Networking can help you learn about good job opportunity before they pass you by. It can
help you keep with developments among your competitors. And at the very least, you’re on
to all the news before the office circulars get sent out. To find out if you have what it takes to schmooze, answer the following questions and score yourself.
1. At the intermission of the ballet performance sponsored by your company, you spot
your client standing along. You….
a. Remain with your colleagues and keep talking among yourselves. You can’t be expected to be working all the time.
b. Just wave hello. After all, the client may prefer to be alone with her thoughts.
c. Walk over to greet your client and ask her what she thought of the performance
thus far and get a conversation going.
2. Your customer invites you to attend a charity exhibition that she’s sponsoring. You…
a. Plan to attend and leave early, and hope not to be missed for the crowd.
b. Accept graciously and ask if it’s all right to bring a friend to keep you company.
c. Decline politely, saying you have another engagement for the evening.
3. In an intimate uptown new restaurant, you see your manager dining with her
husband, You…
a. Go over and try to take up the discussion you were having earlier at the office.
b. Go over to say hello, wish them a pleasant evening and move back to your table.
c. Linger at their table and ask about their entrée, the wine, the service – short of
inviting yourself to sit at their table.
4. As a high-level executive with an excruciatingly tight schedule, do you
a. Still read every section of the newspaper every day to know the pulse of the country and the rest of the world?
b. Get your secretary to glean through the paper and give you only the news that is
relevant to your business.
c. Never take time to read the paper. You have Bloomberg and BBC on cable news?
5. When you attend professional events and meetings, do you enjoy…
a. Working the room, making sure you have met and exchanged small talk with most everyone you know and maybe get introduced to some whom you don’t yet know?
b. Approaching a total stranger or two and getting to know them?
c. Spending the evening with your favorite people. It’s your evening, after all?
6. In your opinion, a good conversationalist is a person who..
a. Ask questions to get the other person to do the talking.
b. Contributes to the conversation with stories, thought, observations of their own
c. Does both
7. Your company has block booked private box seats for the local powerboat races and
you are given the allowance to invite your clients or prospective clients. You
a. Immediately make a list of business contacts who would enjoy watching the races and talking about power boats.
b. Invite several people and take advantage of breaks in action to do a little
business.
c. Admit that you’re not a sports fan and leave this to others.
8. You’ve got a little time in between connecting flights to talk with your business
collaborator. You….
a. Allow the conversation to turn to personal matters the clients seems to want to
talk about.
b. Interrupt to share your personal experiences.
c. Steer the conversation to the questions you need answered.
9. You notice your Sales Director wearing a beautiful pair of Jimmy Choos. You…
a. Say hello to her as you usually do and ignore the shoes completely.
b. Compliment her on the shoes and tell her you think Jimmy Choos are the best
things since sliced bread.
c. Decide that you should probably start wearing Jimmy Choos too.
10. You think cocktail parties and social events are…
a. a necessary evil that you only drag yourself to in the name of duty.
b. An absolute bore and waste of time
c. An opportunity for something, whether it is gaining insights at work, meeting
useful business contacts, or making a friend.
Answers:
Give yourself a point for every correct answer.
1. c)
2. b)
3. b)
4. a)
5. b)
6. c)
7. a)
8. a)
9. b)
10. c)
9-10 Points. You’re good. You know how to make the most of a situation.
Maybe you should be giving lessons.
7-8 Points. You do try to seize most opportunities, but you’re possibly letting
some slip you by. You need to work it a little harder.
5-6 Points. Don’t sit on your chair and waiting for things to happen!
Opportunities are passing you by as you do get up and seize the moment
already.
4 or fewer points. Dear Dear, are you actually shy or can’t be bothered? Kow
that you stand to miss out if you don’t get interested in what’s happening.
Get the shyness out of your system and reread this entire article.
So you belong to which catergory? * Laugh*
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