a networking mistake

welcome to introspection ft. harsehaj! ⭐️ i’m harsehaj, a 19 y/o always up to something in social good x tech.

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btw, feel free to reply with topic ideas you want me to write about for future posts.

onto today’s topic: a networking mistake ❌ 

excessive flattery immediately puts the other person on a pedestal, and it becomes harder to have an actual conversation. instead, you’ll only be given advice and words of encouragement — you just became another recipient of the same spiel they’ve probably given dozens of times.

i’ve noticed this a lot where we’re buzzing at the opportunity to speak with someone we look up to and end up placing ourselves lower in an effort to show appreciation for the other’s time. ⌚️ there’s no need for that — compliment someone’s work or specific discovery in research and then ask them a particular question about it.

try to stay away from questions like, “wow, you’re juggling some many initiatives .. how do you do it all?” that immediately changes the interaction from a possible networking opportunity, to an interview. your questions should spark a 2-way discussion, because that is what actually plants the seed for a relationship.

the discussion will end with a call to action (connecting on linkedin, setting up a call, opportunity to collab, etc.) and that’s when you have successfully made a “connection.” not just a checkbox or a number in your linkedin following, but a human you’ve learned more about and possibly will continue to. 🌱 

when you go overboard with complimenting the other person, i’ve realized it creates this distance between yourself and the person you’re talking to. as a result, this also blocks off avenues for them to extend you any opportunity.

the way you frame your questions matters a lot, especially while networking. it’s important to show your credibility through them, whether that’s evidence of your research or confidence in delivery. :)

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