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Sunday, December 28, 2003
Networking for the shy
WE HAVE all heard about networking and how it can bring some goodies, if not your needed extra income, home.
But what if you're the shy type and couldn't even imagine mingling with hundreds of people exchanging business cards and making small talk? Can you still try your hand in this?
Definitely yes. You simply have to take it slowly and try first familiar grounds.
Start with friends and family. Make a long list of friends, relatives, acquaintances, neighbors, co-workers, etc. Assess the list and arrange the list according to what you feel is easiest to talk to.
Try setting up informational interviews with friends of friends. You can start out the conversation, or break uncomfortable silence, with small talk about how you met your mutual friend and stuff.
Research. Interviews for networking and screening become less stressful when you come prepared. The more prepared you are, the more likely the meeting will be productive. It wouldn't hurt if you practice in front of a mirror. That's what we were made to do when we were kids preparing for a school program, so why stop now?
Use contacts you may not have thought of. Look through your activities and involvements. Your club maybe, your homeowners' association, your volunteer group, and start to build contacts from there.
Look back. Contact your school's alumni office to find mentors or contacts. Make sure you do your research for these contacts too.
Join local networking events. Some organizations offer such events that provide a more relaxed and comfortable environment to connect with other people.
After going through all these, just keep on. You'll soon realize that with practice, even shyness can be set aside if not masked.
(December 28, 2003 issue)
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