5 Non-Scary Networking Tips

Guest post: Beth Leslie

Most of us will have been repeatedly told the importance of networking – by our universities, our parents, and annoying career advice articles like this one. Many of us will have hoped that the prophetic assurances of career doom befalling us non-networkers would turn out to be as irrelevant as the school algebra Ms. Bishop once insisted was vital for our day-to-day existence.

Bad news: 80% of jobs are filled by networking, and 50% of roles are never advertised.

The good news is that networking doesn’t have to be as terrifying as it sounds. Forget origami business cards, pithy elevator pitches, and inviting CEOs out for coffee. Newbie networkers should start with these simple, non-scary networking tips:

1. Repeat this: “Nobody is better than me”

Before you so much as set foot in a conference hall or career fair, you need to get this mantra embedded in your psyche. If you’re doing it right, networking necessarily involves speaking to people who are professionally ‘out of your league’ – people with high-up job titles, crazy fat pay checks and with many years’ experience on you.

The reason approaching these sorts of people can seem daunting is because we focus too much on the differences between us (seniority, age) and not on the similarities. After all, if you want to network with someone, then presumably you have some sort of career interest in common! And after all, once upon a time they were in the same position as you, starting out.

2. Just show up

You’ve seen an advertisement for a job fair or networking event. You know you should go, but you’re so shy of talking to people that you never sign up. Sound familiar?

How about this for a deal – you go, but you don’t have to talk to anyone at all and you don’t even have to feel guilty about it.

It sounds counter-intuitive. But often people don’t network because they’re so overwhelmed by the looming gap between the social butterfly they think they need to be and the introvert they are, that it seems too impossible a task and they give up. Instead, focus on achieving small steps, like just turning up to the event. Chances are, you’ll still come away with useful information from speeches given or brochures handed out. Plus, people may well come over and talk to you!

Once you’re comfortable rocking up solo to a networking event, set another goal, such as having at least one five-minute conversation with someone you’ve never met before. If you carry on building up your confidence and skill-set in this way, you’ll be schmoozing the whole room in no time. 

3. Make virtual connections

If you don’t have a LinkedIn page, get one. Now. In the increasingly digitalized world we live in, professional social media platforms are becoming increasingly important for learning about job opportunities and headhunting candidates.

Add everybody you meet to LinkedIn. I mean everyone – friends, family, and especially anyone you meet who has relevant business connections or experience. You can never predict who will end up knowing someone or something that could help you on up the professional ladder. LinkedIn is designed to connect you with the connections of your connections – and sending an e-invite is an awful lot less scary than approaching someone in real life!

4. Create reasons to approach people

By far the scariest part of networking is walking up to complete strangers and starting a conversation. Make this easier by creating reasons to approach people. The best way to do this is to find a mutual acquaintance to introduce you. Of course this isn’t always possible, so another trick is to arrange to meet someone before the networking event. Find an excuse to email them – to ask a question, say – and casually drop in that you’d love to continue the conversation in person. It’s so much easier to walk up to someone if you can open with “Hi Jack! I’m Jill, and we spoke the other day about…”  

Even if neither of these things are possible, finding excuses to start speaking to someone is a good way to create icebreakers. Once you’ve identified your networking target, offer her a cup of coffee or ask a question about the event. The hardest part of networking is opening the conversation – once you’re talking, you can easily steer the discussion to the topic you actually want to speak about.

5. Don’t always talk business

Networking is based on ulterior motives – at least one of the party hopes to get a job, business deal or other benefit from the conversation. But purely talking business is not the best way to get what you want. It might sound obvious to say people are more inclined to listen to someone they like, but it’s amazing how many networkers neglect to build rapport because they insist on sticking to dry business-chat!

Most of us have hobbies and passions outside our job, and discovering common interests with the person you’re talking to not only makes you more memorable, it makes them more inclined to help or hire you. Your family may consider your lifelong obsession with stamp collecting a waste of time, but if the hiring manager of your dream company turns out to be a fellow philatelist, it might well land you a job!

Beth Leslie is a content writer for the UK’s leading graduate recruitment agency, Inspiring Interns. Check out their blog for more graduate careers advice. If you are looking for an internship or want to explore the graduate jobs London has to offer, head to their website. 

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