Atlanta Transplant: How to Learn the Networking Ropes in a New City
Moving to Atlanta was a big decision for me. Until I set my moving boxes down in my new apartment, I had never lived outside my home state of Missouri. I was nervous and excited, but I was also determined. I wanted to make the most of not only the new job opportunity I was taking on but also the many other professional and creative opportunities that being in a big city like Atlanta opens up for me.
But I’ll admit that I was a bit overwhelmed at first. After all, moving is stressful – as is starting a new job! For the first couple of weeks, I felt like I was merely surviving. But after a little “settling in” time, I was ready to start making my mark. Here’s a little about my experience as a newcomer young professional in Atlanta with some advice for other transplants.
Know Your Neighborhood
Atlanta is a huge area with many houses for sale. If you’re not ready to buy a home, you can opt to rent a home or apartment. But before you choose where you’re going to live, consider the makeup of the people in the neighborhood. Is it mostly families? Older people? Young couples? If you live in an area where there are a lot of people at a similar place in life as you, it may be easier to connect with them.
If you’re coming from out of state and don’t have time to check out every neighborhood on your visits to your new city, look for neighborhood guides online. There are informational guides, like Free Fun Atlanta’s guide to free events and attractions in Atlanta. While these guides may not be quite as good as being on the ground, they’ll give you some insight and history about the area that you may not have gotten otherwise. You might also consider selecting a vacation rental in the areas of ATL you wish to explore. Doing so will give you a cool base of operation to use as you get to know the town before relocating permanently.
And once you’re settled into your new place, get to know your neighbors. This might seem obvious, but I have a lot of friends in other cities who never speak to their neighbors outside of a “Hello” here and there. UPack suggests being more than just approachable. Instead, knock on a few doors or even invite neighbors for a welcome party or BBQ. When you talk to your new neighbors you might find out, as I did, that there’s a cool furniture consignment store in the neighborhood and a great vet nearby.
Engage with Your Coworkers
Engaging with your new coworkers is great for many reasons. You may find that you get more internal opportunities the more your coworkers accept you. So, make sure you’re concise and clear when you speak to fellow employees and supervisors, which can help you build trust in this new community. In addition to making the time at your new job more pleasant, your coworkers can help you build up your network outside the office and experience the best your new city has to offer.
You’ll probably find that some of your coworkers are looking to make a stronger connection, too. For example, I asked one of my coworkers for her recommended networking opportunities in Atlanta. She suggested we start trying out a new happy hour each week to see what other young professionals we run into. So far, it has been a lot of fun, and it has been nice having someone I know by my side while I meet new people. If you’d prefer a non-networking activity, there are plenty of professional sports events in the area, including attending an Atlanta Braves game. If they’re playing the Yankees, you can save big by going online to score tickets for the NY Yankees.
Take Your Networking Outside
Of course, there are many other networking opportunities outside of your local happy hours. And I don’t just mean perusing LinkedIn to make connections with your new city’s local up-and-comers. Sure, social media like Twitter and LinkedIn can be an important piece of the puzzle, but nothing beats meeting people face to face.
A great place to start is to check for local MeetUps for young professionals or for professionals within your industry. You might also see what your local Chamber of Commerce has to offer. For example, the Metro Atlanta Chamber has a robust calendar of events featuring opportunities to learn from successful business leaders. You can even search through a high school alumni database to see if any of your old buddies are in town. You never know what they may be doing now or what sort of connections you can build.
If you’re a creative person like me, you might also see if Creative Mornings exists in your area. It’s in most major cities in the U.S. and other cities throughout the world and offers opportunities to hear from innovators, big thinkers, artists, entrepreneurs, and more.
When you get to one of these events, follow some simple guidelines to make your networking more effective, such as not monopolizing the conversation. Instead, try asking questions of those around you, but always have your elevator pitch ready when someone asks about you. Being aware of other people’s needs and time makes a big difference. You don’t want to overstay your welcome in a conversation. Plus, it’s important to work the room while you’re there.
Commune on Your Commute
Unless you work from home, you probably have at least a short commute to the office each morning. But there’s no need for you to sit in traffic alone. If driving to work is your only option, check with your coworkers to see if they’re interested in carpooling.
That’s what I did. Now, not only am I saving money on gas but also my rides to work give me an opportunity to strengthen workplace friendships and to bounce ideas off of my coworkers and fellow carpoolers for client projects. And in asking about carpooling, I also found out which of my coworkers live near me, which has led to movie nights and dinner party invitations. If you’re having trouble getting a carpool together, there are a few apps that might be able to help.
If you use public transportation, you probably ride with many of the same people each morning. Take a chance and strike up a conversation. If there’s a familiar face you see each day, they’ll probably recognize you, too. Simply say “Hi” or offer a friendly smile one morning or on the commute home, and ask them how their day was. Then, let them decide where the conversation goes. If they don’t seem interested in talking to you, then you can leave it there; but if they continue to engage, you’ve made a new friend for your commute!
Do Your Best to Connect
There are many ways to begin making professional and personal connections in a new city. My number one piece of advice: try everything. Don’t limit yourself. For a while, it may feel like you’re running in every possible direction, but eventually, you’ll find that there are certain activities you choose to go to regularly and certain people you enjoy spending your time with. In the process, you’ll have made a lot of great connections that will lead to big opportunities in the future.
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