By Kristen Carter, Guest Contributor
I have never been one to ‘schmooze,’ and I don’t believe I possess the ability to ‘work a room’. I think my brother was the one in the family that received that gift, since he appears to talk to new people so effortlessly. While I have an outgoing personality and do not have trouble sharing my thoughts with those I know, I tend to freeze up in a room full of strangers. We can all agree that networking is crucial for those looking to get hired, advance their career, or even just to build strong contacts for future use. But, why is it so challenging for some to accomplish?
Debra Fine, author of the book titled The Fine Art of Small Talk, discusses the importance of small talk in life situations and how it can improve your network. I’ve included a few questions from the “Winning at Small Talk” worksheet. I encourage you to read through the following statements and determine your answer to help better gauge your ability to build relationships and improve your networking skills.
- I have joined or participated in at least one club or group activity in order to develop new business friendships or to meet new people this year. Yes or No
- I go to at least two functions a month where I can meet people in my profession/industry or who are potential decision-makers. Yes or No
- At meetings, parties, job fairs, and such, I introduce myself to people I don’t know and come away knowing the names of at least three new people. Yes or No
If you are anything like me, you may have answered ‘No’ to some or all of the questions listed above, which indicates that you and I may have some work to do. So, I was challenged to take action and do something about it. I decided to start simple and began to spruce up my LinkedIn profile. I had signed up for one well over a year ago, and my twenty-some connections were a bit embarrassing. So, during the revamp process, I am also aiming to boost my connections. I have found that it requires a bit more work than adding friends on Facebook simply because you want to make purposeful connections, which naturally will take some time.
Now, if you are looking for additional ways to improve your networking skills, like I am, another great option is attending job fairs. Our office is hosting a Virtual Career Fair February 26-28. Registration is taking place right now and you will need to create an account within NACElink, the University’s job board. While there may not be job postings that fit exactly what you are looking for, it definitely will not hurt to jump start your networking skills by making connections with some potential employers!
Fine, D. (2005). The Fine Art of Small Talk. Hyperion: New York, NY.
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