The self-imposed barrier of shyness is something to which I can definitely relate. It wasn’t that many years ago that it was impossible for me to even consider speaking before a group of people of any size. Even one-on-one interactions were difficult for me. Then one day I realized that if I wanted to succeed in promoting my books at books signings I was going to have to get over myself. With that goal in mind I joined Toastmasters. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would speak before audiences ranging from a few people to 300 people. However, I speak before a group of 34 at least once a week and I have presented to an audience of 300 people. If I can overcome my shyness to do what I needed to do, then you can do the same.
Networking is just a label given to the act of meeting people and connecting with them for your mutual benefit. While social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) has reduced the amount of face-to-face networking, it still needs to be an integral part of your job search. If you have a self-imposed barrier of shyness and feel that you’re not a good networker, you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone.
Whether it’s a simple social gathering or a formal networking event the advice in Dawn Rasmussen’s article can help you overcome that self-imposed barrier of shyness.
Your success at networking depends on your willingness to push yourself out of your comfort zone and put forth the necessary effort to succeed. I’m not saying you have to like networking. I am saying it should be a vital piece of your job search strategy and you need to become proficient at it.
Click here to read an article on overcoming shyness to improve your networking skills.
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