Do You Hate Networking as Much as I Do? Here’s How I Cope
Not every interaction has to have a payoff.
I hate networking. Truly, I do. And that’s odd because I really like meeting people. I’m interested in their stories. I ask about their kids, their pets, their parents. And it’s not an act. I genuinely want to hear what they have to say. Generally speaking, I’m pretty personable.
But as soon as you frame it as networking, I immediately shut down. Suddenly what felt totally natural to me — being interested in and engaging with other human beings — feels calculated, unnatural, and fake. It feels designed to end in some sort of transaction, rather than just experiencing a human connection.
It turns out I’m not alone in this. Everyone I talk to says the same thing: Networking makes them uncomfortable. Ironic that I would be writing about this on LinkedIn, a platform designed specifically for networking.
I think there are two things to remember about networking. First, it really is just relationship-building. Though you may never “cash in” on that connection, there’s true value in just meeting and learning from other people. That doesn’t have to end in a job offer to be worth your time.
Second, life truly is a numbers game. Meeting new people increases the number of opportunities that come your way. You won’t know who could be the person to offer you a new job, introduce you to a new client, or spark your next idea, but it’s almost guaranteed that if you don’t meet new people, statistically, you’re much less likely to find new opportunities.
If you think about networking that way, I think it becomes a lot easier to do. You’re not looking to seal the deal today. You’re meeting new people, hearing ideas, making someone feel seen. And you’re increasing the chances that one of those people will think of you the next time a good opportunity comes along. It’s like having an army of head hunters or agents on retainer. Once you’ve made a real connection, they’ll be on the lookout for you all the time. That feels like a lot less pressure to me.
I hope it changes the way you feel next time you’re in a room full of strangers with name tags on. Don’t worry about what comes next. Just enjoy the moment.
This post was originally published on LinkedIn. Thanks for reading…Jeanette