Many students discuss feeling uncertain or downright uncomfortable when they consider the idea of professional networking—whether it be in person, virtually, or over the phone. A number of students also express feeling nervous or very anxious about expanding their professional networks, which is understandable—especially if you consider yourself to be more reserved and/or if you aren’t sure how to network. However, professional networking may also provide you with unique gifts such as being able to hear first-hand narratives from other professionals in your field of interest (through the participation in informational interviews), as well as the possibility of being offered a position or new opportunity. With approximately 80% of positions never being posted, possessing a strong professional network is essential when looking for your next opportunity. In addition, approximately 1 in 12 informational interviews results in a job offer!

If you feel nervous and/or anxious about networking, there are several strategies which you may implement to mitigate some of that nervous energy! Below please find the top 10 strategies for working with networking anxiety:

1. Prepare! Preparation is a key strategy utilized to mitigate networking nerves. It is recommended that you locate other professionals (consider utilizing the WGU LinkedIn Alumni Tool), define the information that you are seeking, and prepare your introduction/elevator pitch. Complete the exercises in our WGU Networking Activity, as well as view our tips/sample questions related to Informational Interviews. You may also want to practice your introduction/elevator pitch with others or consider video recording it and playing it back to yourself.
2. Consider Conversation Starters. Whether you are networking in person, over the phone, or on a video platform, you may want to have some ideas in mind for “small talk” conversation starters. You may ask questions such as “What has your team been working on recently?” or “How has your week been going?” You may also ask questions about any recent articles, podcasts, or professional development trainings that they may have attended recently. If you have a chance to view their LinkedIn Profiles before speaking, you may ask them specifically about a project they shared or an article that they published.
3. Use Mindfulness Techniques Ahead of Time. Consider strategies which you may have implemented when you have experienced anxiety or nervousness in the past. Think about your favorite meditation activity. A two-minute-deep breathing exercise may be helpful to assist with grounding yourself. Visualizations can also be very powerful– visualize yourself being successful and having an engaging conversation where you are genuinely listening in the moment and absorbing a great deal of useful information. You may also tune in anytime to your breathing whenever you are feeling anxious during a social interaction, as your breath is one thing that you can always control!
4. Recognize and Adjust Self-Talk. Be cognizant of how you talk to yourself. Imagine saying what you say to yourself to a friend you care about deeply. When you are feeling anxious and mentioning statements such as, “I know they will see that I’m nervous and think I’m being unprofessional” — Would you talk to a dear friend that way or would you be kind and supportive? Chances are that you would provide a much more encouraging statement such as, “It’s okay to feel nervous and feeling nervous is very common. I will focus on this interaction as an opportunity and see what new information I can learn.” You may also want to create affirmations that help you to feel calm and confident, such as, “I am an intelligent, capable professional who has a number of transferable skills and who is excited to learn more about my field.”
5. Know Your Triggers and Prepare Accordingly. Do you tend to be a “what-if” thinker, creating a cycle of anxiety that tends to build quickly?  If so, you may try to combat your “what-if” statements with “SO-WHAT- if statements” to try to diffuse some of the anxious thoughts. Example: Anxious Thought— “What if I get so anxious that I lose my train of thought?” Response—“So what if I get so anxious that I lose my train of thought?  Many people experience this; I will just give myself a moment to breathe and collect my thoughts.”
6. “Be More Interested Than Interesting.” If you can ask questions, and then use that as a gateway to talk about what’s most meaningful and important, you’ll realize the social anxiety goes down by a lot because you remove the pressure from yourself, and place the focus on others. (Referenced from: Networking for Introverts, Shy, and the Socially Anxious.).
7. Write Down a Single, Specific Intention. For many people, it may be helpful to remind themselves how the process of networking will assist them with reaching their goals—especially if networking feels uncomfortable. Therefore, writing down a very specific goal or intention before the networking experience may help to ground you. Example—“I am going to talk with Jennifer and learn how she entered the field of Cybersecurity after being in Real Estate.”
8. Understand That Networking is About Building Mutually Beneficial Business Relationships. Professional networking is a two-way process. For some, focusing on the fact that they may help others now or sometime in the future helps them to feel that their input may be purposeful and that they are not just “asking a favor” of someone else.
9. Have a Physical Anchor. Consider wearing a piece of jewelry or using a pen that may provide you with a reminder of a pleasant, calming thought or memory. If participating in a virtual networking experience or speaking over the phone, you  may even hold an object in your hand which you find to be soothing and/or have an image close by that makes you feel calm.
10. Start With the Five-Minute Rule/Have an Exit Strategy. While you may not plan to, or ever need to, utilize an “exit strategy,” for many people who experience a great deal of anxiety in social situations, it may help to diminish your anxiety to have a plan for if the networking experience becomes too overwhelming. 

You may start my telling yourself that you will participate in the networking event for five minutes and see how you feel.  If needed, you may prepare a way to excuse yourself if the anxiety greatly increases. You will likely surprise yourself and find yourself connected in the moment while conversing with professional(s) in your field, but you will also have a plan if needed. After each networking experience, you may want to pause and document your thoughts—what went well? What did you find to be exciting or surprising? Doing so may help to boost your confidence in terms of the networking process and assist you with reflecting upon recent knowledge gleaned. 

If you would like to further discuss techniques related to effective networking strategies, please feel free to schedule an appointment with WGU Career and Professional Development at your convenience.   I wish you the best as you take the next steps with building mutually beneficial business connections one step at a time!