But even though you might be annoyed by the idea, can you also remember a time when you were at a similar event and then ended up being that person? Maybe it happened because you actually think what you do is interesting to everyone or you were nervous about what you should be doing in that environment and you were just trying to fill conversation. But doing this is how you end up further back from where you started. When you approach the idea of networking as a ‘do or die’ situation, you’re going to get nothing (especially valuable contacts) out of it. In a world full of social media generated conversation, “building relationships” is one of the biggest buzz phrases — and with good reason. You’re not going to be remembered unless you’ve provided value. And blabbering on and on to grow awareness of what you do professionally and how you can be hired isn’t valuable. If you’re going to attend a networking event you should strive to get the most out of it. You need to go above and beyond to be different than everyone else by tailoring the conversation to always benefit others. These steps will help you become the most interesting person in the room (even if you’re an introvert) and grow a strong and valuable network of people: What’s your winning strategy for networking events? Share in the comments below! (Photo credit: Happy Group of Finger Smileys via Shutterstock)
