
Networking Is A Necessary Evil
- Katelin Lindley
- May 22
- 2 min read
As an introvert, I hate networking. However, it is necessary in order to evolve.
Growing up in a home that was just my mother and myself, I grew accustomed to only being around family. Don’t get me wrong, I still had friends, but they were few and far between. Typically, the most number of people in my circle at one time was three.
That being said, relationships were never easy for me. Most people can relate, but holding onto friends, boyfriends, and even family was tough.
Naturally, entering the workforce was also tricky. It was strange to meet new people, smile at visitors, and talk with coworkers. However, as I grew into the tourism and non-profit profession, I quickly realized how vital it was to feel comfortable networking.
Networking is like marketing yourself, telling people your story, and sharing your message. While I typically overshare, you don’t have to. You can keep it simple and polite while never straying from the objective. Yes, you read that right. Networking has a goal.
This goal can involve buttering up a sponsor for your organization or meeting the CEO of your dream job. Whether it be personal or professional, networking is a necessity and, perhaps, a vital skill to have.
However, the skill of networking has to be learned, and this behavior is complex to gain for introverts like myself. Naturally, I Googled “How To Network As An Introvert,” and of course, it was the same anecdotal answers that never worked.
Typically, people say to go up and introduce themselves. But how can you do that when you don’t know what to say? How can you do that when you have nothing to gain other than experience trying to talk to new people? It’s simple. You can’t. So, how did I solve this problem?
Being an introvert also means that I can pay attention to my surroundings and human behavior. So, I watched others interact.
What did I learn? I learned that when someone offers their hand, you shake it. I learned that when someone talks about something amazing that just happened, you smile and share a similar story without changing the conversation to yourself. Most importantly, I learned how to relate to people.
Networking is still the bane of my existence. I still hate it more than any other interaction within the professional realm. But I do know that without it, I’ll never grow. I’ll never evolve. And most importantly, my voice would never be heard.
So, to sum up, I urge you all to introduce yourself to someone new in the room when you are feeling brave. Ask simple questions to get them to open up, and then relate. If the conversation dies, move on. If it continues, that’s networking.
I like that philosophy and I will have to try it. I do okay at opening up but I still have only a few select friends