Many college students suffer from locubrevisphobia, the fear of making small talk, often resulting in avoiding social and networking events. Self-doubt can creep in for many students when these type of gatherings come up and their fears often prevent them from attending. Questions like, “What if I make a mistake and embarrass myself?” or “What if none of the potential employers like me?” often race through students’ minds. But there are tips and tricks to networking that will make the whole process seem much less daunting and give you the confidence you need to begin hunting for the job or internship experience that is the best fit for you. With Meet the Companies, the Spring 2019 Career Fair at Marist College, approaching, students will be able to network with more than 50 employers and learn more about available job or internship opportunities. Follow these tips to transform your mindset when it comes to marketing yourself and networking. Communication is a Skill: You can learn and practice it No one is born a proficient communicator. Everyone has to brush up their communication skills and adapt them to different situations. Keep an eye out for courses and workshops and join clubs and organizations on campus such as Toastmaster’s that can help you become a better public speaker. The Marist College Center for Career Services is hosting a fun and interactive session the night before Meet the Companies. Hosted by Marist alumna Gilda Bonanno, How to Schmooze will give students advice on how to improve presentation, communication, and leadership skills, so that they can effectively market themselves. Realize Perfection is Neither Expected Nor Attainable You will always be your own biggest critic. No one can be perfect, but you can strive to be consistent in your interactions. You have the skills you need to recover from any mistake you might make during your conversations. Mistakes will happen, but if you recognize and learn from them and move forward quickly, the recruiter will see the value you can bring to their organization. At every networking event employers want to meet with you as much as you want to earn a professional development opportunity, so it’s important to look at your interactions as a two-way street. Change How You Think and Act A Patrick Ewer article provides some practical tips for people who hate small talk or have trouble initiating conversations with others at networking events. One of his best tips is to master the 5-second rule, which states if you make eye contact with someone at a networking event you must automatically speak to them within five seconds of making eye contact and you cannot do anything else before speaking to them. Ewer believes strongly in this tactic because once it is mastered, your negative thoughts of “what might happen” or “what will someone think” start to decrease. When used repeatedly and effectively, the 5-second rule can gradually change your mindset and instill better habits for networking. Know You’re Not Alone
Having fears isn’t something to be ashamed about. A recent study found 92 percent of American adults fear something about the job interview process. The hard work is convincing yourself that you are better at networking and more qualified for positions than you think you are. Networking can be daunting. But attending networking events with the right mindset leads to development of on-point communication skills. Effective networking is the first step to securing opportunities that you never thought would have been possible.
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