Networking Tips for Professional Women: Are You Working the Wrong Room?
- Erica Walls
- Mar 16
- 5 min read
You walked in prepared. Business cards ready. Elevator pitch practiced. LinkedIn app open.
You worked the room. Smiled. Introduced yourself. Had what felt like genuine conversations.
Three times you heard, "Let's connect — I'll follow up."
And then... crickets.
No follow up. No emails. No LinkedIn messages. Just silence.
Unfortunately, it happens to the best of us. Including me.
And yet, for years I've coached women to connect as often as possible: network everywhere! Every room is an opportunity! Every event is a chance to meet people who can connect you!
So please allow me this opportunity to say — I apologize. Please forgive me.
Because yes – "get out and network" is true. But it's incomplete advice. And incomplete advice leads to unmet expectations. And unmet expectations lead to disappointment.
As a career coach for women over 40 who shares networking tips for professional women regularly, I've learned a higher truth: Not all networking rooms are created equal.
Let's consider the differences.
The Real Reason You Keep Working the Wrong Room
There are three types of networking events — and each one has a different set of primary objectives.
Type 1 — Professional & Industry Events
Primary objectives: Professional connections, client acquisition, and career opportunities.
Examples: Industry conferences. Alumni events. Membership meetings.
Type 2 — Learning & Professional Development Events
Primary objectives: Knowledge, growth, and ecosystem intelligence.
Examples: Business conferences. Leadership trainings. CEO roundtables.
Type 3 — Community & Social Events
Primary objectives: Support, celebration, and values alignment.
Examples: Fundraisers. Awards ceremonies. Community gatherings.
Three types of networking events with different sets of primary objectives.
See the difference?
You're not bad at networking. You might be working the wrong room.
If you've ever been disappointed that a new connection didn't turn into a career or business opportunity, that doesn't mean you are bad at networking.
You may have just walked into a Type 2 or Type 3 room with Type 1 expectations. And when those expectations didn't pan out — you felt deflated. Questioning yourself. Wondering what you did wrong.
You didn't do anything wrong.
You were just in the wrong room for what you were hoping to find. Or in the right room — with the wrong expectations.
And yes – you can meet professional contacts anywhere, but there's a big difference between possible and probable.
To increase the probability of making professional connections, match your expectations to the room — and watch what changes.
All three matter. All three serve your career growth. Just differently.
Let me share some examples.
Type 1 — Professional & Industry Events
These are the rooms built for professional networking. Industry conferences. Alumni events. Membership meetings. Sector-specific convenings. Affinity groups.
Everyone in that room shares something with you already — professionally. An industry. A school. An organization. That shared context is the warmth that makes conversations easy, follow-up natural, and mutual connections highly likely.
Recently, I registered to attend a convening hosted by Urban Institute in Washington, DC — one of the most respected policy research organizations in the country. The gathering will explore the rapidly evolving relationship between government and nonprofits — a conversation that directly impacts my economic mobility work with nonprofit organizations.
I worked at Urban as a researcher years ago, so I know the people who will speak on the panel. But I don't know who else will attend, and that's okay, because it's sure to be professionals who care deeply about social impact, just as I do. And from there, collaborative conversation will likely flow.
That's a Type 1 room. Common ground already established. Conversations start warm. Follow-up happens naturally.
Pro tip:
Walk into Type 1 events ready. Elevator pitch sharp. Business cards accessible. Follow-up plan in place. This is the room where professional connections are the PRIMARY objective — and where your expectations should be highest.
Type 2 — Learning & Professional Development Events
Business conferences. Leadership trainings. Peer learning groups. Seminars. You walk into these rooms to LEARN. To absorb. To grow. To understand the landscape of your industry, sector, or clients.
Recently, I attended an entrepreneurship event hosted by the DC Mayor's Office on Women's Policy and Initiatives. I walked in with one goal — to learn. And I did. Requirements to register as a DC vendor. Insight into workforce development programs to aid women. Grant opportunities I didn't know existed.
Did I make professional connections? Absolutely. At the DC Chamber of Commerce. Mayor's Office of Community Affairs. Great conversation with a fellow leadership coach sitting nearby. But here's the key — those connections were GRAVY. The primary win was the knowledge I walked out with.
Pro tip:
Walk into Type 2 events with a notebook and pen or your favorite device. Professional connections may happen — and when they do, celebrate them. But if they don't, you still won. Because you came to learn.
Type 3 — Community & Social Events
These are often fun! Awards ceremonies. Fundraisers. Community gatherings.
You attend these events because you care. Because someone you respect is being honored. Because a cause you believe in deserves your presence and support.
Recently, I attended a celebration at Martha's Table — a DC nonprofit supporting strong families and communities. I wasn't there to network. I was there to deliver words of encouragement to the women who completed the program.
And yet — I met an experienced workforce development consultant with deep roots in DC's nonprofit sector. We had a genuine conversation. Connected authentically. And are now exploring ways to collaborate.
Did I plan that? No. Did it happen anyway? Yes, authentically.
Pro tip:
Walk into Type 3 events with zero professional agenda. Go for joy. Go to support. Go to celebrate. When you release the pressure of networking — authentic connections happen naturally. Because people can feel the difference between someone who is present and someone who is just seeking opportunities.
The Bottom Line
Three types of networking. Three different objectives. One simple shift.
Stop measuring every room by the same standard. Start asking — what is THIS room actually for?
Type 1 — industry and professional events — go ready to connect.
Type 2 — learning and development events — go ready to grow.
Type 3 — community and social events — go ready to celebrate.
When your expectations match the room — you stop working the wrong room. And you start gaining exactly what you came for.
One more tip!
Connecting on LinkedIn after any event is a start — not a finish. The connection request is the door. What you do after is what opens it. Cultivate your connections. Follow up. Show genuine interest. That's what turns a brief conversation into a lasting professional relationship.
Helping professional women navigate careers with clarity and confidence is at the heart of everything I do as a career coach for women over 40. If you're ready to advance your career through strategic networking that actually works, explore coaching programs at Inspire to Excel.
Let’s keep growing! 🌱
About the Author
Dr. Erica Walls provides career coaching for professional women over 40 in DC and nationwide, helping you navigate midlife career pivots and achieve strategic career advancement through career clarity and confidence. Ready to begin? Explore coaching programs | Book a consultation | Connect on LinkedIn
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