zlacker

>>Berisl+(OP)
Has anyone actually experienced this mythical "networking at the conference"? Like, how do you even do it? A talk ends and everyone have a short break before the next one starts. Presenter is immediately surrounded by 5-10 people half whom are his/her friends, half are asking about merch, and half are are the most extroverted people in the room who probably can bruteforce this networking stuff. Others are vaguely drifting around the room and trip over chairs, drinking water and talking to their friends who came together in a group. Who do you even talk to there? About what? It's like a dating site except with no bio details altogether, meaning there is no base point to start a conversation. And if you do randomly engage in a conversation with a complete stranger it's inevitably goes like this - ask each other about general profession, then more specific question about your industry, then name of your corporation, then awkward silence...

>>Yizahi+GK
Being present at the conference is the base point of conversation.

But if you’re running out of “how to get to know someone” topics, that’s more generally stuff like.. well, my reply converts to nested conference talk outline here, and so:

  - invent a question
  - about something cool
    - cool to you is fine
    - as long as it’s relevant
      - the conference is relevant
      - so are tangents from it
      - sometimes the venue too
  - or about them
    - ask what’s cool to them
    - about the conference
    - or tangentially about it
    - or the venue architecture
  - ask for more details
    - or be quiet and sip coffee
    - quiet isn’t always an end
    - it’s restful
  - mirror how long your answers are
    - the spice must flow
    - don’t drown them in it
    - add 10% to be extroverted
    - subtract 50% to be introverted
  - you can be plainly trying here
    - you don’t need to disguise it
    - being obvious can be encouraging
    - being obvious isn’t bad
    - subtlety is not mandatory
  - tell them you appreciated the chat
    - unless you totally hated it
    - it costs nothing to be nice
    - say it plainly
      - it was nice to chat
      - i appreciate what you said
      - glad to meet you
      - have fun at the conference