Tips for Shier Networkers
Not everyone is a born networking. Some are more comfortable talking to people than others. Meeting new people face to face and keeping a conversation moving is truly a skill, and it’s not taught in classrooms. If you’re on the shier side of the spectrum, here are four tips for meeting, greeting and wowing new people and potential employers.
1. Keep it simple (at first). Your relatives, friends and former classmates are all great people with whom to start networking. You don’t have to attend events by yourself and approach random people. Start small, keep it simple and remember that reaching your relatives and friends is a fantastic place to start.
2. Don’t apologize. It’s not a sign of weakness to ask for help from acquaintances, family or friends. Don’t apologize or say you’re sorry for asking for career help or advice. Everyone networks with everyone else, even if they’re introverts. Saying you’re sorry conveys neither professionalism nor confidence. And it’s to your advantage to be (or at least, appear to be) both.
3. Embrace the awkward. You don’t have to be the most outgoing person at the event. Awkward can be endearing. Just try to channel the awkward into an approachable exterior, and don’t try to be bubbly and super-outgoing if you’re not. Employers and colleagues want to know the real you.
4. Always follow-up. This goes for both introverts and extroverts. If you have a fantastic conversation at a networking event, but don’t connect with that person on LinkedIn or send an e-mail the next day, you may as well have not talked to them. If you had a great deal in common with someone, suggest meeting for coffee or lunch one day.
Don’t let being shy deter you from networking. Not everyone is comfortable meeting and greeting, but it’s certainly a major part of life. And remember — don’t be afraid to ask for introductions!
About the Author
Shannon Otto is a freelance writer and marketing professional based in Atlanta. A forward-thinking communicator, she's fueled by coffee, yoga and the thrill of a deadline. Shannon graduated from the University of Georgia in 2009 with a bachelors degree in journalism and is a passionate believer in the power of networking.
