I was first introduced to networking during my P1 year in one of my favorite elective courses, Leadership in Pharmacy, taught by Dean Barone and Dr. Toscani. They emphasized it throughout the semester, and I understood why it mattered. Networking is essential, especially in a saturated field such as pharmacy. Still, I found it difficult to apply. As someone more on the introverted side, networking didn’t feel natural to me. It felt forced, and at times, transactional. About nine months ago, I had the chance to speak with a Vice President at a pharmaceutical company. I decided to be direct about how I felt. Here’s how that conversation kind of went: > Me: “I’ve been struggling with networking. It feels one-sided, like I’m the one trying to get something out of it. I don’t feel like I’m bringing much value to the conversation.” VP: “That’s a common way to look at it, but it’s not the most helpful way. Networking isn’t supposed to feel like a transaction.” Me: “Then how should I be thinking about it?” VP: “Think of it as getting to know someone, not trying to get something from them. It’s closer to building a casual relationship than anything else.” That idea stood out to me because I realized I had been putting pressure on every interaction. I was going into conversations thinking about outcomes rather than focusing on the conversation itself. Me: “But what if the conversation doesn’t lead anywhere?” VP: “Most of them won’t, and that’s fine. You’re not going to connect with everyone, and not every interaction needs to turn into something. That’s normal.” That helped reset my expectations. I had been measuring networking by what came out of it, rather than the experience of the conversation itself. Me: “I think part of it is that I overthink what to say.” VP: “Most people do. Try not to. Keep it simple and casual. You’re just having a conversation with another person.” After that conversation, my approach changed in a practical way. I stopped trying to prepare the “perfect” questions or worrying about how I was coming across. I started focusing more on listening and responding naturally. Networking became easier once I stopped treating it like something formal or high-stakes. It doesn’t mean every conversation goes well or leads to something meaningful, but it no longer feels forced. That shift alone made a difference.
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