4 Questions That Will Help You Network And Build Relationships Faster

Knowing that you should network is step one. But step two is actually making it happen. That doesn’t always come naturally for everybody. Read on for some tips to make networking more comfortable, more effective, and more fun. Here are four questions to help you break the ice.

What excites you now?

So much more interesting than “What do you do?”, which keeps the conversation in work mode, and prevents you from exploring different facets of someone’s character.

What’s the best thing to happen to you this year?

Similar to the first question, but it’s looking into the past. It gives people the chance to talk about milestones or achievements that they are proud of, and it can indicate what they value. 

What are you watching or reading right now?

TV shows like “Game of Thrones” are so popular that if a person responds that they are watching one of them, there’s a good chance you’ll have it in common. The other advantage to asking this question, is that if you aren’t familiar with the movie, show or book that a person mentions, you can ask them to tell you about it. 

Who is your favorite superhero and why?

It’s important to follow up the question with “Why?” This gives you a sense of someone’s background and stories that they value. Also, a superhero is usually an icon that the person aspires to be like. If they respond that they don’t like any superheroes, there could be an interesting reason why.