRACKING:
  Use a simple system to avoid losing touch:
  - Spreadsheet with name, last contact, next contact date
  - CRM app (Dex, Monica, or even a Google Sheet)
  - Calendar reminders for key connections
  - LinkedIn "My Network" notifications (set up alerts)
```

## Networking for Specific Situations
```
JOB SEARCH NETWORKING:
  - Tell everyone you trust that you're looking (most jobs aren't posted)
  - Be specific: "I'm looking for [role type] at [company type]"
  - Ask for introductions, not jobs: "Do you know anyone at [company]?"
  - Follow up on every lead, even long shots
  - Update your network on your progress
  - When you land, thank everyone who helped

CAREER CHANGE NETWORKING:
  - Identify 5-10 people in your target field
  - Request informational interviews (see above)
  - Attend events in the new field
  - Volunteer or freelance to build connections in the new space
  - Be open about your transition (people want to help career changers)

NEW TO A CITY/INDUSTRY:
  - Join professional associations and attend events
  - Leverage alumni networks (school, companies, programs)
  - Use Meetup.com for professional and social groups
  - Volunteer for organizations aligned with your values
  - Be the initiator: invite people to coffee, don't wait to be invited
```

## Output Format

When coaching networking:
```
NETWORKING PLAN

Goal: [what you're trying to achieve]
Timeline: [timeframe]
Current network strength: [assessment]

ELEVATOR PITCH:
  "[Customized pitch for your situation]"

THIS WEEK'S ACTIONS:
  1. [Specific networking action]
  2. [Specific networking action]
  3. [Specific networking action]

CONVERSATION STARTERS (for your context):
  - "[Starter 1]"
  - "[Starter 2]"
  - "[Starter 3]"

FOLLOW-UP TEMPLATES:
  [Customized follow-up message for recent contacts]

ONGOING ROUTINE:
  Weekly: [actions]
  Monthly: [actions]

EVENTS TO ATTEND:
  [Relevant events, groups, or communities to join]
```

## Example

**Input:** "Help me get started with networking coach"

**Output:** A structured networking coach plan tailored to the user's specific situation, following the process outlined above.

## Edge Cases

- **Incomplete information:** Ask clarifying questions before proceeding. Do not assume details the user has not provided.
- **Out of scope requests:** Redirect to appropriate professional resources when the request exceeds educational guidance.
- **Conflicting requirements:** Present trade-offs clearly and let the user decide priorities.
