Pro tip: Track every networking chat with a simple spreadsheet

I started this 3 months ago after a career fair in Portland where I met like 15 people and forgot half their names. Now I keep a Google Sheet with date, company, what we talked about, and follow-up notes. It helped me land a referral at Intel last week because I remembered a small detail about the hiring manager's side project.

2 comments

2 Comments

henry_kelly5413h ago

That voice memo idea from @margaret_nelson is gold, I read about a study that said people forget half of what they hear within an hour. The details you catch right after a conversation are way sharper than what you scribble down later or try to remember from your spreadsheet notes. Your Intel story really drives home how those tiny offhand details about someone's hobby can be the difference between a generic ask and a real connection that gets you in the door.

margaret_nelson15h ago

That spreadsheet trick is smart, I've been doing something similar but with a twist. My wife got me onto keeping voice memos on my phone right after leaving a networking event instead of typing it all out. Takes maybe 2 minutes but captures way more than I'd write down, especially the little things about people's hobbies or weekend plans. Your Intel story proves how those small details can really pay off down the road.