You're probably familiar with the necessity of networking in advancing your career. But how well you network often depends on how well you schmooze.

    你應該很清楚地知道關系網在推動你事業進步中的重要性。但是一般來說，你的關系網完美與否是由你的交際能力決定的。

    Successful schmoozing isn't glad-handing or insincere sucking up -- although expressing sincere admiration can be an important schmooze tactic. Instead, it's the grease that starts the wheels of networking.

    雖然真誠表達你的贊美是交際的重要手段，但是成功的交際并非指做作的熱誠或虛假地拍馬屁。讓社交網絡的車輪轉起來的是那些能起到潤滑作用的小細節。

    Schmoozing is nothing more than making casual, easygoing conversation with strangers, Networking is the art of the follow-up. When you have the schmoozing down, your networking can be effective.

    交際只不過是和陌生人進行隨意、輕松的談話。人際交往是后續維護的藝術。當你進入閑聊之后，你的交際就會很有效。

    But starting a casual conversation with a stranger -- especially when that stranger has the power to boost your career -- can be nerve-wracking for even the most outgoing people.

    但是即使是那些非常外向的人，對于要和一個陌生人開始一段隨意的對話，尤其是和那些有權促進你事業的陌生人閑談時，都會非常傷腦筋。

    Experts have some recommendations for making business schmoozing natural, enjoyable, and effortless （or at least appear that way）:

    關于怎樣讓商業閑談更自然、更有趣、更有效，專家建議如下：

    1. Investigate.

    調查。

    Find out who in your profession or related profession could be good to know, and learn more about them. A good start is to find out if they have an online presence, such as social and professional networking sites.

    調查在你的專業領域或相關領域里有誰比較值得結交，然后了解他們的情況。一個良好的著手點是調查他們是否在社交網站或專業網站上活動。

    If you know they're going to be attending a professional event, find a way to attend. And if you learn that person shares an interest with you, say, a love of a sports team or hobby, that's great knowledge you can use to start a conversation.

    如果你得知他們即將參加一次專業活動，那就找個方法也參加。如果你得知那個人和你有某項相同的興趣（比如說對某個體育隊伍的熱愛或共同的業余愛好）,那你就可以好好利用這些來打開話題了。

    2. Go beyond the usual suspects.

    超越常規的做法。

    Plenty of professionals want to meet the CEO, CIO, or C-whoever-can-help. But often those people are deluged with requests, are harder to approach, and may be too high up to advance your career.

    不少職場人士想認識CEO、CIO等，以及任何只要能幫得上忙的管理層。但是這些人經常都有很多預約、也很難接近，而且他們對提升你的職業來說可能還是太遙遠了。

    Experts recommend schmoozing administrative assistants. They're the gatekeepers in most businesses and may have valuable information on the inner workings of the organization. But you always want to project professionalism and good etiquette when schmoozing administrative assistants.

    專家建議你應該去結交行政助理。在大多數公司他們都是守門人，并且對于公司內部組織的運作還能提供寶貴的經驗。但是在你和行政助理打交道的時候，你要禮貌運用專業的閑談方法。

    3. Schmooze well before you need something.

    在你提出需求之前先打好關系。

    If you want the other person to set you up with a job or a new business after a two-minute conversation, set your sights lower. You don't want to look desperate.

    如果你想要別人在交談兩分鐘后就馬上為你安排某份工作或某項業務，將你的眼光放低一點吧。你總不會想讓別人覺得你迫不及待吧。

    Schmoozing should be a warm-up, establishing contact and making the person feel comfortable with you long before you ask for something. The time between initial schmooze and asking for what you really want could be up to six months.

    交際應該是一項熱身活動、是培養感情以讓他在你提出要求之前對你產生更多的好感。在你最初開始交往到你提出要求的時間間隔應該是六個月。

    4. Prepare a short self-introduction.

    準備好一小段自我介紹。

    Forget the 15-second "elevator speech" you've heard about. In less than nine seconds you should give the benefit of what you do, but not the title. If you say something like "I make sure people have a roof over their heads," it will arouse curiosityand encourage them to ask a question. It's also a good idea to link your self-introduction to the event.

    忘記你聽說的那些15秒鐘的電梯演講，你應該在九秒之內介紹你工作能夠帶來的利益，而不僅僅是工作的頭銜。如果你這樣說"我保證別人有生存之地",那馬上就會引起別人的好奇，促使他們向你提問。在你的自我介紹中加入實例也是個好方法。

    5. Focus on the other person.

    將談話重點放在對方身上。

    Studies show that when you ask people questions about themselves, they come away from the conversation with a more favorable impression of you. Then again, don't play 20 questions. If they aren't interested in engaging at all, have a polite exit strategy and move on. And remember, if you are uncomfortable talking with strangers, your new contact may be just as uncomfortable.

    研究表明，在談話中如果你向別人詢問有關他們自己的事情，他們會馬上對你有好感。再次提醒，不要問太多問題。如果他們根本沒興趣與你談話，那就想一個禮貌的對策，然后離開。并且要記住，如果你對于和陌生人交談感到不舒服，那么你的新朋友也會有同樣不舒服的感覺。

    6. Stoke the ego, but don't suck up.

    贊美，但是不要奉承。

    It's a fine line between expressing admiration and being obsequious. If you want to give a compliment, whether it's on someone's shoes or their recently published article, try to be genuine and don't gush. If you're not sure how to use flattery well, practice with a friend who can give you feedback.

    在贊美和奉承之間有微妙的區別。不管你是要贊揚別人的新鞋子還是最近發表的文章，都要真情流露，而不要做作。如果你不知道如何才能很好的奉承別人，那就和一個能夠給予你反饋意見的朋友先練習一下。

    Good schmoozing opens the possibility of future contact. If a conversation goes well, ask for a business card. If the other person doesn't want to be contacted, don't take it personally. If they provide their information, send a quick, conversational email two days later to remind them about your conversation.

    巧妙閑聊能夠為你帶來和他人成為朋友的可能性。如果一段談話進展順利，那就要一張對方的名片。如果別人不想和你聯系，也不要介意。如果他們告訴了你自己的聯系方式，那就在兩天之后給他們發送一封簡短的問候郵件，讓他再次回憶起你們的談話。

    Then you can ask politely for a small favor. You can say, 'I've been interested in learning more about X, and I would love to hear from you if you have some ideas.' A request like that is not big enough to put them on the defensive.

    然后你就可以禮貌的地他幫個小忙，你可以這樣說"我最近對學習X很感興趣，非常想聽聽您的高見。"這樣的小請求是不會冒犯他們的。