Welcome to the new girls' club

Think the glad-handing Old Boys hold a monopoly on networking? Think again.

Today's networking landscape is dotted with mixers aimed at career women looking to swap tips, leads, war stories and everything in between.

You don't have to look far to see this new girls' club in action. Nor do you have to channel your inner used-car salesman or don a power suit. Greater Seattle is a hotbed of down-to-earth networking groups aimed at women artists, entrepreneurs and employees of all ages and agendas.

Why the new girls' club?

"If you're new to networking, there's a built-in comfort level to networking with other women," says Melissa Wadsworth, author of "Small Talk Savvy: Operator's Manual." "I mean, we do that all the time with our girlfriends."

Self-employed software developer Jennifer Hodgdon agrees. Given the choice, she'll attend a women's networking event over a coed one every time.

"The women tend to be more supportive and less competitive," says the 39-year-old Shoreline resident, who's sampled more than half a dozen professional networking groups around town, both women-centric and coed. "It's not all about you; it's about what all these people can do for each other."

As an independent professional, Hodgdon is hardly alone. According to the Center for Women's Business Research, 61 percent of women entrepreneurs belong to at least one formal business organization, association or network.

But moral support is just part of the draw. Without a way to sidestep the Old Boy Network, Nation Son Holmes, 35, a Seattle filmmaker, could not do her job.

"The [film] industry is basically male-dominated and women don't usually get an opportunity to be heard, to be appreciated and to basically work," says Son Holmes, who recently held local screenings of her independent feature film "W.O.E. (Walking on Eggshells)."

To find other female industry pros to hire and collaborate with, Son Holmes, who doubles as a schoolteacher, relies on the monthly meetings of the professional group Women in Film/Seattle.

It pays to be picky

Of course, not all networking organizations are created equal. So before you go, how do you ensure that a group isn't chock-full of fast-talkers selling aluminum siding or sad sacks with résumé in hand?

You ask others in your industry, read the group's Web site, and e-mail the event organizers, says Sherri Edwards of Resource Maximizer, a Seattle-based career coaching firm. And if you can't get any advance information, you give the group a whirl, knowing that "sometimes you kiss frogs."

Determine what you hope to gain beforehand, Edwards advises. Are you looking for business leads, information about your dream employer or camaraderie with like-minded pros? Do you prefer a sit-down luncheon with a scheduled speaker or a free-for-all happy hour where everyone's milling around the bar? Do you want to rub elbows with those solely in your industry (ideal for news and tips) or those in multiple industries (ideal for drumming up business)?

Information

Networking Resources:

• Women Business Owners (womenbusinessowners.org) — Luncheons, happy hours, and seminars.

• Women's Network for Entrepreneurial Training (seattlescore.org) — Breakfast roundtables for businesswomen.

• Greater Seattle Business Association (thegsba.org) — Serves the lesbian and gay community.

• Professional Women of Color Network (pwocn.org) — Monthly meetings for women of all fields.

• Association for Women in Computing (awcps.org) — Monthly meetings and seminars for job seekers.

• Women in Film/Seattle (womeninfilm-seattle.org) — Monthly meetings and speakers.

• Seattle Writergrrls (seattlewritergrrls.org) — Listserv and events for female scribes.

• Digital Eve (digitaleve.org) — Online community for female techies.

• Seattle Networking Guide (iloveseattle.org) — Professional networking groups galore.

What to expect

Those who show up to a networking event — women's or otherwise — and expect to be handed a job on silver platter may be sorely disappointed. Ditto for those who pepper the room with their business cards without holding an actual conversation.

"Networking is about developing a relationship," says Edwards. "And relationships do not develop just when you need something. You have to give something back."

To facilitate this reciprocity, Meko Lawson founded the Professional Women of Color Network four years ago. At the group's monthly meetings, Lawson encourages attendees to help at least one person there — whether with a business tip, lead or introduction — and find at least one person who can help them.

As with many networking events, a small portion of the mixers are devoted to "elevator speeches," where attendees briefly introduce themselves to the crowd. That way, when it comes time to mingle, it's easier for women to zero in on those they know they can help.

Do-it-yourself networking

If all this sounds too daunting, you may want to consider starting your own group; you may even want to nix the word "networking" from the Evite.

Helen Chatalas, the planner for the next Medic One/EMS levy for King County, finds this low-key approach more appealing. Chatalas, 39, regularly attends the monthly happy hour of Seattle Women in Government (SWIG), started by a coworker at City Hall four years ago. The SWIG agenda? To hoist pints, talk shop and forge friendships.

"It takes the edge off," says Chatalas, who finds formal industry mixers stressful and likens them to speed dating. "Once you've had a beer with someone, it's so much easier to call them and say, 'Hi, it's me' " and then launch into some work issue.

Edwards, the career coach, suggests a few ground rules: Be sure those invited have a common interest. Require R.S.V.P.s. And give your event some sort of structure, whether a host who introduces newcomers or a facilitator who greases the conversation.

When your male colleagues start begging for an invitation, you'll know your networking group is a hit.

— Michelle Goodman is author of "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide: Practical Career Advice for Women Who Think Outside the Cube," which Seal Press is to publish in December.