Coffee & Conversation

I went to a networking event the other day and was reminded how much work networking can be – even for me. I’m fairly outgoing and talkative, and consider myself to be an extravert. But, it’s so easy to walk into a party, social event or even a formal networking event and gravitate toward the people I know and just hide out there comfortably. Meeting new people takes effort and can be a little uncomfortable. It reminds me a bit sometimes of the middle school dance. AUG!


So, I walked into the room that morning and got my coffee (things always seem a little easier when I have my hands occupied and I can always use a trip to the bathroom as an excuse when I need a breather from conversation). I did see some folks I knew so I started there to warm up and wake up. After a few minutes, I refilled my coffee and then struck up a conversation with a woman standing next to me at the beverage table. “Hi, how are you this morning?” We spent a minute or so exchanging pleasantries and then I asked, “Tell me about your line of work?” Then, I did the most important thing one can do in networking situations…I listened! We often forget to listen and spend time thinking about what we want to say next. So, what am I listening for…is this someone who might be a good contact in my area of interest?

If you think about it, we do this all the time with friends and in social situations – look for commonalities. “Oh, you work at Starbucks…so do I!” or “You’re a psychology major…so am I.” or “You live on the south side, so do I.” When you feel you have a connection with someone it’s so much easier to continue to dig deeper for additional connections. In social situations, you’re seeking friends or a significant other. In professional networking you’re usually looking for clients, a lead to other clients, or a career connection.

After carful listening and showing genuine interest in the response the person at the coffee bar was giving the magical question was then asked to me. “What do you do?” This gave me an opportunity to quickly talk about my area of work and what I’m looking for (my 30 second elevator pitch). The first person I talked with was a perfect contact for me…the second, not so much. But by listening carefully and asking that simple question, I was able to move through conversations with people with ease and found a good number of contacts to follow up with later. One sweet person, after hearing about my line of work and interests, introduced me to one of the best contacts of the day. I was so grateful I sent her a thank you note the day after the meeting.

Networking is not always easy, but it can be fun; especially when you leave the situation with at least one good contact. For you as a student, this can happen almost anywhere: at a holiday party, back yard family bbq, a summer wedding or in line at Target.

“The way of the world is meeting people through other people.” ~Robert Kerringin