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.

你应该很清楚地知道关系网在推动你事业进步中的重要性。但是一般来说，你的关系网完美与否是由你的交际能力决定的。

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.

虽然真诚表达你的赞美是交际的重要手段，但是成功的交际并非指做作的热诚或虚假地拍马屁。让社交网络的车轮转起来的是那些能起到润滑作用的小细节。

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.

交际只不过是和陌生人进行随意、轻松的谈话。人际交往是后续维护的艺术。当你进入闲聊之后，你的交际就会很有效。

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，对于要和一个陌生人开始一段随意的对话，尤其是和那些有权促进你事业的陌生人闲谈时，都会非常伤脑筋。

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

关于怎样让商业闲谈更自然、更有趣、更有效，专家建议如下：

1. Investigate.

调查。

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.

调查在你的专业领域或相关领域里有谁比较值得结交，然后了解他们的情况。一个良好的着手点是调查他们是否在社交网站或专业网站上活动。

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.

如果你得知他们即将参加一次专业活动，那就找个方法也参加。如果你得知那个人和你有某项相同的兴趣（比如说对某个体育队伍的热爱或共同的业余爱好），那你就可以好好利用这些来打开话题了。

2. Go beyond the usual suspects.

超越常规的做法。

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.

不少职场人士想认识CEO、CIO等，以及任何只要能帮得上忙的管理层。但是这些人经常都有很多预约、也很难接近，而且他们对提升你的职业来说可能还是太遥远了。

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.

专家建议你应该去结交行政助理。在大多数公司他们都是守门人，并且对于公司内部组织的运作还能提供宝贵的经验。但是在你和行政助理打交道的时候，你要礼貌运用专业的闲谈方法。

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