The cardinal rule of networking isn’t have your 10-minute elevator pitch ready, it’s follow the 80/20 rule. Learnvest ‘s recent Power Hack of the Week explains that at any given networking event, networkers should spend 80 percent of conversations focusing on whomever they’re talking to—and only 20 percent on self-promotion.  

Networking is more important than ever. In the Power Hack post, “The 80/20 Rule for Fair and Balanced Networking,” author Emma Miller offers some recent stats: “70 percent of jobs are now found through networking and many are filled by word of mouth.”

Miller advises networkers to “visualize what the 80/20 split might look like at your next networking event. If you spend five minutes talking to someone, you’ll want to limit talking about yourself to one minute—and cede the floor to your new connection for the rest of the time.”

To learn more, visit http://www.learnvest.com/2014/10/80-20-rule-for-networking-conversations.