By Sophie Deering,

Networking events are one of the best ways to create professional contacts and meet like minded people. They can have endless benefits for your career as you never know how the individuals you meet may be able to assist you in the future, so you want to make the most of the opportunities. Chances are you’ve been to at least one networking event since setting out into the world of work, so you’ll probably understand what I mean when I mention the different kinds of people you will find at a networking event, from the ones who are nervous to approach others, to the crowd pleaser.

This infographic by Ringlead outlines the 5 common types of networkers that you will generally come across at a networking event. Which category do you fall in?

• The Wallflower: This person is a bit shy and finds it difficult interacting with new people, so are likely to remain in one place throughout the event. If this is you, you may feel more comfortable taking somebody with you who is a bit more outgoing and can help introducing you to new people.
• The Clinger: They have a tendency to use the event as an opportunity to catch up with friends and will stay with the same people throughout. If you tend to do this, set yourself a target of meeting some new people.
• The Pusher: Everything they say is a sales pitch, as selling is their sole intention for the event. If you’re this individual, take a moment to stop and build relationships rather than sales opportunities.
• The Listener: This individual doesn’t really like speaking about themselves, so they therefore place all focus on the other individual. If you do this at networking events, try to contribute a bit more to conversations, after all, it’s difficult to build a professional relationship with someone if you don’t fill them in about what it is that you actually do.
• The Jester: This person is out to please and thrive when they are entertaining a big crowd; however if this is you, you may want to dedicate some of your time to having smaller more intimate conversations, as you will get to know people better that way.