New Work culture: networking for beginners & non-networkers

March 21, 2024

Lots of people are gathered at this place, the conversation bounces from one small talk topic to the next. Business cards are exchanged, LinkedIn profiles are shared. After the networking event you head home. Are you feeling euphoric or exhausted? While some really love to network, others can find it strenuous or even awkward. How do you manage networking if you find it to be the latter – and is networking actually necessary?

New Work and networking: how important is it to network?

Networking is much more than collecting business cards and LinkedIn contacts: it is the art of building relationships, as well as maintaining and utilizing them to achieve professional goals. It can facilitate both a personal (and virtual) interexchange of ideas, know-how and experience between people. Making new contacts is about discovering common ground and creating a supportive network. The basis of networking skills are: being open and genuine while aiming to build up trust with new contacts. In New Work circles, networking can really open up doors. Networking provides a platform for the exchange of ideas and perspectives, as well as for pursuing innovative solutions and creative approaches. Having a solid network can help you move your own career forward: your contacts may turn into mentors, advisors or potential employers. Moreover, a strong network can be of valuable support, especially in challenging times. In the start-up scene, networking is essential for bringing investors and business partners together.

In the digital New Work world, networking is more than merely a soft skill, it’s a determining factor for success. Here’s the good news for those who don’t like to network: networking doesn’t have to be just about small talk and events.

Reassessing how we network: being authentic and building lasting relationships

There are certainly many reasons why some really love to network. It’s of course a great opportunity to meet professional contacts, share ideas, feel appreciated and perhaps even unlock some new career prospects. Yet there are also many reasons why networking can be a drag. Some people find the repetitive small talk insincere and annoying. Others might find it overwhelming to interact with (many) new people. Often there is a “the more, the better” attitude when creating a network. However, wouldn’t it really be better to leave that next networking event with 5 LinkedIn contacts who are really of interest, instead of 50 not so promising ones?

Network doesn’t have to be exhausting, or at least not as stressful as it currently is for some folks. This, however, requires a bit of rethinking in regards to networking. Instead of going for quantity, you can concentrate on quality: speaking with fewer people increases the chances of having a more in-depth conversation with the ones you do meet. It will also help you to connect with others you truly find interesting and with whom you share common ground – the kind of people you can have a productive talk with, and even the small talk with them will be more genuine. Using this approach to connect with others will also make it easier to foster these new relationships. Because, as mentioned earlier, networking is not only about building a network, it’s just as much about cultivating and maintaining it. That’s admittedly easier when there are fewer relationships that need attending to and you’re looking forward to keeping in touch.

3 tips for your next networking event

For all you networking beginners or non-networkers out there, we’d like to leave you with 3 tips for your next (or first) event:

Develop your own take on networking: What does networking mean for you? How can networking become something you enjoy - or at least not totally hate? What might be fun for you about networking? Explore how you participate and the benefits provided. This could mean, for example, that you speak to fewer people, prefer joining groups over having 1 on 1 conversations, or choose to carry out your networking online. What would you like to get out of networking? Do you want to make new contacts, exchange ideas or learn new things? Keeping a goal in mind will make it easier to connect with the kind of people you’re looking for.
Find the right events: You are not required to show up at every event and it’s quite alright to simply stay home. Events can be small and intimate or large and rather anonymous, can come in the form of a networking brunch or afterwork drinks. Make sure you find the type of event atmosphere where you feel most comfortable.
Remain genuine: You don’t need to be an extrovert to build a good network. Authenticity is much more essential for earning trust and creating lasting relationships.

The bottom line: rethink New Work networking

Networking can be a very enriching experience in the world of New Work. It can enable you to boost your professional achievements as well as your personal growth. Revising how we approach networking can pave the way to forming rewarding, lasting relationships while making networking itself much more relaxing.