Your College to Career Journey

First of all, as a reminder - Send your resume to careeraftercollege@gmail.com to get it edited for FREE!

I recieved an email asking the question, "What are some specific ways that introverted/shy people can network?" I thought the question was important enough to make the answer public.

First of all, no one who has ever had a conversation with me would label me as the shy or introverted, perhaps because of these two facets of my belief system:

1. If you don't voice your opinion, no one can hear you. Even if you dont have
the most fascinating opinion at the table, but one thing is for sure. Most of the time, its better to say something and have your thoughts challenged than have your presence forgotten. So, practice the tips below to work past the shyness.
2. If people don't like what you have to say, there are a LOT of other people who will. Thats not to say that you should not give careful consideration to your audience and their importance; Its just that most people worry too much about what other people will think of them; Relax and be yourself - Chances are you will be more well-liked any way.

I'm not asking you to subscribe to my belief system, but I know this much is true - Getting a job is as much based on how well liked you are, as it is on your skill. Most of us have been taught similar lessons within the same major in college, so whats your differentiator for getting a specific position? Even in a major like Computer Science, which initially calls for you spending many many hours by yourself in a cubicle programming, most recruiters still ask the question: Is this the kind of person I want to see at work every day?

So, answer that question for the person considering working with you, by having an upbeat positive attitude! Being shy and keeping all those brilliant thoughts to yourself makes it very hard for them to make that judgment. Here are some things you should do to stop being shy, and reach out:
1. Send 5 emails to people you think are JUST FABULOUS - whether its bloggers your read, authors of books, people who have jobs that you aspire to, or even just fascinating people, EMAIL THEM, and ask them questions you are dying to know- Ask them anything (stay appropriate)! The point is you are going out of your comfort zone! Trust me - If they are as awesome as you think they are, they will want to reach out and get to know you too!
2. Tweet, Link yourself in and Start a blog - Doing all these things online makes SHYNESS just an excuse. Use the online tools, and start letting other people in on your thoughts.
3. Make Eye Contact - Proper (not the creepy kind) of eye contact shows that you are confident and comfortable with yourself. Looking down when talking to someone makes someone else think less charmingly of you.
4. Ask Questions - Shyness could be mistaken for a lack of interest in the person you are talking to. So, if you dont want to say something right away, ask the other person to talk about themselves and what they do(we all love it, dont we?)- it feels like cheating and it works. Focus on making someone else comfortable, and soon, you will be comfortable!
5. Deliberately meet the friends who make you uncomfortable - Everyone has comfort friends and everyone has friends who make them intimidated or, less than comfortable. Work on this skill and meet them for coffee/lunch! Its really hard at first,but it gets a LOT easier a LOT faster than you think.

Bottom Line - If you dont reach out, talk, and understand the person recruiting you, you may just find yourself without a job. Making your personality known makes the answer to the question "Do I want to work with this person in the future?", a LOT easier.