Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management: NETWORKING NO-NOs

Byline: Liz Lash

Networking is a year-round, all-season activity, but in the magazine biz the biggest industry galas and conferences are scheduled for the fall. The American Magazine Conference and the Folio:Show are just two of the must-attend events this month. Hobnobbing opportunities abound, but the onslaught of open bars and small talk require critical navigating skills. To help you steer clear of career-ending faux pas, here's a collection of tips from the pros.

Don't make a beeline for the VIPs. Talk to everyone. You may be missing your next job opportunity by focusing only on "the important people" in the room. Be mindful of business card etiquette: Don't hand out your card as if you're a blackjack dealer. Cards are appropriate only at the end of the conversation, not at the beginning. And above all, watch what you drink. A business event is not the time to demonstrate your ability to hold your liquor. - Susan RoAne, author of How to Work a Room

No stalkers allowed. Be persistent but don't hound people. You want to allow the person some control of their schedule. - Scherri Roberts, director of Human Resources, Hearst Magazines

Forget the buddy system. If you go with a friend, split up once you get there. - Annette Richmond, Career Intelligence

Silence the cell phones. Don't take a call in the middle of a conversation. Turn the phone off or set it on vibrate. - Sreenath Sreenivasan, professor of journalism at Columbia University and freelance writer

Keep it at eye level. Don't be one of those people who stares at a name tag rather than looking a person in the eye. How obvious do you want it to be that you have no idea who you're talking to? - Susan Ollinick, director of public affairs at People and co-chair of MPA conferences

Offensive Plays

A recent poll asks, "What is the worst thing someone did to you when networking?"