The clock has started it’s countdown. A couple more days in Ireland and then I’m back home. But that doesn’t mean I’m done learning.

Today we had our most entertaining lecture. Rob Cullen expertly taught us more about the process of networking in the business world. He also threw candy at us for getting the right answer so I think everybody was more engaged than usual.

He broke down the more difficult than it seems and sometimes awkward process of networking. From firm handshakes and strong but not excessive eye-contact to the How-Tos of introducing yourself, there was a lot of little details about networking I never considered.

For example: if you are at a dinner and mingle event the common sense tactics apply. These include dressing up, avoiding being on your phone, having your business card ready, doing research on who will be there ahead of time, having a pitch ready, etc. But there are other tactics that may help you be even more successful when growing your network. Rob taught us how to “keep the circle open.” Never entirely close off a group by standing in a way that blocks other people from joining. Additionally, it might be a good idea to bring in other people from nearby groups to join the conversation. One more thing that applies to all business networking events, too: never be afraid of asking questions as long as you do it politely. People won’t remember that you couldn’t recall their name five minutes after meeting them but they will remember if you are rude. I plan to keep both of those in mind for the future.

Specifically for Irish networking, Rob told us that the Irish have a very slow-burn way of networking. When little to no business agreements are intended, a business card is exchanged along with quick farewells. But when you do want to form a meaningful business connection with an Irish person, you would start it off with more personal details. Get to know where they’re from, what are their hobbies and interests, their history and relate to that as much as possible. At the end, you might even come out with a friend in addition to an agreeable date to finally talk business over a cup of coffee.

I visited the national art gallery today! Though I only had about half an hour before I was kicked out because it closed, I saw some beautiful Irish paintings of representations of community which made me think about how networking is just like painting. If you work at it hard enough, you could come out with a beautiful final product that brings people together.

Last official day tomorrow. I feel like I’m already grieving this experience before it ends. But I’ll enjoy it to the last. See you then!