The Types of People You’ll Run Into at Networking Events
Choosing not to network and connect with other professionals in your industry/field is a choice that can pose a serious threat to your chances of growing a successful business. It’s okay to feel shy, because honestly networking can be awkward, however you’re gong to have to do it eventually. So get out there and find a community of professionals just like you, and get to connecting!
You work your way into the event; you look sharp and you have your short intro ready to roll in your head. However, there is another element that has nothing to do with you — the people who are there. It’s important for you to have a sense of how to navigate the crowd, what and who to look for, and a sense of what their personality type might be. Here is a short list of some of the kind of people you’ll run into at networking events:
The Chatter-Box
This person just loves to talk — usually about themselves. To make matters worse, they probably just wont stop. It might even be a situation where the person just seems to find you no matter where you go, making you feel crammed and annoyed.
Some conversations may come to a natural close, because although you’re both pleased to speak to each other, you both know that you plan on engaging with others. With the chatter-box this may never happen. You’ll find yourself having to put more effort into ending the conversation and moving on. When this happens to you, don’t be afraid to kindly, firmly, and enthusiastically find the resolution to your discussion while being punctual.
You may even want to introduce them to someone else, or add someone to the conversation just to keep it flowing while you flow out. It’s not rude because you’re doing a favor for the chatter-box by introducing them to someone new while simultaneously showing them that everyone is there to meet more than one person; you’re also doing a favor for the person that you’re bringing into the discussion by introducing them to another, perhaps valuable relationship.
The Wall Hugger
You guessed it. this person may even be more shy than you are — too shy to do anything at all. Because of this, they’re basically wasting their own time. They might simply lack the confidence they need to speak to strangers in this particular setting. By introducing yourself to this person, you open up the door for a great connection to be made, while also giving that person the same chance, and covertly getting them to be a little more confident with breaking the ice.
The Stalker
This person is the chatter-box on steroids. We like it when people enjoy our company and find us to be charming, but when the level of admiration gets too high it can become a problem. You need to find a way to disengage quickly, and at the same time keep it graceful and kind. This person may make an even more obvious effort to keep the conversation going. They could follow you around all throughout the entire function, and this will really hold back your ability to interact with others. Ultimately, you may need to be completely honest with this person without beating around the bush. Tell them you want to connect with others and suggest to them that they might be better off doing the same.
The Drunk
We would agree that networking is extremely easy; it takes some strategy and experience. Too much alcohol can cause someone to go overboard, and I’m sure you already know that. Someone who has had too much to drink probably won’t even remember what the two of you walked about anyway. On top of that, the likelihood of the interaction getting awkward and leading to something like a heated exchange or an awkward outburst is higher to say the least.
The Self-Absorbed Ego
We all know that one person who takes every opportunity as a chance to get the spotlight on them, but remember, WINNERS like seeing other winners WIN! Usually this kind of person doesn’t care about what you have to say, and is instead more focused on their own wins and what they do. Of course you’re at an event to meet more people and learn more about them, keep in mind that this interaction should be a two-way street. Don’t bother trying to stroke their ego just so that you can get a word in; keep it moving and find someone that values knowing you just as much as you value their time during an interaction.
Sorting through everyone and really finding the person you need to speak with can be challenging to say the least, but at least now you have an idea of some of the personalities you might run into; of course there are many more that we didn’t cover here, so keep learning and working through the nuances of networking in your professional life! Good luck!
