Stop Feeling Nervous At Your Next Networking Event!

What happens when you show up at a conference, career fair, or networking event? Are you the type to: A. Dive straight into the crowd and start mingling like a pro B. Back into a corner and break out into a cold sweat, wishing you were somewhere else

For many people, the answer is B (congrats if you are an A, we’d love to hear how you do it – share your tips @Graduan!). It’s understandable – being in a room filled with unfamiliar faces can conjure up all sorts of anxiety and fear, first one being the person who says the wrong thing at the wrong time!

However, networking like a pro is a skill you can learn. And if you learn it well, it can give you many advantages and opportunities in your career and even your life! If anything, it teaches you how to read the room and what to do to own it – which in itself, is a super important skill to have.

Now, you don’t have to be a smooth operator or charm your way into conversations. You don’t even have to be an extrovert to be great at networking – there are in fact, many introverts who know what it takes to be a networking whizz simply because they use all the right strategies.

And what are these strategies? Here’s the lowdown.

#1 Visualise how things will unfold
Prepare yourself the night before, especially if you are going to a small-scale networking event. Imagine whom you’d like to meet, what you would like to talk about, and what you would like to take away from the entire event. Think of how the people there will behave and how you can respond to that. If you already know, take note of the important people who will be there and imagine potential interactions with them. How does this work? Experts say that if you’ve walked through it in your mind, you are likely to feel less anxious because it may seem like you’ve already been there. It’s the fear of the unknown – and in the case of being at a networking event, not knowing what to expect and what you want to achieve – that will conjure up all sorts of anxious feelings.

#2 Prepare a script!
The biggest fear for many people at a networking event is not knowing what to say when meeting someone new. If this is you, then this tip is perfect: Take some time to write out in script or think of what you want to say in advance. Think of what your answers might be for certain questions as well as what questions you’re comfortable asking others during the event. It can be anything from small talk to career-related topics (but steer clear from personal questions – that’s a big no-no when you are networking!)

Doing this can help reduce your anxiety as you already know what your answers are going to be. It’s about being prepared so you won’t be searching for words that don’t come when you need it most.

#3 Be comfortable!
You don’t want to tug at a too-tight tie or deal with a shoe that’s biting into your ankles. You want to remove all these unnecessary anxiety so you can focus on your sole purpose at the networking event – to connect. So dress comfortable, don’t try using something new for that day only to spend your time fumbling with it instead of networking. Go with what’s familiar.

#4 Take a break
Sure, your aim is to network with as many people as possible but let’s be realistic, that activity alone can suck the life out of you, especially if you’re not used to meeting so many new people at one go! It’s OK to step outside to be in your own company for a while, to recollect your thoughts, or just to have a breather. Give yourself some time to take a deep breath and organize your thoughts. Once you’re calm again, you can go back into the room. But if you feel like you’ve done enough networking for the day, it’s perfectly fine to call it a day! There will be other networking events to attend.

#5 Start small
Yes, you want to impress but that can put a lot of pressure on you, especially if you’re a networking newbie. Instead, start small – make your purpose at the networking event simply to meet new people. You don’t have to immediately warm up to the CEO or a potential boss; you can also network with your peers who are possibly feeling the same anxiety as you are! Don’t underestimate these small talks because they can prepare you for the big guns when you’re ready.

Photo by M ACCELERATOR on Unsplash.