The one word that makes people reflexively cringe

There’s a single word in the English language that makes most sane people reflexively cringe. It can immediately conjure up visions of awkward small talk, bad coffee, stale canapes and tired conference room carpets. The word in question? Networking.

Now, I can feel your forehead tensing instinctively as you read that, because professional networking can be all those negative things at once. If you’re not an extrovert, or dislike talking about the weather, then the idea of walking into a room full of strangers with nothing in common, except for your jobs, will rightly fill you with fear.

Whether you like it or not, networking at work is more important than ever.Credit: Daniel O'Brien

But, whether you like it or not, networking at work is more important than ever. There’s been a 28 per cent increase in Google searches for networking events globally, and building new connections can help with career growth, industry collaboration and maybe even finding your next job.

It’s one of those things that takes practice (and a bit of courage) to get better at, so here are six ways to become a better professional networker.

1. Make it personal

It’s easy to believe that networking has to involve walking into a cold room and introducing yourself to 20 new people in one sitting, but networking can be much more enjoyable if you do it one-by-one.

Identify someone in your industry you think can learn from, or share knowledge with, and message them to ask for a coffee.

2. Shorter is better

Everyone is busy so don’t monopolise too much of people’s time. If you’re meeting virtually, resist the default video meeting time of one hour, and schedule it for 25 minutes instead. This will force them to get straight to the point and cut some of the unnecessary fluff.

If you’re meeting in person, decide on a cut-off time in advance and clearly communicate it. Yes, networking is important, but it shouldn’t take up your whole day.

3. Lean on lunchtimes

Tapt, a digital business card company, recently analysed 400,000 of its networking connections to conclude that Melbourne is the Australian city that networks the most, with most new connections happening on Tuesday and Wednesday between 11am and 2pm.

Lean into this trend and pick a good café or restaurant that means that, even if the company is lousy, at least the food won’t be.

4. Pace yourself

The busiest months for networking, according to Tapt, are May and August, while the summer months from November to January are naturally the quietest. If you know you’re going to be meeting a lot of new people during a hectic period, plan ahead so you don’t overwhelm yourself.

Talking about work, and yourself, does require energy so ensure you save some for the right moments.

5. Don’t neglect digital

The professional version of yourself you put forward online is just as important as in the real world. I know there are mixed feelings about LinkedIn (personally, I’m a big fan), but think of every comment and connection request as a form of networking.

It’sa great way of keeping a digital record of all your professional contacts, meaning you can sort through them when you need to find and connect with the right people.

6. Feed the relationship

When you connect with someone in a professional setting who you want to keep in your network, you should actively nurture the relationship. Listened to a relevant podcast? Or seen a new book that’s up their alley?

Fire off a quick message so you consistently stay on their radar so you can turn a one-off meeting into a long-term contact.

Networking doesn’t have to be uncomfortable, boring or something to shy away from. Remember that each new business contact is just trying to meet other people on a similar journey, and you might just change your perception of networking one (good) coffee at a time.

Tim Duggan is author of Work Backwards: The Revolutionary Method to Work Smarter and Live Better. He writes a regular newsletter at timduggan.substack.com

Get workplace news, advice and perspectives to help make your job work for you. Sign up for our weekly Thank God it’s Monday newsletter.