Tips · Networking
Networking conversation tips for people who hate networking
A room full of name tags, a drink you didn’t want and the question “So, what do you do?” on repeat. Networking doesn’t have to feel like that. Here’s how to have real conversations at professional events.
Kumustahan is a bilingual conversation card app: 1,200 questions in English and Filipino across 7 decks, with a short reflection on the back of every card.
If you had one free hour every week, what hobby would you go back to?
Kung may isang free hour ka every week, anong hobby ang babalikan mo?
A hobby you miss can point to a part of you that still wants some space.
Yung hobby na nami-miss mo minsan tumuturo sa part ng sarili mo na gusto pa rin ng konting space.
In short
The idea
The best networking conversations are about what people are working on and what they enjoy, not their job titles. Arrive early when rooms are small, join groups that are standing open, ask about a current project, and leave each conversation with a clear, warm exit and a reason to follow up.
Aim for three good conversations rather than thirty business cards. That goal is achievable even for introverts, and it’s what actually leads somewhere.
Good for
Tips
- Arrive in the first twenty minutes.
- Step into groups of three or more with a gap.
- Ask what they’re working on, not what they do.
- Say their name back once and note a detail.
- Follow up within 48 hours with something specific.
Decks for this
Arrive early
The first twenty minutes of any event are the easiest. Fewer people, smaller groups, and everyone is looking for someone to talk to. The host is also free to introduce you. Arriving late means walking into tight circles that have already formed.
Join groups that are open
Look at how people are standing. Two people facing each other squarely are in a private conversation. A group of three or more with a gap in the circle is open; step into the gap, listen for a minute, then add something. Solo people near the food or the bar are almost always happy to be approached.
Ask about projects, not titles
“What do you do?” gets a title. These get a conversation:
- “What are you working on right now that you’re excited about?”
- “What brought you to this event?”
- “What’s the most interesting problem on your plate this month?”
- “How did you get into this field?”
- “What’s a talk or session you’d recommend today?”
Remember names
Say the name back once (“Nice to meet you, Priya”), then link it to a detail they told you: Priya, logistics, just back from Lisbon. Jot a quick note on your phone after the conversation. It makes the follow-up much easier and more personal.
Exit gracefully
Ending a conversation is a skill, not a rejection. After ten minutes or so, close with something specific: “I’m going to say hi to a few more people, but I’d love to hear how the Lisbon project goes. Can I find you on LinkedIn?” Or introduce them to someone else before you move on.
Follow up within two days
Send a short message within 48 hours that mentions something specific from your conversation: an article you promised, a person you said you’d introduce, a question about their project. Generic “great to meet you” messages are forgotten; specific ones start a relationship.
The questions
Questions for networking events
Real cards from the app, safe for professional settings.
Openers at the event
4 questions
Light and easy with a stranger.
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When you enter a new place, what’s one small thing you notice right away?
Kapag nasa bagong lugar ka, ano yung isang maliit na bagay na una mong napapansin?
Back of the card
What you notice first can hint at what makes a place feel interesting, calm, or welcoming to you.
Minsan clue yung una mong napapansin kung ano ang nakaka-curious, nakakapagpakalma, o nagpapagaan ng pakiramdam mo.
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Which language would you learn instantly if you woke up fluent tomorrow?
Kung paggising mo bukas ay marunong ka na ng isang bagong language, ano ang pipiliin mo?
Back of the card
Choose the first person you would like to talk to in that language.
Piliin ang unang taong gusto mong makausap gamit ang wikang iyon.
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If you could open a tiny shop just for fun, what would it sell?
Kung magbubukas ka ng maliit na tindahan for fun, ano ang ibebenta mo?
Back of the card
What would you call your shop?
Ano ang ipapangalan mo sa tindahan?
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If money were no problem, how would you spend a Saturday with nothing you had to do?
Kung walang kailangang gawin at hindi problema ang pera, paano mo gagamitin ang isang Sabado?
Back of the card
Picture the end of your Saturday. What would make you wish it were still morning?
Isipin ang katapusan ng Sabado mo. Bakit mo gugustuhing umaga pa lang?
About their work, without the résumé
6 questions
Projects, habits and what they enjoy.
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Which kind of task makes you lose track of time?
Anong klaseng task yung nakakalimutan mong oras kapag ginagawa mo?
