Networking is the bain of many people’s lives, but it doesn’t have to be boring. If you’re genuinely interested in building your career, it can be exciting to connect with other people in your industry and beyond. Although it might sound scary to meet new people, remember that you already have one major thing in common to talk about: your industry.

Attend company or in-building networking events

Most companies will have regular events which facilitate networking opportunities. Often, these won’t say ‘networking’ in the name, but will be presented as a social event. However, once you’re at the event, you’ll find that speaking to other people in your company and at other companies which may share your building (particularly if your office is located in a co-working space) is actually networking in itself. ‘People buy the person’, they say, and if you can connect with somebody on a social level, whether you’re discussing work or not, they’ll remember you for future work opportunities.

Speak to people in your company informally

Simply meeting someone by the water cooler or while brewing your daily coffee can be a form of networking. Always make sure that you’re friendly and professional, which can be hard in big companies when there always seems like so many faces and names to remember. However, that person you offer to pour a coffee for could be your boss’s boss, or they could be working in a related team that’s looking to hire people at the end of your internship. Conversely, being rude to the people in your office can have the exact opposite effect. You never know what opportunities could come your way, so always be professional. 

Be proactive in looking for events outside of work

Outside of your company itself, networking events exist in New York City in abundance. Eventbrite is one of the best sources of networking events, particularly for those historically misrepresented in certain industries. For instance, Women in Business Bites takes place regularly on the third Monday of every month, with a light atmosphere with drinks and nibbles. Events like this are the perfect way to expand your mind beyond your internship company to the wonders of New York City itself.

Say “yes,”  even if it doesn’t seem like networking

Networking opportunities can arise in unexpected ways. Networking is not just limited to official events which brand themselves as being designed for such, but can happen on coffee trips, drinks or even lunch. If a work colleague invites you to anything outside of the office, this could lead to networking opportunities. In fact, anytime you’re outside of your house you could unexpectedly meet someone in your industry. 

Simply meeting someone and making a good impression lets them put a face to a name for future opportunities—you never know what it may lead to! So in terms of professional invites, it’s always good to say ‘yes’ because the situation may unfold in any direction. Always be friendly, carry your business card, and always act professional and you will be surprised how networking opportunities can find you.