Why does nobody talk about how awkward networking events actually are?

I went to a career mixer in downtown Austin last week and spent 20 minutes standing by the snack table pretending to check my phone. Everyone was just circling each other like sharks, nobody actually talked about jobs. Has anyone else found a way to make these things worth the trip?

2 comments

2 Comments

laura_knight5410h ago

Nah those events are pure gold if you actually make eye contact and walk up to someone instead of hovering by the snacks. The awkwardness comes from people waiting for someone else to start the conversation, so just be the one who does it.

the_kim2h ago

The last tech mixer I went to had 47 people and exactly 3 conversations that lasted more than 2 minutes. @laura_knight54 I get what you're saying about making eye contact but half the people there are just trying to collect business cards to inflate their linkedin numbers, they don't actually want to talk. I've tried walking up to groups and introducing myself and it always feels like I'm interrupting a private joke or someone's sales pitch. The whole thing is just a weird social game where nobody really knows what they're supposed to be doing and pretending otherwise is kind of fake.