Networking opportunities at 91ĢĘ²®»¢ alumni chapter events, along with untold numbers of holiday parties, are right around the corner, so 91ĢĘ²®»¢ Magazine reached out to Katharine Brooks, the Evans Family Executive Director of , for some tips about how to work a cocktail-party crowd.
The author of You Majored in What? Mapping Your Path from Chaos to Career (2009, Viking), Brooks knows how awkward networking events can be, especially for introverts. āBut donāt worry,ā she says. āYouāre not alone in feeling that way. The truth is, most people are a little uncomfortable at these events, so donāt let that discourage you.ā
Hereās her advice:
1. ACT LIKE A HOST.
Too often people approach networking events with the mindset of expecting to get something out of itālike finding a new job or talking about their latest endeavor. But Brooks suggests putting oneself in the mental framework of the host, not as a guest. āEven though you personally might not be hosting the event, if you go with the mindset of, āIām there to learn, and Iām there to help people,ā thatās a great way to approach any networking event.ā Whatever you do, avoid the āaggressive hard sellā approach, she says. āThe whole point of attending networking events is to build relationships. So listen first, then talk.ā
2. IGNORE YOUR PHONE.
āUnless youāre a heart surgeon waiting for the heart to arrive, no one needs to get in touch with you,ā Brooks says. āTurning off the cellphone is a way of making clear to whomever youāre talking that you are listening to them and care about what they have to say.ā If you need to check the phone, do it in a separate room or hallway.
3. BREAK IN, POLITELY.
One of the most difficult moments at a networking event is the inevitable awkwardness. āYouāll see a group of people all standing together, and itās kind of hard to break in,ā Brooks says. But itās OK. She suggests you walk up to the group and stand there listening quietly for a few minutes. If itās clearly some kind of internal conversation within the groupāmaybe they all know each otherāyou can just walk away. āOn the other hand,ā Brooks says, āif theyāre all just making small talk, thereās no reason why you canāt step into that conversation.ā
4. CIRCULATE.
Sometimes, out of comfort or ease, networking-event attendees make one connection and spend the rest of the night chatting with that one person. āThe whole point of the event is to meet more people,ā Brooks says. āCirculate a bit, and meet as many people as you can.ā Try to focus on meeting people you wouldnāt likely meet elsewhereāsomeone much older than yourself or someone in a totally different field. You never know what types of relationships you may develop with people unlike yourself.
5. PRACTICE.
āBeing prepared can go a long way in helping you calm your nerves,ā Brooks says, adding that itās advantageous to go in with some topics in mind or even a few opening lines. The best thing about going to a 91ĢĘ²®»¢ event, she adds, is that you already have something in common. āYou can always start with questions like, āWhen did you go toĀ 91ĢĘ²®»¢?ā āWhat did you like about it?ā āWho was your favorite professor?ā āWhat did you major in?ā Those are good common things to think about.ā The two topics that are strictly off limitsāas most people already knowāare politics and religion.
TEXT BY SHAYLA BYRD, BAā05
ILLUSTRATIONS BY NISHAN AKGULIAN