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At one time or another, weve all sat next to someone interesting on a plane or a train, making small talk that sometimes leads to long-winded conversations about life, the world, even personal struggles or accomplishments. Its been said its easier to talk to a stranger . . . but could these random, chance chats lead to networking opportunities? To be clear, vacation provides crucial time to unplug, relax, spend time with family and friends and is vital in maintaining work-life balanceso no one is saying you should treat your holiday like a business conference. (Not least any travel companions you may have.) But the trick is, should you recognize when a conversation on a beach, boat or beyond could be moving in a direction related to your skills, experience or care . . . it might lead to surprising, beneficial results, says Ronald Placone, associate teaching professor emeritus of management communication at Carnegie Mellon Universitys Tepper School of Business. There are always opportunities to network, he says. Sometimes they emerge when least expected. Whether its at the airport bar flying home for the holidays, or at a tropical resort as you seek warmer temps this winter . . . the thing you could find instead is someone who could help you out down the road. Fast Company asked three business experts about how to keep in touch with interesting folks you meet on your travels. The magic of the vacation dynamic You never know who youre going to meet when youre in a new environment. You may cross paths with an industry leader, a fellow professional in your field, or even a recruiter while enjoying your mai tai by the pool, or while killing time in the Amtrak café car. This random meeting could facilitate a conversation. You may be more relaxed, less scripted, and come across as more genuine in such contexts, adds Placone. Even when youre unplugging, casual conversations often touch on what we do professionally, says Kara Ayers, senior vice president of talent at Xplor Technologies, an Atlanta-based SaaS and payments company. She calls potential benefits to these meetings to be tremendous. After all, referrals fill many positions and often make solid hires. Sharing your skills and success with someone in a vacation context is more casual, and not as performative as it would be in a mixer or at a formal work event. Chatting with potential contacts on vacation feels refreshing because its unbiased and pressure-free, Ayers says. And if you love what you do, encounters like these with someone like-minded in the wild may remind you of that. For example, during a recent vacation, I had a simple discussion with another HR professional which evolved into an exchange of best practices for managing global benefits, she shares, an encounter she calls enlightening and valuable. Nowadays, with the rise of digital nomads, greater remote work opportunities domestically and abroad and even more expats in the workforceit could very well be a real possibility that your next holiday sees you cross paths with a potential future colleague. But dont push it, adds Placone. Reading the room The absolute key to vacation-networking, and why it even unfolds in the first place, is that its casual and organic. If the stranger you strike up small talk with in the hotel lounge reveals they work in the same field as you, go with the flow without an agenda. Not everyone wants to talk about work while their OOO message is on back home, especially when so many U.S. workers report feeling guilty for going on vacation to begin with. A big part of doing this right is being able to accurately pick up vibes. Avoid the all-time rookie mistake, of course, of trying to chat to your neighbor on public transportation once they put their headphones inthats the universal travelers signal for stop talking to me. If an airplane seatmate pulls out their computer or tablet and either starts working or watching a show, that’s another signal, says Ruth Sherman, a communications coach, media trainer, and consultant in Greenwich, Connecticut. You might be okay with talking to strangers on your vacay, but others might not be. And of course, if the individual is with other people, make sure the conversation is inclusive for everyone to participate, Ayers adds. If they seem uninterested, pivot the conversation back to other topics, advises Ayers. Listen and be engaged with the other individual and their interests. In this setting, the chat is “not self-promotion, she says. Be authentic and enjoy the serendipitous meeting for what it is: an unplanned encounter with a friendly stranger who shares interests, or a similar life context when it comes to career. And if things feel right, approach the topic about staying in touch. Lets connect Many people want to be 100% disengaged from anything that even reminds them of work while on vacation. Its okay to acknowledge that now is not the time to have networking-type conversations. (Good form, even.) But you could always mention that youd value a future opportunity to reconnect and talk shop when youre back online. Ask about how to best to communicate with that individual in the future, if theyre open to it, Placone says. Many people do not carry business cards these days, so Ayers recommends offering to connect on LinkedIn. This is low pressure and a great way to stay connected, she adds. Other vacation-goers opt for the Instagram follow when they hit it off with fellow travelers. If that feels right, do that, even if you do hope for a potential professional relationship down the line. Networking on vacation is about doing what feels right, easy and authentic. You are not pitching someone or showing them that you are the best candidate for a hypothetical role, Ayers says. You are sharing stories and experience. Maybe thats trading war stories from earlier jobs, hot takes on buzzy industry news in the headlines, or just bonding with someone similar on a human level in a comfortable, low-stakes environment. That authenticity builds trust and makes the interaction more memorable, Ayers says. And in a labor market as fraught as this one, a genuine bond in a surprising setting might be the unexpected boon your career needs.
