Getting the Most Out of Work Events - as part of the expert series by GeoBeats. I'm Arden Clise with Clise Etiquette. To get the most out of a networking event there are four things you can do: Number one: Before the function find out who is attending and decide who you want to meet with. That way you are more focused in your networking. Number two: As soon as you get to the event, look for the person or the people that you want to meet. And try to find them as soon as possible so you do not miss them. If you do not know who they are, ask someone involved with the event to introduce you. Number three: Spend no more than about five minutes per person talking to them. That way you really get a a chance to mingle and meet a lot of different people. And in networking we are only really good for about five minutes of small talk. Number four: Follow up with the people you have connected with. That is probably the most important part about networking. Invite them to connect with you on linkedin and be sure to personalize the message so that they know where you met or what you talked about. Another thing you can do is to invite them out for coffee or for lunch. Be sure to stay in touch, so that you grow your network.