Introverted people love staying in their comfort zones. They enjoy meditating in solitude and reflecting on their decisions and actions. However, there is only a limit to which it can be sustained.
The society we live in encourages and fosters collaboration. It rewards effective teamwork amongst great team players. You can’t exist in society by staying in your lane. By collaborating with others, you open doors and opportunities that you never knew existed.
This is one aspect that extroverts get to thrive and shine. Their personality is designed to accommodate others. They obtain their social energy by interacting and socializing with others. Most extroverts have no problems making friends.
However, a few of them can be quite shy. Don’t always assume that any extrovert you come across is a natural talkative.
Introverted people don’t operate this way. They love staying on their own. Introverts love and treasure their alone time. But they can’t succeed in life if they always stay on their own. They need to socialize at some point. People shouldn’t feel that you’re antisocial or shy.
Do you still have doubts?
Here are the benefits of networking, especially for introverts
Benefits of Networking for Introverted People
Networking favors both introverted and extroverted people. A lot of people have gone on to succeed in their careers solely because of their strong network of people.
Here are amazing benefits of networking that can spur you to start leaving your comfort zone and make friends.
- It’s a platform for introverted people to exchange ideas
How would you engage in deep and meaningful conversations with people if you don’t make friends with them?
Networking allows you to meet other people with whom you can exchange thoughts and ideas. Yes, you may meet many frogs on the way. You’d meet a lot of frogs because the world is filled with stupidity.
But this shouldn’t stop you because a Prince or Princess might be lurking at the corner.
You could learn so much from merely being around people who think deeply. Success in any aspect of our lives depends largely on how much information we have in that area. You can’t know it all.
When you create or join a strong network of people, this information becomes easily accessible. Also, you create long-term relationships and mutual trust.
- It makes you noticed
Now, that may be something that most introverts dread. They don’t want to be noticed. Most of them just want to achieve great things and go home in silence.
While that is a valid desire, you won’t grow as fast as you may want to. Get rid of the lie that says you can’t attain any height you want to. Introverts aren’t only created to be yes-men. In fact, most great leaders are often introverted people.
If you work in a business, politics, or any other platform that may engage in some form of fame, you need publicity. This publicity solely relies on networking. People know others that have abilities to make them very popular.
If you’re good at what you do, you’d quickly stand out and more people will come to seek your expertise.
- Springs up newer opportunities
Would you hear about the latest opportunities in your field by scrolling through Instagram all day?
Most job openings are never advertised. They thrive on recommendations from trusted people. This helps the organizations filter the applications.
How would someone recommend you when you don’t talk to them?
When you meet the right people that have an upper edge in your career field, you might just be entering the next big phase of your life without knowing it yet. They can be your colleagues or clients.
Sometimes, they may not even have to be in your field. You may not consciously acknowledge your expertise may be required in other fields
- Qualification reassessment
The saying is true that you don’t compete against others but against who you were the previous day. However, assessing your qualifications against other people’s can help to spur you to achieve greater things.
Most times, we enter into careers and don’t realize how far we can grow in these careers. There are different levels of our careers that we might not be aware of. We might not even know that they are attainable. Maybe we hear of them and see people in these positions as demi-gods.
Meeting such people can help us to re-evaluate our choices. It allows us to see beyond the sky as our starting points. It’s one thing to admire certifications and dream to be there “one day”.
But it’s another thing to actually have people that can help you carve our strategies on how to get there.
- Status growth
The only way to grow in your career is to network. Nobody should tell you otherwise. Your introverted personality shouldn’t stop you from networking too. There is only so much training and certifications can do.
Training and certifications can give you the needed confidence and boost to carry out your job more effectively. But who will give you the needed exposure when you don’t socialize? Your phone?
When you gain self-confidence from this training, you’d be in the right position and frame of mind to mingle with like-minds in your industry. It will also help you to excel greatly during interviews for great opportunities.
The more you train and network with other people, the more you build confidence and position yourself for greater things.
Now that you understand the benefits of networking, how can introverted people network like professionals?
Here are some tips to get you started:
Tips on how Introverted People can Network like Pros
- Introverted people should be mindful of their social battery
One reason why introverted people dread networking is that they have to do what they fear most- talking to people. Talking to a LOT of people.
That is not completely true. Although you may not go out of your way to socialize more, you could play your part. Your social battery should be charged to ensure successful networking. This will enable you to sustain a conversation and leave a good impression.
If you go to an event or place feeling socially exhausted, then you won’t make good use of your time there.
