The holiday season is a great time of year for networking!
Here’s a quick refresher on the benefits of networking if you need it:
- We live in a relationship economy. Work gets done with and through other people.
- Networking is the activity that builds your currency in a relationship economy.
- Networking is building relationships.
- Building your social currency gives you a strategic advantage.
And, networking isn’t just for job search!
It’s a great way to meet new people, be exposed to new perspectives and ideas, get help with problem-solving, gain access to information, and many other benefits.
If you don’t feel comfortable networking, here are five ways to make it more seamless.
- See # 3 above. Networking at its most basic level is building relationships. You know how to do this!
- Be prepared. If you feel awkward networking and you know you’ll be in a situation where you’ll be meeting people, think of a few questions in advance that you might want to ask people. This eliminates any initial stress you might feel about getting a conversation going. Feeling stuck? Click here to download a list of 42 networking questions.
- Be curious. Most of us love to talk about ourselves. Asking people questions is usually a surefire way to engage in dialogue and create new bonds.
- Be interesting. The most common questions when meeting new people are “Where do you live?”, “Do you have kids?”, and “What do you do?” They’re easy questions that sometimes help us find common ground with someone (say if you both have kids.) But they can often stilt conversations. There are many interesting things about you beyond the place you call home, your family situation, and your vocation. Tap into your personal interests (say your love of Greek history, the ukulele, or green M&M’s!) to think of questions. We all have lives outside of work. You never know where you will find like-minded people!
- Have an exit strategy. If you’ve chatted for a few minutes and don’t see the conversation going anywhere, it’s perfectly fine to excuse yourself to get a drink, use the restroom, etc. Then go find someone else to talk to!
Your call to action is this: When you find yourself in a new crowd, make a point to walk away from the gathering with at least one new work or personal connection. You may be surprised where it leads you!
