Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1544997
SUMMER 2026 37 yours—is still acceptable. Then follow up with an email within 12 to 24 hours and connect on LinkedIn, suggests Elise Powers, who teaches LinkedIn courses on networking and is the founder of Eleview Consulting, which provides training in networking skills. When you reach out, she says you should reference something specific that was discussed during the in-person encounter: "I'd really like to talk to you more about that zombie-ro- bot-rock opera set in the Moulin Rouge you mentioned." "This message serves as a record for how you met, in case you both forget the context in the coming years," says Powers. And, of course, there's the disengage- ment itself. After having spent a certain amount of time with someone, whether a potential connection or not, you're ready to move on. Zack offers a handful of useful lines including "It's been great talking to you, [but] I promised myself I would mingle," and "I'm sure you want to meet other people, so thank you for your time." So, where are the networking events? Check in with friends in your field, as well as your school's alumni association and professional organizations like International Animated Film Association (ASIFA), Women in Animation (WIA), Black N Animated, LatinX in Animation (LXiA), and Asians in Animation (AiA). You can also join one of the unofficial Discord accounts helmed by TAG members, and keep an eye on your official TAG and TAG Foundation emails. Along with Writers Committee events, other TAG commit- tees and the Guild itself host events where members can make connections. Salgarolo notes that people can often get frustrated at having to spend time networking, not realizing that their continued presence at events and gatherings is part of career success: "It's important to treat [these] events and your relationship to TAG as a whole as something that is a marathon—like a long-lasting relationship that you need to find a way to sustain." Bottom line: stay calm and keep on connecting. T H R E E O F O U R E X P E R T S S H A R E T I P S T O K E E P T H R E E O F O U R E X P E R T S S H A R E T I P S T O K E E P I N M I N D O N C E N E T W O R K I N G G E T S U N D E R WAY. I N M I N D O N C E N E T W O R K I N G G E T S U N D E R WAY. SUMMER 2026 37 D O D O N ' T D E V O R A Z A C K Focus on the person in front of you. Being distracted crushes a first impression. Drink alcohol. (Okay, maybe one drink, but that's it. It's downhill from there.) K A R E N W I C K R E Lead with comfort- able small talk that signals you are interested in the person. (Especially important if you're meeting for the first time.) Barrel through your needs/questions. Step away from any idea of transacting in the moment. It's all about the second or third conversation, not the first. E L I S E P O W E R S Use the phrase "tell me more." This shows you are inter- ested in what the person is saying and want them to elabo- rate. It makes people feel important. Don't look at your phone or Apple watch! It ruins the fluidity of a conversa- tion and is a signal you aren't invested in what someone is talking about.