Attend event to get referral: If you have a chance to attend a reception or other event where you can speak with people you know and also make new contacts—especially VIPs—you need to determine whom you’d want to meet:
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For students: For example, if your university is hosting a famous architect and you’re interested in a career in architecture, you’d want to speak with this individual.
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For working professionals: For example, if your company is holding its annual Christmas party and you want to advance your finance career, you’d want to meet the CFO.
How to speak with VIP/other person at event:
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For students: If the person you want to speak with works for an international architectural firm and you’re seeking a career in architecture, you might conclude that he’d have a fairly positive attitude toward you. Your purpose would be to meet him, chat briefly about his achievements, and express your interest in speaking with him in the near future about your career goals. Based on your analysis of his perspective and your purpose, you’d also need to prepare your opening comment. For example, you might say, “Mr. Leeds, I’m Joe Xu. I’ve been fascinated by your building designs around the world and especially in my hometown of Shanghai. As an architecture student here at USC, I’d welcome the opportunity to email you and, as is convenient, seek your career advice. May I email you?”
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For working professionals: If the individual you’d like to speak with is the national managing partner of a midsize accounting firm and you’ve worked as a tax manager at one of the “Big 4” accounting firms, you might conclude that he’d have a fairly positive attitude toward you. Your purpose would be to meet him, chat briefly about his firm’s achievements, and express your interest in leveraging your “Big 4” experience with a midsize firm. Based on your analysis of his perspective and your purpose, you’d also need to prepare your opening comment. For example, you might say, “Mr. Conover, I’m Tommy Xu. As a tax manager with Deloitte Touche, I’ve followed with interest how JH Cohn has grown, especially in winning new tax clients in New Jersey and New York. Consequently, I’d welcome the opportunity to chat with you about how I might parlay my “Big 4” experience with an exciting and fast-growing midsize firm like yours.”
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Everyone: If the VIP appears interested in you and asks you questions, give him informative but concise answers.
Send a follow-up note: As soon as you arrive back at your dorm room or office, send this VIP or other person you’ve met a follow-up note. If you wait too long to send a follow-up note, this individual may forget about you or think he wasn’t that important to you. Either way, he may not be inclined to help you.
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