What Type of Networker Are You?

It’s a common misconception that there’s only one type of networking style. In Jessica Stillman’s recent Inc. article, she explains the three types of networkers:

• Player: this is the one most people associate with successful networking. They thrive in social situations and enjoy meeting new people. They are outgoing, attending lots of events and cultivating new contacts with ease.
• Moderate: this type of networker shows more restraint than Players. Stillman explains, “Moderates’ relationship-building tends to emerge from ongoing tasks and joint work experience, with contacts maintained once a given job is over.”
• Purist: the Purist is completely averse to networking, seeing it as insincere and burdensome. Purists “should be actively encouraged by their managers to grow their networks,” says Stillman. Since this group may need more help getting out of their comfort zone, Stillman suggests viewing it as a way to “add value to the people around you, to offer to help others before you need it yourself.” She adds, “Reframing networking in this more altruistic light may better fit with the sensibilities and values of Purist professionals.”

To read more, see Stillman’s article from Inc. magazine.