ast night I attended my first ever proper awards night as an invited guest, The Art Music Awards presented by APRA and the Australian Music Centre, with a lot of the ‘high flyers’ of the jazz, classical and experimental music scene in Australia. It was a real thrill to be invited and I was looking forward to it for weeks, but I also had a little niggling dread in the back of my mind. Ahhhh! I wasn’t going to know anyone there and how was I going to mix and mingle? Luckily, I managed to drag along my musical partner Mr Scott Leishman so I wasn’t facing it entirely alone, but it was still a daunting thought.
Anyway, I decided to try and put myself into the frame of mind that it’s a chance to talk with and meet my peers. If I have fun, it will be fun. I chose to smile and step out of my comfort zone. The thing about being an introvert, is that I do like people a lot, but unlike the extrovert who thrives on being around people, I find my energy is drained quickly by socialising, unless it’s with a few close friends or one on one, and I need to re-energise by lots of quality solitude. I also find that by the time the party is over, I’m just beginning to find my footing.
Getting ready to head out to the Art Music Awards. Nervous and excited! Later in the night someone would tell me that my suit looked like I was wearing the antique lounge chair. Thank you. That’s so nice of you.
So, here are my tips on how to have a successful night of networking:
- Whatever you lack in social skills, you can more than make up in sartorial splendour. A good impression in a fantastic outfit can speak volumes.
- Wear a pair of shoes that you will feel comfortable standing in all night. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll be able to sit so when your feet start to hurt, that can show on your face.
- Don’t go wondering what you’re going to talk about, go there wondering what you can find out about the person you’re talking to. It’s amazing how the conversation will flow when you show genuine interest in the new person you’re meeting. The bonus is, it makes for a really interesting night too when you discover new life stories.
- Take advantage of the free flowing champagne. If there aren’t enough canapés to balance out the bubbly, alternate the sparkling with glasses of water. There will be the quandary of whether you want the free alcohol or the free food. You can rarely have a satisfactory mix of the two, so it’s best to decide. Stand by the bar or stand by the kitchen door if you want to have first dibs.
- Talk to everyone. You might be there with a specific aim, but unless you know exactly who that person is, it’s unlikely you’ll actually find them in the crowd of hundreds of people. Whomever wants to talk to you, that’s the person you talk to and you find out all you can about them.
- Do your serious talking at the beginning of the night. It tends to get messy later.
- Be yourself. That’s a saying you hear a lot, and it’s as simple as it sounds because it works. The people who are attracted to you are attracted to you because of your unique qualities. Don’t doubt that you have something to offer.
- You want to get your wares across, but you don’t want to be pushy. Being fairly new to all this networking stuff, I’m discovering it’s better to be genuinely interested in someone else, and unless they’re an complete egomaniac, they in turn will take an interest in you.
- If you need a break, take it. Step outside for a breath of fresh air, take a break in the ladies room. Sometimes I go into the bathroom and have a little sing, provided of course noone is around. That gives me a bit of energy to go back in and face the madding crowd!
- Remember to thank your hosts for having you!
- MOST IMPORTANTLY, don’t forget to enjoy yourself! You’ll be able to retreat to your fortress of solitude in a few hours.