I was pleasantly surprised to see examples of the practical ways in which different networking styles can be equally beneficial to developing relationships and reputations. Though I am much more extroverted now, when I first began my career, I was introverted and relationship focused. Career services professionals told me that I needed to change my style fundamentally, which struck me as odd because I was still managing to network and find opportunities. Now, I am much more extroverted and gravitate toward seeking out new experiences/circles in professional contexts than I did before. I think the most valuable lesson from this module was the framework for small talk. The framework allows jobseekers to think of small talk as an opportunity to extract social "data" about a person/their communication style, which informs how the jobseeker should respond in kind. This not only takes the guesswork out of those casual conversations, it also naturally encourages active listening and empathetic responses, which strengthens the relationship both functionally and emotionally.
