Page 12 - Networking Receptions - Networking for Law Students Series_1 (1)

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• Don’t- Try not to speak with sound effects- it comes off as unprofessional.
If you ever heard one of your friends tell a story and they feel the need to act out
the parts, you know what I’m talking about. You are not a one (wo)man show.
No need to act it out. “So, my friend was calling me, and the phone went ring,
ring, ring [holding thumb and pinky finger out up to their ear imitating a phone].
And that made my dog go woof woof, like that, right? [sticking their tongue out
like a dog panting]. So I ran like this [moving arms as if running] to get the phone
and was like ‘hello’...” Your audience may appreciate the animation, but it really
does not say much for your level of professionalism. Right or wrong, it says that
you are prone to exaggeration and may put people off. Your audience knows
what a phone and a dog sound like. Your audience knows that it is common to
say “hello” when picking up the phone. They know what running looks like.
There is no need for a demonstration. To that end, I have seen people in the
midst of a story demonstration, and they get so caught up in it that they
mistakenly bump into other people oftentimes causing their drink to spill which is
never a good thing!

• In a networking reception, you should let the conversation dictate how long you
stay. But try not to stay too long in one place. Don't overstay your welcome by
remaining there after the conversation has waned or gone sour or the person
clearly wants to move on to someone else. Your movements should never be
stringent or robotic while networking, but the typical conversation should last
about 5-10 minutes. Then move on after getting a business card and exchange
pleasantries like “it was nice meeting you...”, "it was nice talking to you (again)",
"hope to see you again soon", etc.

• Do flatter but don’t go overboard! Now let’s be honest, shall we? Legal
professionals (attorneys, judges, paralegals…law students) are not known for
their modesty. Some ego stroking is good. Keep the compliments to a minimum.
With anyone, overly complimenting someone just gets weird and the person may
feel uncomfortable. Too many compliments can backfire. It sounds insincere. It
sounds like you are auditioning. When asked about this by some incoming 1Ls,
I told them to remember this: It is better to have a sprinkler… than a waterfall….
So, in your compliments, limit and space out (sprinkle) the things you compliment
them on rather than pouring it on all in one shot like a waterfall. For instance,
I’ve overheard the conversations that several 1Ls have had with attorneys and
judges. The 1Ls would ask them a whole bunch of questions like “Where did you
go to law school? Undergrad? What kind of law do you do? What made you go
into this type of law?” The professional would reply to each interview-style
question. After which, the 1L would gush about how wonderful it must be to have
graduated from that school, how great it must be to work at that firm,
congratulating the professional on all these aspects of their career. It was just
too much! The professional would then make their graceful exit away from them
and onto someone else. Don’t gush! Have a conversation, not an interview!

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