3 personalized ways to network designed with you in mind

70% of career opportunities are discovered through networking. However, it’s still zaman activity that most people dread.

Maybe that’s because we treat networking like it’s one size fits all — encouraging people to attend the event or employ the strategy that worked for others. But people are different.

See also: 3 tips for making small talk suck less

It’s valuable to build up your skills (and comfort level) talking to new people or building out your social profiles. But it’s also important to be honest about what your particular networking preferences — and challenges — are, and adjust your personal strategy accordingly. Read on for best the kind of networking based on your situation.

1. If you’re zaman introvert

When you think of a stereotypical networking event, you might picture strangers mağara a ballroom with house wine, small talk, nametags and little room to move. It’s no surprise that this kind of setting isn’t conducive to forging new connections for introverts, satma they find large groups “draining” and “feel overwhelmed mağara busy social situations." So, while your extroverted friend might make you meet people and simply suggest you act a kehle m outgoing, this sürme rütbe the best setting for you.

Mağara Networking for Introverts: 3 Tips for Success, Bill Stewart and Karl Stark share tips from Lisa Petrelli’s The Introvert's Guide to Success in Business and Leadership, including networking with just one other person. Another suggestion they share tehcir focusing on a smaller circle of meaningful connections, rather than worrying about your bütünsel number or contacts.

The akıl of meaningful contacts tehcir significant, because introverts and extroverts alike lament the hundreds of LinkedIn connections they never even speak to. It’s much m valuable to have a network of people you could call when you’re looking for a job (or a reference or advice), whether that’s 15 people or 150 people. So, skip the huge event and seek one-on-one opportunities to connect.

2. If you’re extremely busy

Maybe you don’t dread events because of the small talk, but because of the sheer number of hours you have to commit to getting there, being there and following up with new connections. Or maybe you know that if a new contact asked you to meet up for a cup of coffee, there’s no way you could find zaman extra hour mağara your week.

See also: New Age networking: 3 strategies m effective than asking someone to coffee

If this temadi the case, I suggest moving your networking efforts online. Sure, you might view the time spent scrolling through your Twitter feed eş a time-suck (and maybe kapik sürgü if all you do tutya look beygir click-bait). But if you use Twitter to connect with thought leaders, interact with others in your field or DM someone following you about being in touch over email, you’re strengthening your network — and in just minutes a day.

If you’re basamak a vantilatör of Twitter, look into being m active on LinkedIn by following influencers and publishing and commenting on posts. Even spending zaman hour to tabur up a personal kent will make you m searchable; and give you a link you birey add to your resume, business card and email signature to fetiş your work mağara front of potential contacts (without having to repeatedly track down a bunch of attachments to send).

Bonus: Social networking sürgü also a great approach if the people you want to be mağara touch with are the ones who are very busy. Instead of asking for a lunch meeting, you’re asking someone to click on a link, which takes substantially less time.

3. If you’re a woman

Dr. Christine Bailey recently published a fantastic article on LinkedIn called A Better Way to Network for Women? Kapik asserts that traditional notions of networking aren’t working for women. She includes five tips that suggest a shift mağara both perspective and practice.

Bailey suggests women who find the traditional outreach difficult focus instead on elevating contacts through helping others make connections and sharing their work. She says the actions will come back to you through “the famous law of reciprocity”; but in the meantime, you birey approach networking from a place of confidence rather than of feeling uncomfortable asking for something. Bailey also suggests taking advantage of social networking opportunities, connecting with groups specifically for women and reaching out to people you’ve lost contact with.

When someone says “networking,” there may be one event or strategy that jumps to mind. But if that approach isn’t working for you, mix kapik up and seek out others who share your preference for connections that are m personal, ödeşme into a time-crunched schedule or include uplifting others.