A networking event, be it a conference or seminar, is a terrifying beast many grads struggle to slay. Everyone is old, it’s overly corporate, the finger food is gross, and worst of all, the entire evening revolves around painstaking small talk.  

Even worse, the value of these events cannot be understated. You’ve got a room full of strangers who can open doors you never knew existed, thrusting your career forward at lightspeed.

They’re a necessary evil. 

However, they don’t have to suck. Networking is a learnable skill that makes the odd conference significantly less painful and dare we say it, enjoyable. 

That’s a lie. 

Industry small talk will always be a pain. 

But at least you won’t suck at it after this email.

Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance

It’s not the worst idea to come prepared, is it? 

So first things first, find out who’s attending. It sounds bad, but you don’t want to spend half the evening talking with people you’ll gain nothing from. 

These events exist for professionals to connect, and then leverage those connections. 

So pick your targets and waste no time. 

These events will be on Facebook, Linkedin, or Eventbrite and should show you the attendees. 

Also, arrive early. 

Why? 

1. Why not be prompt? 

2. You can observe who’s arriving and get first dibs on the conversation. Plus, the other early birds will be in the same position, so you can grab a drink and get chatting early to calm your butterflies. 

Breaking into conversation

We must admit, “get chatting” is a little easier said than done, especially if it’s your first networking event. 

You may know who you want to talk to, but what if they’re in a group? Should you try an insert yourself? Or do you wait until they disperse? 

Well, what does the group look like? What’s their body language? Are they closed off in a tighter circle, or are they open and welcoming to newcomers?  

Let’s say it’s the latter and you make your way over. What the fuck do you do you say? 

There’s a massive misconception here. 

Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Stick to what works. 

Traditional conversation starters are boring, yes, but they work.

We promise that whatever opener you’ve conjured up, probably won’t work. 

It’s just going to deter.

Remember, you’re there to connect with people, not impress them with creativity or intelligence. 

Comfortability equals connection, so start with the boring stuff first, spray a little conversational WD-40, and then you can get adventurous. 

Traditional Conversation Starters

These are fail-safe openers that work. 

Things like “What do you do?”, or “What line of work are you in?”. 

Yes, they are boring, and that’s the point. 

They’re easy to answer, which means that people will feel more comfortable engaging with you when you lead with them. 

They aren’t being put on the spot with some stupid hypothetical or sold something. 

Work-related Conversation Starters

The purpose of these is to help you understand more about the person's job or background. 

Openers such as: 

“How long have you been working in XYZ Industries?”

“Where did you do your study?”

“What do you like best about your job?”

People like talking about themselves, especially if they’re mildly successful. It makes them feel like you’re interested in them. You’re making them feel important, so chances are, they’re going to look back on the interaction favorably. 

And it’s so much better than the alternative; you yapping away about your first project.

Event-related Conversation Starters: 

You’re both at the same event. That’s a commonality. Why not leverage it to start a conversation? 

“Have you been to this event before?”

“How did you find out about this event?”

“Have you met any interesting people tonight?” 

Maybe they respond with something like, “Yeah I come to this event every month, I love it!”

Then you’re off to the races.