Tanja El Gendy, MSc – Consultant, Trainer and Coach | TU Career Center
Powerful Networks: Spark New Connections
Networking is not your thing? It’s time to think about networking differently.
Networking is not about superficial small talk or being the most outgoing person. It’s about connecting with people via conversations or shared activities. It’s about building relations before you need something.
You can connect with people in any setting. Choose a setting you feel comfortable in. Here are some ideas for smaller and relaxed settings:
- Meetup: Find activities on the platform meetup.com. You can easily join in your local area and bond with people over a shared hobby – whether it is a knitting afternoon, a board games night or a book club.
- Volunteering: Volunteer work is another great way to meet new people while also giving something to the community. Vienna even has its own volunteer fair, the Freiwilligenmesse.
- Sports club: Join sports classes or a club and connect with other regulars. Go for a coffee after a class to make time for longer conversations. USI courses offer affordable pricing for students.
- TU Wien community: You can also find diverse activities and networks directly at TU Wien, for example chess, sports teams, choir, sustainability initiatives or feminist networks. See how you can connect with fellow students on www.tuwien.at/community.
Not sure what to talk about? Start by asking questions and try out hobbies that give you inspiration for better conversations:
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Listen to an interview per week to learn about communication techniques. Barack Obama is a great example of how to use pauses for effect.
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Note down interesting facts you can use to break the ice in any conversation. Did you know that Johann Strauß is an alumnus from TU Wien?
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Storytelling: Learn how to tell stories in a structured way. For example, look up the Golden Circle by Simon Sinek.
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Become aware of your presence as well. Observe other presenters and you can also record yourself to get a better feel for your body language.
