Intimidated by Networking? Three Tips to Make It Natural.

By Caliber Creative

August 24, 2014.

I had just moved from a house in Minneapolis into my sister Brittany’s Sioux Falls apartment. I started working at Caliber the very next morning and continued to sleep on my sister’s couch for a month until the apartment we were waiting for became available. It was a quick transition from the busy energy of the metropolitan area to a city with a much calmer pace, for me at least.

The first few months were hard. I had to meet new friends. Everyone that I used to spend time with was in their 20’s, which was not the case anymore. I like people watching, so when I would go out to eat with my sister I would notice how everyone sat with their groups in their booths. There weren’t many places to casually bump into someone and mingle. How was I going to meet people? I had to find new activities.

My sister told me I had to join Young Professionals Network (YPN) in the spring. Networking and mixers had never been my favorite thing. Most events that I attended in the past were design-related, and never felt comfortable because there was a pressure that every encounter could be a potential lead to my next job. Networking seemed so daunting. Then Britt told me about the golf league. Maybe interjecting myself into a group of strangers didn’t come naturally to me, but a league where I could play a round of golf with a different small group each week sounded like it could be my style.

That summer I golfed with three different people each week. Meeting friendly talented professionals from multiple industries had never been easier because I was in the right environment, pursuing a hobby. Not to mention the fact that I was immediately at ease because I wasn’t looking to anyone for my next job.

Sand volleyball soon made its way into my weekly routine. At first, I felt out of place since many people on the team were over ten years older than me. As time went on, I realized how little the age gap mattered. I loved playing volleyball with a team of pharmacists, designers, and a chemistry professor. Variety is the spice of life, right?

Once summer ended, many of my activities would follow, but I had picked up some solid friends to make me more optimistic about the upcoming months. One asked me to go to a REFIT® dance cardio class with her. Dance was not my thing, not in public, not ever! So hear me when I say … I LOVED IT. After sitting at my desk throughout the workday, I got to do a fun workout with my friends (and save money on going out for drinks to catch up). In April, I got certified so that I could co-instruct.

In two years, my network of friends and community involvement has increased substantially. So here are my tips for pursuing a greater network.

• BE YOU. Get involved in activities that you like!
  Shockingly enough, you will meet people that have similar interests and you might hit it off, or at a least have a new acquaintance to wave to when you are out and about, which makes you look even more popular. 😉

• BE REAL. Show a genuine interest in people.
  Ask questions, and don’t just view people as your next lead to a job or a client. Many can sense that, and you might not come across as your best self.

• BE BOLD. Try things outside your comfort zone, and invite someone to go with you.
  The best way to meet a lot of people is when you find a friend who is an “Includer.” If someone asks you to go wine and beer tasting at Prairie Berry Winery and you think you’re more of a “dive bar” kind of character, go anyway. It’s a new experience that will at least give you something to talk about.

To see what others at Caliber are saying about networking, click here.