Hot take: I thought networking events were a total scam until last Tuesday

I went to a local industry mixer in Austin thinking I'd just grab free snacks and leave, but ended up talking to a guy who offered me a freelance gig on the spot for $500. How do you even separate the real opportunities from the schmoozers at these things?

2 comments

2 Comments

matthewross2d ago

Grab a coffee and pretend you're working too. That's my move at these things. I walked into one about six months ago thinking the same thing, free snacks and a quick exit. Ended up chatting with a guy who looked just as lost as I was, turns out he owned a local shop and needed someone to do their storefront painting. Never know who's hiding behind that nametag and forced smile. My rule is if they talk about their "vision" or "synergy" more than five times, I start backing away slow.

faitha4015h ago

I mean it really is just about reading the room and spotting who's actually doing stuff versus who's just selling you on their hustle. I had this one guy at a tech mixer talk my ear off about his "disruptive app" for like twenty minutes, and when I finally asked what it actually did, he couldn't even tell me. But then I chatted with a random woman near the coffee station who mentioned she was looking for a writer for her newsletter, and boom, I had a regular gig for three months. My rule is if they can't tell you exactly what they need within the first minute, they're probably just there to collect business cards. Also look for people who give you a straight answer when you ask about money or deadlines, that's usually a green light.