Annie Reneau

If you want to send most introverts running for the hills, all you have to do is mention the word "networking." The term immediately conjures images of large rooms full of people mingling, making small talk and selling themselves, all of which is nightmare fuel for those of us who thrive on intimate spaces with close friends and plenty of time alone.

The entire concept of networking may seem custom suited to social butterflies, therefore giving them an advantage in the professional world, but introverts need not give up on the idea altogether. Introverts are not inherently bad at networking; in fact, when they play to their strengths, introverts can make the best networkers.

Think quality, not quantity

The idea of milling around a big room of people, meeting as many potential connections as possible, is anathema to an introvert's nature. Give yourself permission to not even try to do that. Make it a goal to talk to three people and three people only.

"Rather than expending your energy talking to as many people as possible, play to your strengths and aim to forge strong bonds with a smaller group of people," suggests EHL Graduate School.

Making three solid connections is far more doable for introverts than collecting as many business cards and contacts as possible.

Lean into listening and empathy

Most introverts have key people skills that may not be as flashy as charm and charisma, but ultimately lead to stronger connections. Usually, introverts are excellent listeners, and combined with empathy, that skill is incredibly valuable in networking. After all, what is networking but relationship-building, and what is better for relationship-building than stellar listening and empathy skills?

Introverts tend to be good at listening and empathy.Photo credit: Canva

Arrive early and leave early

EHL Graduate School suggests introverts arrive at networking events early, when there are fewer people there, and leave early before their social battery runs out. If you're going with the "get to know three people" approach, there's no harm in leaving early.

Own the follow-up

Grace McCarrick, who speaks on workplace soft skills, shared one of the strengths she sees in introverts:

"An introvert is the kind of person who will meet you at an event, not really say too much, then follow up with an email or a Linkedin message and say, 'Great to meet you. Here's an article on this thing we were talking about.' I'm sorry, that is elite. That is elite level."

A lot of introverts struggle with networking.Photo credit: Canva

Practice a few key social skills ahead of time

Sometimes introversion gets conflated with shyness or social anxiety, but regardless of how these things might overlap, practicing a few key skills can help anyone feel more confident going into a socializing situation. If you struggle with starting conversations, prepare a few conversation starters ahead of time. If you don't know how to leave a conversation, practice some key phrases for ducking out. If nervousness is your nemesis, learn some confident body language tricks to get over (or at least cover up) your imposter syndrome.

Ditch 'events' altogether and focus on one-on-ones

Networking doesn't have to involve going to events or gatherings and overtaxing yourself socially. At its core, networking is just connecting with people, and you can just as easily do that with one-on-one meetings, lunches, or coffee dates. Seek out people you want to make connections with online and reach out personally. That might still be a bit nerve-racking, but for introverts it's often a better tack to take than torturing yourself with big events with too many people.

One-on-one networking is preferable for introverts.Photo credit: Canva

Introverts aren't inherently bad at networking. In fact, there's an argument to be made that introverts make the best networkers in the long run, as they tend to make deeper than surface-level connections and excel at relationship-building.