Back of the card
The tasks that make time move fast can reveal what absorbs you, energizes you, or quietly fits how your mind works.
Yung tasks na nagpapabilis ng oras pwedeng clue kung ano ang kumukuha ng focus mo, nagpapagana sa'yo, o bagay sa utak mo.
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After finishing something hard, how do you usually celebrate or recover?
Kapag natapos mo ang mahirap na bagay, paano ka usually nagse-celebrate o nagre-recover?
Back of the card
Finishing something hard deserves a landing. Some people mark it loudly; some just need a quiet exhale.
Kapag may natapos kang mahirap, kailangan din ng landing. May nagse-celebrate nang malakas; may tahimik na hinga lang.
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Which everyday invention from the future would you most want to see?
Anong pang-araw-araw na gamit mula sa future ang gusto mong makita?
Back of the card
Give the invention a name people could remember.
Bigyan ang imbensiyon ng pangalang madaling tandaan.
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If you had one free hour every week, what hobby would you go back to?
Kung may isang free hour ka every week, anong hobby ang babalikan mo?
Back of the card
A hobby you miss can point to a part of you that still wants some space.
Yung hobby na nami-miss mo minsan tumuturo sa part ng sarili mo na gusto pa rin ng konting space.
-
Which small outside task do you secretly like doing, like buying something, picking something up, or dropping something off?
Anong maliit na task sa labas ang secretly gusto mong gawin, like bumili, kumuha, o maghatid ng something?
Back of the card
A small task outside can feel strangely satisfying. It gives the day a tiny mission with a clear finish line.
May small task sa labas na strangely satisfying. Parang may tiny mission yung araw, tapos malinaw kung kailan tapos.
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When did you last change your mind after hearing a good reason?
Kailan ka huling nagbago ng isip dahil may narinig kang magandang reason?
Back of the card
Try an optional before-and-after: "I thought..., but now..."
Kung gusto mo: "Dati, akala ko..., pero ngayon..."
Beyond the business card
5 questions
For a coffee follow-up, once you’ve met.
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Share the first time you did something on your own and felt more capable afterward.
Ikuwento ang unang beses mong gumawa ng isang bagay mag-isa at naisip mong, "Kaya ko pala."
Back of the card
Finish if you like: "That was when I realized I could..."
Kung gusto mo, ituloy: "Doon ko naisip na kaya ko palang..."
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What is something you can handle better now than before?
Ano yung mas kaya mo nang i-handle ngayon kaysa dati?
Back of the card
Growth is often noticed in comparison. What used to shake you may now take less from you.
Madalas napapansin ang growth kapag may comparison. Yung dati kang kinakabahan, baka ngayon mas kaya mo nang harapin.
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Name something you are nervous about that still feels worth trying.
Magsabi ng isang bagay na kinakabahan ka pero parang worth it pa ring subukan.
Back of the card
Nerves and courage often show up together. The fear does not automatically mean the step is wrong.
Madalas magkasama ang kaba at courage. Hindi porket may takot, mali na agad ang step.
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What are you looking forward to over the next few weeks?
Ano ang inaabangan mo sa susunod na mga linggo?
Back of the card
Finish if you like: "The part I cannot wait for is..."
Kung gusto mo, ituloy: "Ang pinaka-inaabangan ko ay..."
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In a group hangout, which role do you usually fall into: planner, joker, listener, snack person, or something else?
Sa group hangout, anong role ang usually napupunta sa'yo: planner, joker, listener, snack person, o iba pa?
Back of the card
Group roles can be funny because they appear before anyone assigns them. Somehow every hangout finds its planner, joker, listener, or snack person.
Minsan lumalabas yung role bago pa may mag-assign. Sa bawat hangout, may planner, joker, listener, o snack person talaga.
Networking conversation tips
Frequently asked questions
What should you talk about at a networking event?
Ask what people are working on, what brought them to the event and how they got into their field. Projects and interests make better conversation than job titles.
How do you start a conversation at a networking event?
Arrive early, approach someone alone or a group with an open gap, and start with the event itself: “What brought you here?” or “Which session are you going to next?”
How do you leave a networking conversation politely?
Close with something specific and a next step: “I’m going to meet a few more people, but I’d love to stay in touch about your project.” Or introduce them to someone before you go.
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