Hot take: I tried to network at a rooftop bar event in Midtown and ended up in a 45-minute conversation about someone's pet lizard.

I learned that sometimes the best connection isn't the one you planned for, but has anyone else had a networking event go totally off the rails in a good way?

3 comments

3 Comments

pat_harris7d agoMost Upvoted

What if the weird chat is the actual test? Like, can you drop the work mask and just be a person for a bit? That lizard guy probably met fifty people doing their perfect pitch that night. You were the one who actually listened.

jackson.max7d ago

That "best connection isn't the one you planned for" is so true. I got stuck once talking to a guy about his homemade hot sauce for a full hour. It felt like a waste until he connected me with his friend who needed my exact freelance service. You just never know where a real, weird chat will lead. It beats those forced elevator pitches any day.

miaprice7d ago

I mean, I get what you're saying @jackson.max, but honestly that sounds like a lucky break. Most of the time, you just get stuck listening to someone's weird hobby with no payoff. I've had so many chats about people's fantasy football teams or their sourdough starters that went nowhere. It just feels like wasted time when you could be talking to someone who actually needs your help. Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather have a short, clear talk than an hour about hot sauce and hope for the best.