How do you network in a career setting?

[renordw]

I'm 25 and about three months back I got my first big-kid job as a Natural Resource Policy Analyst for the Department of Agriculture. I only took the job because there is nothing for Master's Level economists in my area of the country, and I am biding my time until I hear back from PhD programs.

I am Portuguese, and I have an accent. My family moved here when I was 7 from Algarve. I'm into video games and fashion, and I hate American football. Hell, I am somewhat less manly than most of my coworkers.

My coworkers are are ALL huge stereotypes; rednecks and/or ranchers. They are all 50+, white, republican, drive trucks, chew tobacco, listen to country, praise Jesus, talk about football, etc. To be honest, I didn't know these kind of people existed until I took the job.

Anyway, later this week I am going to a conference of natural resource planners, and I was glancing at the schedule and there are 3 chunks per day of "networking breaks" of a half hour each. I can't talk to these people about anything our interests are so different.

What do?

[Swish]

Craigslist? America swears by it, probably good to look for a network of people with a similar interest.

What do you enjoy doing? Portugal right? You into football(soccer)? There has to be some local teams where you are [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[renordw]

Originally Posted by Swish [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Craigslist? America swears by it, probably good to look for a network of people with a similar interest.

What do you enjoy doing? Portugal right? You into football(soccer)? There has to be some local teams where you are [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Yeah, I am from Portugal but I live in Colorado [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.] I mostly like MMORPGs and Soccer, especially Real Betis Balompie.

But the problem is that I feel like I am being pushed into smalltalk with people who judge me harshly for being so outside of their circle, and it just sucks. I've been to a few of these before and I just wind up calling my buds and talking on the phone to pretend like I'm busy.

Any tips?

[odiecat99]

keep an open mind, and go with the flow man.

[Stinkum]

tips to fit in:

- show up wearing a giant america #1 foam finger
- talk alot about how you were born in the holler
- append "the beautiful" after every time you say the word "america"
- request a moment of silence in memory of dale earnhardt jr
- obama is an arab

[Swish]

Yeah that can't be easy. I think if I moved to the US I'd have to deal with talking about the Queen and drinking tea and shit...and having to lay all the stereotypes to rest every time I meet people lol.

Chances are there has to be someone where you work that has at least 1 similar interest. People say that a lot of strangers are friends that you just haven't got to know yet...try and keep positive, engage in that horrible first conversation and see if you can get a bit deeper into what their life is like, what they do for fun etc.

Here's a story. I'm at my final year at university in England, at the start of the year there's always a "societies fair" where basically you sign up to try something new...from baking to turning Catholic, to Magic: The Gathering. For kicks I signed up to the MTG society (it was the Catholic society last year, and I'm not Catholic...that was interesting). The guy running it seemed a bit awkward/nerdy but put it across really well and insisted I didn't need a deck or anything. It's something I avoided when I was younger, never had any friends who played, we were all into console gaming and stuff but I was always curious about it.

Turned up the first day to find about 20 people who all knew each other from the last year of playing, who'd been playing for years, all really cliquey, didn't really want to talk to some noob who didn't know what he was doing (I was wasting their gaming time with them having to explain everything etc). Ended up trying to strike up a conversation with whoever was nearby, with a "I don't give a shit, someone here has to be friendly" attitude...and yeah, kept going along, week after week.

I think they all thought I was going to disappear as I don't look like a MTG player (ex-British Army, postal worker, etc)...but it took probably 4 meetups before they'd really take me seriously. By then I'd learnt the basics and had bought a starter deck. It sucked compared to the decks they've spend £100s on, I think combined with my inexperience I lost about 19 out of 20 games, but they helped me pick it up.

End of the university year now, I'm stuck with a load of MTG cards I'll probably never use again having bought some more and traded some, but I kept at it just out of curiosity and to see if they'd stay as icy towards me as they had done in the first week and it was a break from sitting at the computer working/internetting every evening. Some of them were just socially backward, but a few of them were cool guys who enjoyed a beer at least... even if they weren't into football or anything sporty.

Where am I going with this? I think what I'm trying to say is, it can be fucking hard work trying to get acquainted with people... I probably picked a terrible society to try and meet people similar to me (doesn't help that I'm at uni at 32, they're all 18-21), but chances are the people you work with do share some interests. Be open as well...guaranteed if you watch The Walking Dead or Game of Thrones there'll be someone to talk to about it.

Soccer is growing in America, there has to be a team in Colorado somewhere...even if its a 1+ hour drive to meet them. Keep trying to branch out, or failing that... try the "strictly platonic" section of the personals - write an ad saying what you're into, see who comes back to you.

There's always options, but only you can push yourself to branch out.

[Kassel]

You figured it out, Networking can be heard work if its not a natural thing for you. Basicaly just talk to people and try and find that common ground. Get out of your comfort zone to do so. It there are obivous things to talk about (football, Hockey if you are Canadian like me) and learn he basics so you can at least hold a 30 seconds convo. Watch the news, current events are pretty damn easy to discuss with anyone, obviously avoid religion and poltics.

[katrik]

Originally Posted by renordw [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

My coworkers are are ALL huge stereotypes; rednecks and/or ranchers. They are all 50+, white, republican, drive trucks, chew tobacco, listen to country, praise Jesus, talk about football, etc. To be honest, I didn't know these kind of people existed until I took the job.

Yikes.. im sorry babe = /

[HeallunRumblebelly]

LinkedIn and Sucking Dicks. Both proven strategies for advancement. Godspeed.

[Swish]

Originally Posted by HeallunRumblebelly [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

LinkedIn

Site for scumbag metrosexuals :/