NUS MBA Diaries Part 3: Why Introverts (can) rock at networking!
Short Flashback:
My admission interview for NUS B School was going brilliantly well. With every passing question and answer, my confidence was soaring and my smile getting wider. Then came a question I didn’t quite prepare for (I thought the question was too cliched):
“You seem to have done a lot of things well. What is it that you are bad at?”
I answered instinctively, “Networking. I find it extremely hard to walk up to a stranger and strike a small talk conversation with absolutely no immediate objective to be met.”
I am sure I am not the only one who feels the thought of networking overbearing and stressful. It may be due to a variety of reasons — introversion, shyness, misconstrued ethics, disinterest, lack of knowledge etc. For me, it was an unhealthy mix of introversion and ethical misconceptions. I once read an article which resonated with me so well — I did indeed find networking for professional reasons “Dirty”. I felt an innate resistance to walk up to a person and introduce myself when I know I was doing it for selfish reasons. After spending one year at B School and reluctantly attending several networking events, catchups, coffee chats, I am a changed man. So many myths about networking have been busted for me and I wish to record here what I learnt, unlearnt and practiced.