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E-Commerce
Contract roles can feel like the perfect job setup: flexible hours, work-from-home perks, and a way to break into your dream company. For some, they also serve as a temporary solution until a more permanent position comes along. Yet sometimes when freelancers decide to transition to a full-time gig, their contract history can potentially come back to bite themeven when it shouldnt. In a job interview, employers might ask: Can you work effectively on a team? Can you take direction from a manager? Will you think about your work long term? Or they might not ask at all, but theyll still wonder. To be clear: Freelancing or contract work is work, of course. But if full-time employment is your goal, knowing how to address these concerns does matter in a job interview. Dont assume First, in a job interviewno matter which side of the table youre sitting onits essential not to make assumptions. Its important for hiring managers to be aware of assumptions they might have. Instead of assuming, ask very direct questions, says Phoebe Gavin, a career and leadership coach. Dont just assume they cant work a 9-to-5, or that theyre not willing to commit to a company long term. If youre a job seeker, when applying for roles and in interviews, get ahead of assumptions by addressing them head-on. If the employer is looking for a collaborative team member, share examples of how youve worked effectively with others in the past. The hiring manager may genuinely not be aware of how collaborative freelance or contract work can be. So for the person who’s being interviewed, don’t make any assumptions about what they know about your work, Gavin says. Can you work on a team? Freelancers often work more independently, but that doesnt mean you prefer to, or that you work entirely alone. After all, you probably send your work off to someone for review. If you thrive in a team environmentor even miss being part of a teamsay so. When working as a freelancer, there may have been times when your work has required working with multiple parties and collaborating with teams. Even if it was temporary for a particular project, make it really clear that that’s something you have experience with, Gavin says. Highlight specific examples from past projects where you successfully collaborated with others, showing that you can contribute effectively on a team. Career coach Patrice Williams Lindo recommends saying something like: I rebrand quickly into the teams operating model. That means understanding how decisions get made, who owns what, and where my work fits into the broader system. I dont operate in silos. I network intentionally across stakeholders so my work lands cleanly, on time, and without creating friction. Independence, for me, means high trust, not high isolation. Can you take direction? When looking for a new job, remember that youll most likely have a manager. If youre thinking, I don’t really need a manager; I can do the work without you managing me, that mindset can create challenges with the person providing direction. Showing that you can take direction demonstrates adaptability and immediately makes you a stronger candidate. Williams Lindo suggests saying something like: I dont need micromanagement, but I do respect structure, accountability, and feedback. My goal is to deliver in a way that strengthens leadership credibility, not competes with it. Can you think beyond the project at hand? Freelancers usually focus on the work in front of them and dont always have to think about long-term impact, but in a full-time role, youre expected to see the bigger picture. If thats something you do already, make sure you say that. For example, if you like to promote your work after its published, thats something worth highlighting. Williams Lindo suggests saying, Even when my engagement is project-based, my mindset is enterprise-level. I document decisions, build repeatable processes, and leave behind claritynot just deliverables. Im always thinking about how my work ladders up to longer-term outcomes, because recognition comes from impact, not just execution. Contract roles can help you land a full-time position if you want one. By addressing assumptions up front and showing that you can collaborate, take direction, and think beyond individual projects, you signal that youre ready to thrive in a full-time role. Freelance experience is real work, and it matters. When presented strategically, it can showcase your impact and position you as a strong candidate for permanent opportunities.
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E-Commerce
Whenever I tell people Im an auctioneer, there are inevitably two follow up questions: First: Do you talk really fast like those guys on TV? followed by a cartoonish imitation, complete with an imaginary microphone and a pseudo Southern accent. Second: Whats the most expensive thing youve ever sold? After two decades of auctioneering, the answer is usually something in the many millions. I typically just name the last item I sold for over a million dollars. Whether someone pictures a fast talking cattle auction or a refined British gentleman selling Picassos in black tie, auctioneers are assumed to do one thing: talk. A lot. Which is why most people are shocked to learn that the most powerful tool I like to use on stage isnt my voice at all. Its silence. When Im onstage in front of 500 people, yes, fast, energetic bidding can electrify a room. But in auctioneering, as in negotiation, the person who is comfortable with silence holds the advantage. Think about the last time you negotiated anything. The one who jumps to fill every uncomfortable silence often reveals the most. The one who sits in the quiet controls the pace. Lessons learned After years in the boardroom and on stage, here are the top three lessons Ive learned about how silence can capture the attention of any room: 1. When a room is talking, dont talk over it. Own the moment. If a crowd wont quiet down, talking louder rarely works. Instead, I smile and say, Ill wait until the room is quiet enough to hear me. The shift is immediate. People realize theyre missing something or they are being rude, and they stop. Once theyve realized Im willing to wait for them to stop talking before Ill start again the dynamic is shifted, and now they are paying attention. 2. Make your point, then stop talking. Many times when I am onstage with a new crowd I will ask the audience where I should start the bidding. Instead of throwing out a number that could intimidate half the room, I will say to the audience who wants to start the bidding? When the person raises their hand Ill ask where are we starting the bidding tonight? and then I simply wait . . . 9 out of 10 times the person will come in at a higher level simply because they dont know where I plan to start and want to be sure they dont announce a low bid. Youll be amazed how often the other side rushes to fill the space, usually revealing exactly what you need to know. 3. Silence raises more money than any speech ever could. During the paddle raise portion of a charity auction paddle raise, Im not offering a vacation home or a puppy. Im simply asking for donations. When I begin at the highest level, say, $25,000 the room gets very still. People shift in their chairs. They look at each other. They wait. But more importantly, I wait. And sometimes Ill throw in a joke to show them how at ease I am in the silence Ill wait just long enough until it starts to get really uncomfortable and then I smile and wait a little longer. Inevitably someone will raise their hand simply to break the tension. Its no concern for me; I will wait all night. Thats the power of silence: It moves people to act. The next time you are in an important meeting, giving a speech, or presenting on stage, remember the power of silence and use it to your advantage.
Category:
E-Commerce
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