Work to Help Others Connect: Remember that working a room is all about staying in motion. Sometimes, a chatty Cathy corners us and won’t let us go. Prepare for these situations by crafting an exit strategy. You might say, “I really enjoyed meeting you, Cathy! I see my colleague Jennifer has just arrived and I promised to introduced her to our new client.” Or you could introduce your new friend to someone who has something in common with her. “Cathy, I’d like to introduce you to Steve. Steve just moved to the area from your hometown. I’m sure he would love to hear how your transition went.” Thus, you free yourself up to meet new people and help Cathy connect with another potential new friend.

Using your words wisely and truly engaging with people will set you apart from the rest of the room. Not only will you be remembered, but by asking intelligent questions of others, you will build a strong network of people you can call on when researching, fact-finding or pursuing a job or advancement. Remembering that 85% of job success comes from successful people skills, work a room with confidence and you’ll find yourself with a 100% return on every conversation.