Share your thoughts about professional networking - you could win a £50 voucher or Workfest tickets! NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

Workfest 2016 is coming up soon (14th May) and to get us all in the mood, we’d love to hear your thoughts all about professional networking.

So, networking - what do you think? Do you hate small talk? Maybe you struggle with self-esteem and confidence in a professional environment? Or do you bound into professional events and work the room like a pro? How useful do you find sites like LinkedIn? Share your troubles, tips or joys with networking below - we'd love to hear about them, and we'd love to see you at Workfest!

This one-day event is packed to the rafters with advice for women in - or returning to - the workplace, with a range of workshops and one-on-one sessions hosted by self-made entrepreneurs and career experts. It could be just what you need to kick-start your career, as attested to by these Mumsnetters from last year:

"I felt truly inspired and motivated...I have 'the fire in my belly' to move forward and reach my goals."

"The day was much more than I had hoped. I was and still am in awe of the speakers and gained so much positive energy."

"One of the best value conferences I have been to in a long time."

Tickets are available here

Add your comments to this thread and you’ll be entered into a prize draw where one winner will win their choice of a £50 store voucher or a pair of Workfest 2016 tickets.

I enjoy it to be honest, you often meet people like you who you end up being glad to have as a contact, and meeting the more arrogant ones is often a good laugh (at their expense) and always reminds me what I don't want to become. I say be yourself and just go for it

My area is male dominated (web development) so I'd find it useful to connect with other women in my field. If I wasn't such an introvert I would! None of my peers use Linked In, it's all about Stack Overflow and niche sites. I have to be gender anonymous to avoid trouble on these.

I fid it easy to Network, but then... I am a people person so it comes naturally for me. I can imagine that the thought of Networking could be really scary if you are a shy person in nature and find it difficult to talk to people.

I suppose my only advice would be, remember... they are in exactly the same place as you are and at the end of the day... we are all just human. :)

I don't feel like I am professional enough and that I would look silly

I am shy and an introvert so absolutely no use at networking.

Isn't networking just doing your own profession so well that people then recommend you to others ? ( this is always my aim in my work !)

Or is there some wonderful Magic thingumy that I'm missing out on ?!?

I really hate networking and have no idea what I'm supposed to do.

I hear a lot of professional advice about the benefit of networking. In my previous career, I have to attend a lot of conferences. I usually don't know anyone, and I don't know what I'm supposed to do to break the ice. I don't have problem with self-esteem or confidence. I'm very good at public speaking and putting my views forward in meetings. But it's the social side and small talk i struggle with.

I use LinkedIn but I don't 'network' with it. I used it more as a detailed version of my CV. Potential employers have commented how useful it is to see more details of my previous work. Recruiters have also been able to find me and I get invites to apply for jobs at least once or twice a month.

Not a fan - it's for life's natural schmoozers and sycophants. Sadly it's not easy to progress that far without networking.

I struggle to differentiate individual voices in a crowded room so I hate networking or drinks-type events - it's hard to have a conversation when you can't hear what the other person has said and embarrassing to continually ask then to repeat themselves, I'm sure it makes me shout too

I quite enjoy chatting to random strangers about what they and I do - it's getting from there to actual 'network' that I struggle with.

It really struck me when my 'job' was maternity leave - spent many an afternoon with gangs of women with babies, but slowly became clear many of them were starting to meet in smaller groups and I wasn't part of it.

What should you be doing after the networking event?

ALWAYS HAVE YOUR PLATE HALF FULL SO YOU CAN ALWAYS USE THE EXCUSE OF GETTING MORE FOOD IF THE CONVERSATION DIES

I hate networking with people. I like networking with computers. They understand me, and the fact that I have less charisma than a sea cucumber doesn't bother them.

I am awful at it! I can talk one on one quite confidently, but in a small group or more I just withdraw and if required to talk, I go red and ramble!

I'm pretty shy as soon as it comes to 'networking' events! Very friendly and confident in my work environment but struggle to transfer that confidence when anybody mentions the word 'networking'! It seems to add pressure to the situation. I network much better through events which don't have the main purpose of networking.

It is interesting to see that nobody likes these artificial networking events. Surely, there should be a much less painful way to get people to introduce themselves to each other than giving them some finger food and let them loose in a cage venue.

I think networking organisers have much to learn from TumbleTots: get people to work in small groups in something fun that gives them skills, and then move them to a new station every fifteen minutes.

By the way, thank you for the half full plate tip. Most useful stuff mentioned so far :-)

I don't enjoy it but I can do it. My top tips are:

1. Don't have an agenda. Just view it as a chat and some people you will click with and some you won't.
2. Relax and be honest. I have made some good contacts comparing notes with other women working part time and how difficult it can be.
3. I can spot people who make a bee line for me to get some work out of me and that just doesn't cut it with me.

I'd love to be good at Networking, every time I have an opportunity I chicken out and sit quietly at the back. And every time I think I'll make more effort next time

I hate it. Trying to sound professional and friendly, trying to sound intelligent but no arrogant, trying to talk about current matters without offending opinion.

Terrifies the life out of me as I am building up to a networking event - I always feel so nervous. But it comes as part and parcel of a corporate/professional environment. Have to say though, I do always find it a bit false and I'm sure people are nicer at these events than they sometimes are in real life!

i dont do networking, i dont like it either. Its all the small talk , making out you actually want to talk to someone, when the bottom line is ... I want a job, do you have one for me?

I'm hopeless at networking. Trying to sell myself or some product or service just isn't me.

I quite enjoy meeting new people and am always chattering away to complete strangers in the supermarket queue etc! However, it can be a different matter when you need to impress people.
Being and "Older lady," I'm at that lovely stage in my life where other people's opinions of me matter so much less :)

I'm not very good at it and tend to run out of things to say. Luckily I have a friend who is much better at talking and we go to these sorts of events together. The location is important to me. I'm comfortable in a pub, but make me sit in a brightly lit coffee shop and I hate it. I've recently joined a networking group and all the meetings are in a coffee shop :(

i'm not the best, others put me to shame. they're always armed with a business card in hand ready to exchange. it's a way of working - you have to get used to it, embrace it and always be seeking.