Thanks for commenting, Thuy!

Online- It’s free and it’s not face to face. People are more relaxed and most importantly, they don’t have to waste 10-15 minutes talking to you. All it takes is just a simple response that requires no more than 1 minute. The response can be immediate or it could be 3 days later. This is why people online are more receptive and welcoming.

So overall, it really depends on what it is that you’re seeking for. People who are looking for new business opportunities might find those offline events more beneficial than those who just want to build their network.

I thought long and hard about this post before I wrote it, wondering if it was just me or if I was missing the point somewhere. I talked at length with my daughter about it,too, because she had to do a lot of networking for a previous job, and then was unemployed. We both agreed that the biggest problem is the lack of control, because no matter what type of venue or function – the attendees may have agendas that are far different than yours, but you won’t know that in advance. Online you can vett people so that you only connect with those that have similar agendas right off the bat.

I specifically included example #3 (and I had LOTS of examples to choose from) because it was definitely NOT supposed to be a business opportunity. That is what the attendees, on that day and time, turned it into. No control.

It would be interesting if you had suggestions of types of events that you think might be better. I’m all ears!

I guarantee that NO ONE at HRev2 will treat you like a freak. I will give you a big hug, and so will everyone else. Then you can blog about it. It is time and money well spent!

I am excited about seeing you at HRev2 in May as well!

My point, in case I didn’t make it well, is that the beginning contact may well be online and not off. I would rather face to face with the online community than spend so much time and suffer so much failure the other way around.

I look so forward to actually meeting you, too! I can’t say I feel as excited about seeing any other professional connection that I didn’t make online.

Big hug to you, too!

I’m sorry to hear that your offline networking experiences are not as enriching as your online ones. Could it be a difference of use? Online you’re having conversations on a variety of topics. Your intention is to connect and communicate. The events you described seem to be designed as potential business opportunity events. The focus is much different.

That’s just my two cents Joan. Good luck with future events!

I like online networking because it gives us a chance to try to get to know people through their tweets and status updates. You will relate to some people more than others, just like in the real world.

I’ve already worked up the courage to commit to getting on a plane to travel across the country to go meet people I’ve only met on Twitter at HRevolution, and I’m pretty excited about it. I keep hearing how welcoming everyone is, so I can’t wait. Plan on adding me to your list of hugs.

It always amazes me when I got a local SHRM Chapter meeting and someone walks up to me and says “Hey, you look familiar, I think I follow you on Twitter”. Before I connected with people on social media, those meetings were almost useless to me. Social media has helped me network better in person, even with people that arent into social media. But I still run into the same people that are only out for their own purposes.

I hope to see you again in May for HRev2!