262
votes
How can I politely work my way around not liking coffee or beer when it comes to professional networking?
My suggestion would be to 'grab a coffee' with them, but drink something you do like, be it water or a soft drink. When someone says 'grab a coffee', it's not an explicit requirement to drink a latte/...
- 1,204
181
votes
How can I politely work my way around not liking coffee or beer when it comes to professional networking?
"Grab a beer" and "Grab a coffee" are colloquialisms. They are not meant to be taken literally. They mean "Let's get together informally and chat."
If you don't drink beer or coffee then drink soda, ...
- 48.1k
159
votes
Accepted
How to politely refuse to put someone in touch with my professional network?
If you must decline, I would simply say,
"I'm sorry, I don't know you well enough to introduce you."
If you do know them and simply don't want to open up your network...
I'm sorry, but I cant ...
- 160k
145
votes
Accepted
I received a dinner invitation through my employer's email. Is it OK to attend?
Sounds like a networking event - and given you were "invited" through the company e-mail it sounds as if you'd be attending as a representative of the company. Especially given the questions asked.
...
- 108k
141
votes
I received a dinner invitation through my employer's email. Is it OK to attend?
These types of events are usually nothing more than a sales pitch by a vendor to get your company to buy its products or use its services.
Before you unilaterally decide to register and attend you ...
- 79.6k
138
votes
Interviewer wanted to connect with me on LinkedIn the day after the interview, is this appropriate?
Is it appropriate to accept a connection request from an interviewer the day after the interview, with no context as to whether or not they want to hire you?
Yes, that is basically the purpose of ...
- 79.6k
123
votes
Accepted
Company wants to know name of friend who referred me to unposted job
First of all, you shouldn't have mentioned your friend. Now you should:
Ask your friend if they are OK with you giving their name.
If they disagree, just tell the company that you cannot disclose the ...
- 933
96
votes
Accepted
Is it okay for an intern student to add co-workers on LinkedIn?
I think you can just add them on LinkedIn without asking permission or talking about it face to face. Just build a network, you will never know when it will come in handy!
- 1,310
47
votes
Is it okay for an intern student to add co-workers on LinkedIn?
I was wondering if it would be appropriate for me to ask my co-workers
if I could maintain a professional network with them
It's perfectly appropriate to invite anyone who you think would add value ...
- 385k
43
votes
Accepted
Is creating a professional Facebook account considered suspicious?
I'd say it's unlikely to be suspicious. Even assuming you have both of them publicly visible (the people I know who have two accounts, will hide their private one to force business contacts to the ...
- 35.7k
43
votes
Company wants to know name of friend who referred me to unposted job
Many companies actually encourage employees to use their personal networks to recruit talent for the company. They might actually want to reward your friend for their initiative.
But just in case, ...
- 40.3k
40
votes
Accepted
Is anyone out there successful at networking in IT? (I'm serious)
Networking only works amongst people who want to network. If the motivation is all from one person, then it isn't going to work.
Software engineers tend not to be all that gregarious - these emails ...
- 27.5k
39
votes
Accepted
Shall I accept this "lunch and discussion" invite from a new LinkedIn contact?
I have a bit more of a broad answer.
Never go to any meeting without knowing what the purpose of the meeting is, and what each participant wants out of it. *
* Exceptions exist for spouses and ...
- 60.5k
34
votes
Interviewer wanted to connect with me on LinkedIn the day after the interview, is this appropriate?
Wow, you're totally overthinking this. LinkedIn is an easy way to utilize real time instant messaging, rather than sending lots of emails and encountering delays. Assume that the interviewer is ...
- 44.4k
32
votes
I received a dinner invitation through my employer's email. Is it OK to attend?
You asked a few related questions:
I would like to attend the event (is it real?)
Of course, none of us can literally tell you if it's real or not, but the scheme is somewhat common. Typically, ...
- 43.6k
31
votes
How to politely refuse to put someone in touch with my professional network?
How [do I] politely refuse to put someone in touch with my professional network?
Giving a random stranger direct access to your personal or professional network should feel uncomfortable.
The issue ...
- 1,747
29
votes
Accepted
How to network with senior managers within the company?
Short and simple answer here:
Try networking at the water-cooler, in breaks or during company events and try to engage in a professional conversation with them (leave politics and similar sensitive ...
- 10.3k
27
votes
How can I politely work my way around not liking coffee or beer when it comes to professional networking?
I don't think 'drink a coffee / grab a beer' situations really depend on you drinking said beverage. I even ask people to have coffee and I don't drink coffee. It's just a term for having a slightly ...
- 3,391
26
votes
Is anyone out there successful at networking in IT? (I'm serious)
This whole "Hey, we haven't talked in years, but let's go have lunch together" feels absurdly unnatural to me. I would also probably ignore it.
On the other hand, I'd have no problem recommending old ...
- 5,433
26
votes
How can I politely work my way around not liking coffee or beer when it comes to professional networking?
I also am a non-coffee, non-beer drinker.
If offered a coffee, just say no thanks. Requesting water instead is usually a safe choice. "No, thanks--but do you have water, please?"
If you feel the urge ...
- 2,501
25
votes
Accepted
How to network with former colleagues after being terminated
Should I now add them on LinkedIn?
Yes. Why not?
Should I ask if I could use them as a reference?
Again, yes. However, if they have not worked with you (directly or indirectly), it might be ...
- 73.8k
24
votes
How to address a young person on a very high position?
My rule is it's always safer to be too formal than to be informal.
Go with the Mr. at most he'll joke back that that's his father or something.
- 358
23
votes
Is it okay for an intern student to add co-workers on LinkedIn?
You could attempt to add them immediately after you left.
That way, who ever wants to connect can do so - and whoever doesn't aren't socially pressured into doing so.
- 9,561
21
votes
Accepted
Perceptions and networking implications of spending time with the opposite gender for lunch?
No one would think a straight man having lunch with a colleague who happens to be a woman is weird. You work together, your gender isn't really relevant. Sure SOME people might gossip or think that ...
- 669
21
votes
How to network with senior managers within the company?
Remember that a senior manager's time is valuable, there are many demands on that time, and that unless you work in a small company, they literally do not have time to spend on just getting to know ...
- 73.1k
18
votes
Is it appropriate to write in my LinkedIn profile "if you use LinkedIn like Facebook or post political content be I'll block you"?
I can't see a positive outcome for the solution you proposed :
Most of the people already behaving like LinkedIn is the new Facebook won't be notified of your profile change. This measure will thus ...
- 1,646
17
votes
Accepted
I got a new job, and a friend turned hostile because of it. How to manage friendships professional network?
If somebody gets the hump with you because you are improving your situation in life, then they were never your friend to begin with.
Never put other people's feelings ahead of your own wellbeing. ...
- 21.6k
16
votes
What to answer to a recruiter when I'm not currently interested in a new job
Given that, I've decided that I want to answer, but I'm unsure how to
word my response. What is one expected to say in this case?
In a similar situation, I always say something like "Thank you for ...
- 385k
16
votes
Is creating a professional Facebook account considered suspicious?
Have you considered getting a facebook Page instead? They are pretty much made for this purpose, and gives a much more professional impression than a personal account.
Having two "personal" accounts ...
- 1,729
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