Here's how you can conquer shyness and fear of networking to build professional relationships.

- 📖 Research the event, the attendees, and the industries represented to feel more prepared. - 🗣️ Craft a concise elevator pitch that clearly describes who you are and what you do. - 💬 Anticipate possible questions and rehearse your answers to build confidence. - 🧠 Practice your pitch and responses to ease anxiety and boost your professionalism. - 🌟 Preparation helps you feel more comfortable and appear focused when engaging with others at the event.

When networking, it is important to have some insightful questions prepared in advance so you can learn more about your new connection, their role, and their expertise. It’s also important to be prepared to share a few details about yourself that would be interesting or relevant to the conversation. What is your passion? What are your greatest talents? Additionally, it’s important to just be your authentic self, relax, and not be afraid to put yourself out there. You never know what opportunity may arise from a new connection!

Before attending any event you need to prepare yourself how to talk with people. Fear and shyness will overcome once you feel confident with your preparation. Practice with your friends , relatives or if no one then talks in front of the mirror in the form of dialogue. Set Clear Goals:Determine what you want to achieve from networking. Whether it’s finding a mentor, learning about a specific industry, or discovering job opportunities, clear goals provide direction and motivation. Elevator Pitch:Prepare a concise and engaging summary of who you are, what you do, and what you’re looking for. Practice it until it feels natural.

It is normal to be nervous in unfamiliar crowd. There are few of us blessed with feeling at home whenever they are, for the unlucky majority preparation is king. Rule number one: know what you want to achieve by networking and stick to the pitch and the plan. To feel (resonably) comfortable it is important to speak about what you know best. In no time you'll feel that you are not excessively nervous any longer. Rule number two: do not overstay your welcome. People attend events to meet many other people, so as soon as you feel that your visavi start losing interest, exchange contacts and find another person to speak with. Rule number three: continue adjusting your pitch for clarity, consistency and timing based on your visavi reactions.

Tómalo con calma y sé amable (sobre todo contigo mismo). Asegúrate de tomar un tiempo antes de asistir a la reunión para realizar unos ejercicios de respiración profunda o diafragmática. Algunos ejercicios simples de grounding también pueden ser muy útiles para manejar la ansiedad moderada. Sin embargo, si sientes que la situación te supera, no te juzgues muy duramente si necesitas salir de la reunión por un momento o del todo.

Set Clear Goals: Determine what you want to achieve from networking. Whether it’s finding a mentor, learning about a specific industry, or discovering job opportunities, clear goals provide direction and motivation. Also, Need to set goals in what context you will talk with your professional network people. Know about the events or people you will be meeting. Having background information can give you confidence and talking points.

הגדרת יעדים ברורים ומדויקים יכולה להיות המפתח ללהתמודדות עם ביישנות ופחד במהלך נטוורקינג. כאשר אנו מציבים מטרות ברות השגה, אנחנו מעניקים לעצמנו תחושת כיוון ומטרה באירוע. למשל, החליטו מראש כמה קשרים חדשים אתם רוצים ליצור או אילו קשרים קיימים ברצונכם לחזק. לדוגמה, מטרה כמו לנהל שיחה משמעותית אחת או להחליף פרטי קשר עם מספר אנשים מסוים יכולה לשמש כמפת דרכים. המטרות הללו לא רק יעזרו לכם להתמקד ולהרגיש יותר בטוחים, אלא גם יספקו סיבה ליזום שיחות ולהיות פרואקטיביים ביצירת קשרים. זה כמו לצאת למסע עם תוכנית פעולה ברורה, מה שמפחית את החרדה ונותן כיוון ברור להתקדמות מקצועית.

Em se tratando de networking, aqui vão algumas sugestões de metas: - Participar de X eventos/feiras/congressos até dezembro de 2024; - Agendar e realizar X cafés com novos contatos; - Marcar pelo menos 2 encontros no ano com ex-colegas ou ex-chefes de trabalho, ex-colegas de MBA, etc; - Adicionar pelo menos X contatos no Linkedin da área/segmento Y / por dia até setembro de 2024.

Set Realistic Goals: Aim to make just one or two meaningful connections rather than trying to meet everyone at an event. Use the Buddy System: Attend events with a friend or colleague who can introduce you to others and provide moral support.

Elevator Pitch:Prepare a concise and engaging summary of who you are, what you do, and what you’re looking for. Practice with your friends, relatives or if no one then in front of a mirror in the form of dialogues. Also speak in video call and then try to analyze what needs to improve. Practice it until it feels natural. Practice Active Listening: Focus on truly listening and responding to others. This takes the pressure off you and helps build rapport.

I'm an introverted extrovert, I'm naturally shy but learnt to push through and be bold as a shield to how scared I really am to speak to strangers! Practice really does make perfect in this scenario. Chat to any one of no consequence, open up with a couple of questions and you'll find most people are happy to chat without you having to overthink the conversation. I find people are usually super happy to have a stranger take an interest. Chat on a train, in a queue, at the petrol station counter, or at the bar. It doesn't matter, lead with kindness and it usually comes back in spades.

