If you keep bumping into people you know EVERYWHERE - on the tube, in the street, at that party when you didn’t even know you had friends in common - chances are you’re a super networker. But if you’ve recommended people for jobs, played cupid between friends you just knew would love each other and even introduced people to make the perfect flat share, you can claim to be a top-scoring, next level networker. Truth is, you just love bringing people together and making things happen...
1. You have multiple circles of friends
Your social circle isn’t confined to one group. You pick up and keep friends from every stage of your life - school, uni, summer jobs, holidays, different work jobs - so you can always find the perfect friend or group for a particular event or occasion. You’re amazed when you read that UK anthropologist Robin Dunbar said that the average person has just five close friends they can count on. You’ve got at least 40 close friends. And another 340 on Facebook. Don’t they know everybody needs good friends?
2. You bump into someone you know wherever you go
Whether you’re on the bus to work, at a music festival with friends or just walking down the street, you stopped being surprised to run into people from your complicated Venn diagram of friends years ago. It really is a small world for you.
3. You genuinely love meeting new people
You know networking is no bad thing for work but you honestly love chatting to new people anywhere and everywhere and discovering shared views, likes and dislikes. The phrase ‘people person’ was made for you.
4. You never get nervous about attending an event alone
In fact, you get a real buzz out of walking into a buzzing, crowded room. It’s an exciting challenge knowing a couple of hours later you’ll have charmed a whole new group of potential friends. A wallflower you are definitely not.
5. You’re generous and love to help
You’re a fabulous friend to have because you always know ‘just the right person’, whether it’s a builder, architect, personal trainer, hairdresser or incredibly creative and cheap dressmaker. While others might mutter vaguely about trying to find a number, you love to help straight away. Seconds after someone has asked for a recommendation, you’ll be texting or emailing all the deets.
6. You can’t imagine anything worse than a night in
While your colleagues are gratefully heading home to an evening sofa logging in front of screens, you’ve always got a movie date, concert tickets or someone to pop in and see. Socialising is definitely not a chore for you.
7. You never let a newbie friend or contact fall by the wayside
You know there’s no point working a room and returning home with countless numbers and ‘we must meet ups’, if you don’t follow through. On the way home, your fingers are a whirl as you Instagram, tweet and text and the following week you’re sure to be meeting for a coffee or glass of wine.
8. You say ‘reach out’ without cringing
You love the idea of everyone reaching out and helping each other and finding you’re on the same wavelength. What’s not to love?
9. You ask people questions about themselves
People love talking about themselves so, as you’re naturally curious and always ask questions, they just love chatting to you. You’re a great listener, always remember interesting snippets about people and never do the off-putting in your face ‘let’s talk about me, me, me’ spiel. That’s why people remember you as charming, rather than the needy person who talked at them while shoving business cards into their hands.
10. Your social media is packed with people you’ve never actually met in person
From LinkedIn to Instagram, your social profile makes you look like someone worth following and so your followers and contacts rack into the thousands.
11. Where you go, others follow
That new pop up restaurant, the best manicure, the designer that’s just been picked as a ‘one to watch’ that you’ve known for years, you’re the leader of the pack - and you love to share your top trend tips.
12. You can recite your elevator pitch/entertaining ‘bit about me’ piece in your sleep
You know people’s attention spans are short, so you keep it short and charming to make an immediate but long-lasting impression.
13. You never pay for your own data
Smart networkers like you know to take advantage of SMARTY’s great refer a friend offer to have free data forever. Now every networker knows that’s a fantastic deal.
SMARTY is a new SIM-only mobile network launched in the UK. No more unexpected bills, you simply pay for your unlimited calls and texts plan from as little as £7.50 a month.
Refer a friend and both you and your friend will get a month’s free data . You can refer as many friends as you want and earn as many free months as you can.
* To take advantage of this super networking offer, the new friend must purchase a plan and their second month will be free. The same goes for the referrer, but the free month will be queued once their friend has passed the 14-day return period.