- Leverage social media
It’s understandable to not want to talk or network in person. Why not leverage social media?
Social media is such a powerful tool. It allows you to be seen in public. Social media helps us to put ourselves and work out there without having to interact with anyone. If we do, it will be behind keypads.
When you want to network with someone, use social media as your first point of call. This is so important, especially if that person is a top shot in your industry.
That way, your thoughts can flow freely without having to engage in a physical confrontation. You won’t have to deal with social anxiety.
- Don’t be too hard on yourself
So, you’re surrounded by extroverted people who brag about getting 100 new contacts in one hour. You’re amazed by that and want to achieve the same feat.
Remember that your personalities aren’t the same. Introverted people don’t run on the same social battery as extroverted ones. You need to plan yourself properly before going to any social event. Know what you want to achieve and how to go about it.
Also, remember that it’s not about the numbers. It’s better to meet one person that can change the trajectory of your life, than meet 5 people that bring little to no impact.
- Introverted people should talk less and listen more
This is the basic rule for having great conversations. No one likes listening to a talkative even though they are.
You know that you’re introverted. Your social battery isn’t cut out for most of these things. One way of conserving it is by talking less and listening more to people. You not only make them feel heard and appreciated, but you also learn a thing or two.
Listening is something that should be natural to you as an introvert. Don’t be distracted when listening. Your mind shouldn’t wander off course. Don’t touch your phone or feel the urge to read messages. Listen attentively to your speaking partner.
- Meet people one-on-one
Introverted people don’t thrive in crowded discussions or conversations. They prefer deep and meaningful conversations with people one-on-one. These people have to think as deeply as they do.
If you want to network, resist the urge to meet people in groups. Instead, scan your eye across the room. If there is a person (or certain people) that you want to connect with, leave your cards with them.
You can then choose to meet with them at their workplace or invite them for lunch or coffee. This makes the conversation more personable.
When you engage in one-on-one conversations with people, you tend to build stronger and healthier relationships. You begin to know the person on a deeper level than you’d have known if you only spent five to ten minutes with them.
- Expect some level of awkwardness
The worst thing you can do to yourself is to expect every networking session to go as planned. Just because you went to an event energized doesn’t mean you will get the best out of socializing.
It’s perfectly normal to expect some level of awkwardness when talking to people for the first time. Other introverts may be facing social anxiety. Even the ones with high societal status. Some might even be socially exhausted.
It’s perfectly fine. There is no perfect manual to aid human interactions, so they can get messy. Give room for awkwardness and false starts.
If you feel the event (or place) is wasting your time, you can opt to leave. However, don’t leave early. Stay around for a while.
- Your phone should be far from you
Well, not literally. But you get the idea.
Most people use their phones in social settings to avoid awkwardness. They scroll through their phones to appear busy or important, whilst they may just be scrolling through their Instagram feed.
You may be engrossed in online activities, but they’re preventing you from engaging with other people. And those are the ones you need to engage with at that time.
When talking to people, be in the moment. Be present in the conversation. In most cases, that message or email can wait, except it’s a life-or-death situation. When you go to a social event, make sure your phone isn’t easily accessible to you.
You can also set a limit of 30 to 45 minutes before checking it again.
- You don’t have to do it yourself
Cold calls are so cliche. They are things of the past.
In today’s world, you don’t have to network yourself. You can ask someone to do it for you, or at least, act as a mediator. How can you do this?
Inform your acquaintances or friends about what you do and ask them to introduce you to a client or high-status individual. That way, you don’t have to do the introduction yourself. That person will help to lay the foundation.
This thing works very well if you have an extroverted friend that has a powerful social network. They can link up with the person via e-mail, or invite them over to dinner with you.
- Don’t yield to imposter syndrome
Networking events can be quite intimidating. You’d see people from different walks of life that are “supposedly” doing better than you. This may frighten you and stir up social anxiety.
It may make you feel like you don’t deserve to be there.
Don’t yield to it. Stop listening to those negative inner voices in your head. It may lower your self-confidence and make you feel like attending that event was a mistake. Shut off the inner critic and mute the mental chatter.
Remind yourself that you’re deserving of that position because you have worked hard and trained harder.
- Sustain your energy level
Networking events can be quite draining. You need to fuel up and hydrate before leaving for the event. Your food or snacks should be a balanced diet of protein, good carbs, fats, fruits, and vegetables.
Don’t take too much alcohol or caffeine, especially if you’re feeling anxious. It may make you look unprofessional if you take so much and compromise your image.
