An introvert found networking events at restaurants and bars terrifying and often avoided approaching others, hovering near the hors d'oeuvre table. Years of reading about networking, friendship, and character left the person adept at recognizing others who had read the same books but did not improve networking skills. Prescriptive guides caused feelings of inauthenticity as interactions felt robotic. Carol Blymire, a personal-branding instructor at Georgetown University, advised joining hobby-focused groups—swing dancing or crochet—to build networks while making friends. Stay-at-home orders during the pandemic paused attempts, but afterward the person sought connections through shared passions, believing it would be easier.
I consider myself an introvert. Attending a networking event at a restaurant to make small talk with strangers in hopes of making lasting connections is one of the most frightening things that I can imagine doing. But for years, I did exactly that: I tried rubbing elbows with other public affairs professionals at stuffy bars that marketing pros had transformed into glamorous venues.
I spent my 20′s and 30′s collecting and studying books on how to network, forge friendships and build character. Yet, my principal achievement from reading these books was that I became adept at identifying when other people had read these same books. Meanwhile, my networking skills didn't significantly improve. Even worse, I felt that by reading books with titles like How to Talk to Anyone, I was turning myself into a robot that spewed out inauthentic lines
Carol Blymire, my instructor in personal branding at Georgetown University, showed me that there was. According to her, the best way to build your network while also making friends is to join groups that focus on your hobbies. So, if you like to go swing dancing, you should join a swing dancing group. If crocheting is your thing, you should find a crochet group.
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