Networking Conversation Starters That Actually Work

You’re standing next to a tall circular table, covered with a purple tablecloth; one hand sweating and clammy as you take a break from endless handshaking, the other hand uncomfortably gripping the wet napkin around the drink you’re holding.

Another new face walks over to you and you squint at the nametag before starting a conversation. Still, after the classic two questions of “What brings you to this conference?” and “What do you do for a living?” have been well exercised, you’re left standing in yet another awkward silence.

You sip your drink, which is just melted ice at this point, to fill the gap.

Sound familiar? Whether or not this has been your experience with networking, the awkward silence is certainly something that many of us can relate to.

Networking is an important aspect of career growth across a variety of industries, and for good reason. Unsurprisingly, in-person networking leads to stronger and more meaningful business relationships. However, according to a study by Forbes, it also can allow for more complex strategic thinking and lead to higher-quality decision making.

Furthermore, networking is equally valuable outside of your current team. Companies like LinkedIn and Hubspot cite that over 80% of jobs are filled through networking; and, according to CNBC, 70% of job openings are never published publicly.

Still, networking often comes with the *cringe* factor. It’s not a stretch to assume that you’ve been to at least one networking event that feels fake, forced, and just plain awkward.

So, how do you network in a way that creates stronger and more lasting relationships, inspires productivity, and makes you attractive to potential employers - while also staying authentic? How do you get to know people on a deeper level in a non-cringey way that’s actually - dare we say it - fun?

That’s where we come in.

We’ve pulled together 100 of our best questions for networking, based on over 2 years of data from our various conversational products. Unlike generic conversation starters, these networking questions allow you to get vulnerable and build a more meaningful relationship with your conversation partner, while also showcasing your own skills and allowing room for inspiration. This pack of networking conversation cards is available on the Gather app, but we’ve included a sneak peak below. 

Networking Questions for Meaningful Conversations

Next time you’re looking for questions at a networking event, try these conversation starters - sorted from light to deep!

LIGHT NETWORKING CONVERSATION STARTERS

  • If you were an office supply, which supply would you be and why?

  • What's the current screensaver on your phone?

  • What is the last thing you Googled?

  • If we had to do a talent show with no time to prepare, what would your act consist of? Why?

  • What, if anything, do you like to listen to when you have work to do?

  • What is one subject you could talk about for hours on end?

  • What's a workplace pet peeve you have?

  • If you had to eat the same lunch every single day, what meal would you choose and why?

  • If you were off to college next year, what would be your major and why?

  • What is one item your dream office would have to include?

MEDIUM NETWORKING QUESTIONS

  • What book do you recommend to people the most? Why do you recommend it?

  • Growing up, what was your favorite extracurricular activity? What do you think that says about the person you are today?

  • If you could be a fly on the wall in any meeting in the world, what meeting would you choose?

  • What is one very small thing you are worried about right now?

  • What’s an industry you’ve always been curious about?

  • Who is someone you'd like to "join forces" with, and what would you like to do together?

  • What industry do you think will be completely different in 5 years? Why?

  • If you could choose any person in the world to be your mentor, who would you choose and why?

  • Share some helpful career advice you've received in the past. Why was it helpful for you?

  • If you were retiring next month, where would you want to live, and what would you want to do?

DEEP NETWORKING CONVERSATION STARTERS

  • What is one thing that people wouldn't assume just by looking at you?

  • Talk about one accomplishment of yours that you're truly proud of.

  • Do you recall an incident when you almost gave up, but didn't? What was the result?

  • Is there a driving factor for your work? Talk about it.

  • Describe one of the greatest days of your life so far.


Enjoy the above networking questions? Get the full pack of 100 conversation starter cards on the Gather app, named “App of the Day” earlier this year for its library of questions on various relationships and occasions.

Madison McClung