תרגול מיומנויות נטוורקינג הוא דרך מצוינת להתגבר על ביישנות ופחד ולהפוך את בניית מערכות היחסים המקצועיות לקלה וטבעית יותר. תתחילו בקטן, למשל, על ידי פתיחת שיחות במצבים עם לחץ נמוך, כמו עם הבריסטה בבית הקפה או עמית לעבודה שאינך מכיר היטב. לכו לסדנאות או סמינרים שבהם תוכל לפגוש אנשים עם תחומי עניין דומים ותלכו עם חבר מהעבודה. ככל שתתאמנו יותר, כך תפתחו מיומנויות שיחה וביטחון עצמי, וגם תסירו חסמים. המפתח הוא להתמיד ולזכור שכל שיחה קטנה היא צעד נוסף בבניית הביטחון והמיומנויות החברתיות שלכם.

The idea of stepping up in front of strangers and introducing yourself is daunting for a lot of people. But this is the first step we must all overcome for effective networking. It starts with the simple step of just having the courage to introduce yourself. You should practice this often enough even if it’s uncomfortable.

Change Your Mindset: View networking as an opportunity to learn and help others, rather than a chore or a test of your social skills. Start Small: Begin with smaller, more intimate gatherings before attending larger events. This can help you gradually build your confidence.

Occasions for elevator pitches are everywhere around the corner, so one should have a basic structure in mind. Start with an ice breaker suitable for the situation and the partner of the conversation and have a clear call to action in mind, which might be a further contact etc.

Se alguém conhecer alguém perfeito, me apresente, por favor! Todos nós temos pontos à desenvolver, logicamente que iremos monstrar aos outros apenas os pontos fortes, até mesmo aqui no LinkedIn. Então, seja leve consigo mesmo, mesmo que no meio das pessoas tenha um CEO e você seja um Gerente, lembre-se que esse CEO passou pelo mesmo momento que você, não idealize, até ele tem pontos a desenvolver, converse naturalmente e fale sobre o seu pitch. Quem sabe você possa ser a pessoa que esse CEO necessite para alguma oportunidade profissional?

Quando o assunto é networking, a associação com ferramentas tecnológicas como o Linkedin é quase que inevitável. Eu costumo falar que "todo mundo está lá (no Linkedin)". Seu/sua futuro/a chefe, seus próximos colegas de trabalho, o/as recrutadores/as, headhunters, os autores dos livros que você estuda...TODOS. Outro ponto: Imagine que o Linkedin é um instrumento de se mostrar antecipadamente ao mercado (você não precisa esperar um seletivo para apresentar suas skills). Mais uma coisa: Já parou para pensar quantas pessoas visitam o seu perfil numa semana ou mês? Exponencialmente MUITO mais vezes alguém te conhece ali no meio digital x mundo real. Como não usar isso então (a seu favor)?

Joining a forum or group can work wonders. Another controlled environment is a virtual webinar or conference. The chat function is great to introduce yourself and engage with people just like any social media platform. I used to put my LinkedIn QR code (business card) in the chat in case anyone wanted to connect. Following up with them and nourishing those relationships can be mutually beneficial.

Seek Feedback: Ask for feedback from trusted friends or mentors on your networking approach and use their insights to improve. Attend Regularly: The more you network, the more comfortable you will become. Consistency is key to overcoming fear. Engage in Self-Care: Ensure you're well-rested and in a good state of mind before attending networking events to reduce stress.

Pull, don’t push. It’s not a numbers game - a deep conversation with one person may be more valuable than ten short superficial exchanges. And you don’t know who’s the right person to speak to anyway. If you’re not a fan of throwing yourself at people, what about hanging back a little, and approach people who also hang out in the corner. It’s just as likely they’re just the ideal person for you to have a deep connection with - or you might bond and meet others in that new pair? This also applies to conversation - what about asking open questions and follow ups, rather than giving a script? Here again - pull, don’t push. People love a good listener!

I would also recommend adopting a mindset and approach of 'being interested in others'. If you start from this place...of being interested...then others will be interested in you.

These pieces of advice are not just for networking, but for positive life changes. If you suffer from shyness, the professional networking is probably the least of your worries.worried. Overcoming shyness isn't about these networking strategies, but about mentoring someone who .ore than likely has self confidence issues, self esteem issues, low feelings of self-worth. All of this requires a concentrated effort. Remember, if you mentor someone to overcome shyness, you mentor someone to build confidence.

If you are new to attending Network events , start with an event where you will, more than likely, meet some people you know . These could be people from your workplace, college, customer or supplier base. Work together on making introductions between your peer groups and colleagues. This approach will help build your confidence, connections and most importantly your Network.. Do encourage and inspire others to come to the next event with you and lead by supporting them as they broaden their network.

Some useful tips: Follow Up: After meeting someone, send a follow-up message to express your appreciation for the conversation and suggest a future meeting. Visualize Success: Imagine yourself successfully networking at an event. Visualization can help create a positive and confident mindset. Embrace Rejection: Understand that not every interaction will go perfectly, and that's okay. Rejection is a part of the process and not a reflection of your worth. Celebrate Small Wins: Acknowledge and celebrate your progress, no matter how small, to build momentum and confidence. Implement these strategies, you can gradually conquer shyness and fear of networking, allowing you to build strong professional relationships & advance your career.