There’s a special breed of person who can undeniably say they love attending networking events, and if you were to ask me, this breed is few and far between. Networking events can bring social anxiety levels to an all-time high. I view myself, for the most part, as an extrovert. Sure, I get butterflies before public speaking, but once I’m in the moment, I love it. I worked in restaurants for a long time and prided myself on my ability to talk to pretty much anyone and enjoy it. But, networking events, even for me, is difficult.
That doesn’t mean I avoid them. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. I try to attend any and all networking events that fit my schedule and, of course, my career goals. I have a few tips and tricks up my sleeve that I’d like to share with you that can calm your nerves and help make you one of the most interesting people at your next networking event.
The first rule of thumb, don’t overtalk yourself. No one wants or needs to hear your life's story unless they ask, which in most cases they won’t. I’m not saying don’t talk about yourself at all, but remember to ask them about themselves and their experiences as well. You’re at a networking event to share ideas and experiences, not to bore or annoy others with your entire resume and list of accomplishments.
Next, prepare some answerable questions to ask attendees. You don’t have to create an excel spreadsheet full of question examples, but definitely have a shortlist prepped in advance. Answerable questions are ones that the other person should easily be able to answer and won’t cause any awkwardness or pause.
Some examples include:
- Where did you attend college?
- What do you spend most of your time at work doing?
- Did you always want to work in this field?
- Where do you hope you go next in your career?
- What sort of projects are you working on right now?
- Do you oversee a team?
- Where do you see your company headed?
- Do you mainly work in an office, from home, or between the two?
- What has changed most about your field since you’ve started?
- What professional organizations or associations are you a member of?
- How did you hear about this event?
- Where are you from, where do you live now?”
A well-rounded combination of answerable questions about their background, current job, future, and personal life is sure to engage a person enough to make you stand out as both interesting and memorable.
Lastly, I suggest giving yourself a goal for each event. For example, if you’re brand new to networking events and tend to be an introvert, start with a simple goal like having a solid conversation with 2 people. Move on to, give at least 2 people your business card, or exchange contact information with at least 2 people. A great goal for more seasoned folks is, to find one way you can help or work with at least one person, personally or professionally, in the future. Setting at least one goal for each networking event moves your focus away from the activity of networking and towards what you want to get accomplished.
Networking events are meant to be both rewarding and fun, so remember to choose events you actually WANT to attend. Try not to take yourself too seriously and approach people like they are already your friends and colleagues. You’ll be a networking pro in no time.