Networking can seem difficult. In fact, I find it to be one of the most terrifying situations to be in; networking at events can be overwhelming and networking with friends and families can seem uncomfortable.  It can seem complicated, time consuming and generally very scary. It’s one of those areas where sometimes it’s as much who you know, as it is about what you know. This is unfortunate at times, but it’s also something you can leverage to your advantage. There are of course two ways to go about networking.

There are networking events, conferences, and other organizational events where you can meet people within the industry that you are interested in. You can meet people, make connections, discover mentors or even find a job. These are perhaps the most terrifying events, because it is up to you greet and sell yourself to people who you do not know. I normally get to a point at these events when I just feel like crawling underneath one of the nicely arranged tables full of desserts, drinks, and floral arrangements. 

Though, as much as I want to crawl underneath a table, I smile and try to talk to people. If you are lucky you might get a business card, and an invitation to stay in touch. So what is the next step? In most cases it’s sending an email. This emailing thing is the most difficult for me to remember and sometimes feels really awkward. They do not need to be that complicated. A simple hello, we met here, thanks for your card, and perhaps something of your conversation, is fine. Remember to give them your contact information too.

The second method of networking, and perhaps the most amusing, is using your family. They have a surprising number of friends and connections. As awkward as it may seem , this sort of thing is fairly common. So talk to your family and friends about your interests when you are home for the holidays. It’s often surprising to find that they have friends and family working at companies and industries that you are interested in and they are all too excited to help with an introduction.

Now asking your friends or even your own family members might be awkward. In fact, it can be extremely awkward because well… It’s a big sort of question, it seems like a huge favor. On one hand, it is a favor, but for most industries it is the norm. It’s something that people do, finding friends or family members who can help get them connected to people and potentially lead to employment, or at least an interview.

Remember when you are asked to stay in touch, do it!