“I love networking and making small talk with strangers”, said almost no one ever. While there are people who thrive on networking, most of us find it to be awkward or intimidating. Some might even think it borders on being exploitative or fake.

But in today’s professional world, a rich and diverse network is one of the biggest advantages you can have. It can lead to bigger and better opportunities, broader and deeper knowledge, increased job satisfaction and quicker career advancement.

According to a survey by Lou Adler, CEO at Performance-based Hiring Learning Systems, 85% of all jobs fill via networking. As the phrase goes…