Tips for Political Networking

A blur of handshaking, business card exchanging, and promise making. Yes, I’ll pass your resume along, I’d love to follow up about that event we were chatting about. Are you hiring?

What can you do for me?

At its worst, networking can feel like navigating a pit of snakes. You fake laughs at bad jokes all in the hope of getting that one important contact that will change your career, your business, your life. But especially in politics, it can feel like everyone is just testing the waters to see how much power they can negotiate out of you.

But on the flip side, networking can feel like finding a community. You’re speaking with interesting and motivated people, a group of visionaries who are realizing that if they work together, they might actually be able to change the world.

In this blog, we’ll go over the basics of how to make genuine connections with people without just using each other for personal and professional gain.

Networking in the Political World

The key to networking with strangers is to avoid treating it like a purely transactional relationship. Sure, there are situations in which that may be unavoidable, but it’s best to avoid a “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” mentality.

That means that good networking is, in part, a mindset shift. You’re not there to gain social clout to trade in for favors. You’re there to make real connections.

Practically, what does that mean?

Don’t just focus on what they can do for you. No one wants to review your resume or recommend you to a hiring manager when you’ve just met. Instead, focus on what you can learn. How do they like their industry? What is working on a campaign really like? Do they have any favorite organizations that they’ve worked with? Why?

Center your curiosity. In the long run, the lessons you learn can end up being far more valuable than a one-off favor and a failed attempt at a relationship. It’s also important to see what you can do for someone else. Building connections is a two-way street!

Another great way to network, especially with accomplished people in your field, is to reach out for informational interviews. These are informal conversations with other professionals to get an idea of what their work is like. They’re a great way to have conversations and meet other people who have valuable experience to learn from.

Networking with Personal Connections

You might be thinking, why would I need to network with my personal connections? They’re already part of my network.

But is that really true?

When’s the last time you considered your old summer camp friend as a professional connection? Your second cousin as a potential candidate for an informational interview?

“Weak ties,” or casual acquaintances, can be far more powerful than your close friends and family in terms of your professional career. This is because of how many people can be in your orbit. Between friends of friends, distant relatives, old acquaintances, and more, you can reignite and strengthen a lot of relationships.

Your personal network is also more invested in you and your success. You’ll likely find much more success in your requests because they have a deeper reason to help you.

Of course, it’s awkward to hit up someone you haven’t spoken to in years just to ask them to help your career. Again, it’s important to center reconnection. Don’t just contact someone out of the blue to ask for a professional favor. Maintain a genuine desire to build a relationship. You don’t have to turn into best friends, but you shouldn’t treat them like a tool.

To identify people to contact, rolodexing can be an extremely helpful exercise. You’ll be surprised how many people you really know.

It may be nerve-wracking at first, but at the end of the day, networking is a skill that improves with practice. Especially in politics, with the right mindset and skills at hand, you’ll be able to accomplish exponentially more with passionate people by your side.

At Evinco Strategies, we don’t believe in gatekeeping information. If you want to get a headstart on networking in the political space, sign up for a FREE informational interview today!