You're faced with a networking opportunity where you feel out of place. How can you make the most of it?

Start by preparing a few conversation starters and questions about the event or industry. Approach small groups and listen actively. Share your unique experiences and insights to add value to the conversation. Use body language to convey confidence, even if you don’t feel it. Identify common interests to build connections. Consider volunteering for a role at the event to gain visibility and ease into conversations. Use social media to connect with attendees beforehand. Follow up with people you meet by sending personalized messages on LinkedIn. Remember, everyone feels out of place sometimes – your genuine curiosity and openness can turn this into a valuable experience

By preparing thoroughly, you can approach the networking opportunity with confidence and make valuable connections. - Research the event and the attendees to understand the context and who will be there. - Identify key individuals you want to connect with and learn about their backgrounds. - Prepare a brief introduction about yourself, highlighting your interests and goals.

One of the best approaches in any networking scenario, especially where you might feel like you need to be put in the right place, is to focus on listening and learning from others. Engage with different individuals, ask open-ended questions, and show genuine interest in their responses. This helps you gain valuable insights and diverts some of the pressure you might feel to speak about yourself. Listening carefully can help you understand the group dynamics and find common interests or topics where you can contribute meaningfully.

By listening and learning, you can build stronger connections and gain valuable insights from the networking opportunity. - You can focus on actively listening to others rather than just talking about yourself. - Ask open-ended questions to encourage detailed responses and genuine conversations. - Pay attention to the experiences and insights shared by others to gain new perspectives. - Take notes, if appropriate, to remember key points and follow up later.

When we get nervous or feel out of place, it can be easy to slip into nervous habits like over-communicating, shutting ourselves off, or other behaviors that can affect our ability to network effectively. If you can take a breath, reconnect with yourself, and show up authentically, you'll usually break the ice and, with time, feel comfortable and glad you attended.

Approach others with genuine curiosity, share your own experiences openly and listen actively to what they have to say. Recognising that 1. everyone is human 2. everyone wants to be seen, heard and understood can be a powerful approach to build meaningful connections. Shift the focus from your own feelings of being 'out of place' to acknowledging and valuing the experience of others. And also - you do you! Show your true self and watch the magic happen.

Even if you feel like an outsider, everyone has unique experiences and perspectives. Consider your strengths, skills, and experiences and how they might be relevant to the people you meet. Offering helpful information, insights, or even introductions to others in your network can be very beneficial. Focusing on offering value not only elevates your confidence but also makes you more memorable to others in the network.

Following up after the event is crucial and often what differentiates successful networkers from the rest. Send personalised emails or LinkedIn messages thanking individuals for their time and mentioning specific details or discussions you shared. Express your interest in staying in touch and suggest ways to collaborate or meet again. Following up not only strengthens new connections but also helps in building lasting professional relationships.

Everything you want is on the other side of fear, right? Feel the "fear" and do it anyway is so cliche, but what's the alternative? Now that you're aware that you "feel" out of place with a networking opportunity, this is the exact time to make the decision to have the courage to engage with others or simply withdraw... You know the best answer. You already conquered the first step in having awareness. Now go out there and network!