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NYAspie
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

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Joined: 4 May 2005
Gender: Male
Posts: 336
Location: Southern Saratoga County, NY

16 Oct 2017, 6:54 pm

There's this informal (no suits, ties, what have you) networking event early next week that I'm interested in attending; any tips to ensure it's successful?


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Ichinin
Veteran
Veteran

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Joined: 3 Apr 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 3,653
Location: A cold place with lots of blondes.

17 Oct 2017, 2:05 am

1. Prepare to give a presentation about yourself that takes at most 30 seconds to give to people:
* Your name
* What you do (work with)
* Area of responsibility (at work)
* Your strong sides
* An achievement you are proud of
* What you want to do in the future

Just don't go around moving from person to person like some defective runaway dalek trying to exterminate people with the same words and same behaviour, robotic behaviour isn't normal. Do it a bit differently with each person, just remember to be kind if you want the person to be part of your network later on. If they are not looking at you or if you get the impression that they are just being nice, cut the whole thing down, excuse yourself and move on - anyone not trying genuinely isn't worth spending time on.

What i have learned is to ask "what do you mean by <something>?" if <something> is unclear. It is better to ask what they mean than to be pissed off at someone and assume that they are attacking you. Even normal people struggle with this.

2. Reciprocate socially (can be hard if the person is not interesting or interested in the same things as you):
* Ask them what they do
* Where they live
* What their interests are
* What they have been doing (etc)

If you feel like you are screwing up, just say that you are an aspie and you're out trying to socialize and build a professional network (i assume that is what you are trying to do). Be sure to apologies if you insult someone.

3. Remember that you do not have to be there. If it gets too crowded or too loud, remember that you can attend some other networking meetup and practice more.

It's also good to have business cards ready if you meet someone you want to do business with or get to know better.

This is in no way a complete guide, but i hope it helps. Summary of trial and error experiences from my life.


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"It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring" (Carl Sagan)