I have always been an introvert. Since the year I developed my reading skills, I would rather spend my time reading than hanging out with others. I loved the idea of being in the solitude of my room, surrounded by my huge pile of books. Luckily, when it came to hanging out with other people, I was always authentic and I have managed to create deep relationships with several people.
Growing up, I started to understand the importance of creating relationships, social networking and not simply waiting around for relationships to be formed. As a Psychology student, I understood that human beings are social animals and we need others in order to function. Let’s see the way I developed my social networking skills.
Why is social networking important?
Nowadays, social networking is essential for everyone’s job or business. The best way to reach wide audiences is to make use of social networking sites such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn. The main purpose of social networking is to use networking sites in a way that will benefit us in the long-term. By simply creating or starting the path of social networking, it does not mean that we are a perfect candidate for a job now or that we have done an effective way of reaching audiences. Getting and maintaining opportunities for yourself means constant work and online presence on social networking sites.
Main Skills I used in Social Networking
- Using social networking sites
As I mentioned earlier, there are countless social media networking sites that can be used for this purpose. The fact that these were all online, made it easier for an introvert like me, to reach out to people and start networking. The thing with me is that once I establish an initial communication with someone, it is much easier to communicate after that. So, I carefully prepared for the first, more difficult phase that I needed to do: reaching out. It was easier when I overcame this phase.
Another good thing about social networking sites is that almost everyone can be found on these sites. So, communication and outreach are virtually limitless and without border. You can reach out to people from different cultures and parts of the world.
2. Developing confidence
The other key thing was to work on my confidence. Confidence is the key to everything. The way I tried to build it was that I though how every one of us is trying to do their best in this world. At the end of the day, we are all humans and we are in competition only with ourselves. Sure, there might be some people who are kind while others who are less kind but whatever happens, I am going to be okay. These affirmations helped me increase my confidence and be more intuitive when it comes to networking.
3. Move online meetings to offline ones
Although I am a child of the social media age, I still believe that eye-to-eye talks and discussions are much more effective. I am a person who pays attention to the verbal as well as non-verbal cues of a person. I love talking, listening to, and engaging with the person/people I am connecting with. So, whenever I could, I tried to arrange meetings outside social networking sites. These have proven to be more effective for me and better connect with people. Of course, it is difficult to do this if you are connecting with someone who lives in another country or continent. So, this skill can be used with limitations.
4. Be genuine
The final advice (or skill) I would give is to be genuine and authentic. Just be who you are. Each one of us is unique in this world, with different backgrounds and we all have something to offer in this world. So, let’s appreciate ourselves and get those opportunities that will lead you to success.
Final Thoughts
Networking sounds pretty scary for introverts. However, there are skills we can master in order to reach our goals. I myself have used these to increase my networking skills. Looking back, I am thankful that I did that. It certainly helped me to better advance in my career.