You know that an important aspect of attending workshops, conferences, and other events, is meeting the other participants. But as an introvert, it can be challenging (to say the least) to approach strangers in a crowded room, when you’d really rather be sitting in the corner or, better yet, at home playing with your cat.

Savvy introverts have learned that there is a way to meet a large number of people without the discomfort of introducing yourself to strangers, the fear of interrupting a conversation, or the awkwardness of making small talk. Their secret is to volunteer at the registration desk. This role provides the opportunity to meet nearly everyone as they come in (depending, of course, on the number of people staffing the registration desk) and something to say to them (here is your name tag, the bar is over there, etc.) without having to step very far outside their comfort zone. And, because most people will be eager to move on to where the activities are taking place, they’re unlikely to want to stick around and engage in lengthy conversation.

Why not try it, the next time you have a large event to attend?

There are a few interesting articles on Helium on the topic of Business ideas for the introvert. As would be expected, the businesses listed allow the individual to work alone and with minimal interaction with others. I was surprised to note, however, that none of the authors suggested virtual assistance, which is my own line of work, and a field that is growing by leaps and bounds. Although the services offered by virtual assistants vary according to the skills and interests of the individual VA, they may include many of the tasks mentioned in the above articles, e.g., graphic design, writing articles, blogs, and/or web content, ghost writing, preparing brochures and leaflets, website development, and research.

In addition, since VAs typically work from their homes and conduct most communication via email or online with only occasional telephone calls or in-person meetings, it allows them to focus on a task for long stretches of time without interruptions, just the way they like it.

You can find more information about virtual assistance at the Virtual Assistant Articles Directory. Maybe it’s just what you’ve been looking for!

One of the blogs I like to read is Jay Robb reviews business books, because I’ve always enjoyed Jay’s column in the career section of my local newspaper. He recently reviewed The Connect Effect: Building Strong Personal, Professional and Virtual Networks by Michael Dulworth, President & CEO of Executive Networks.

In The Connect Effect, Dulworth shares a wealth of information about effective networking, and because he’s an introvert himself, his advice is much more “doable” than that offered by some other experts. For example, it’s frequently suggested that you set a goal for each networking event that you attend, and an extraverted author might suggest that your goal might be to meet 10 new contacts. I can’t imagine talking to a total of 10 people at a two-hour event, let alone 10 new people! Dulworth’s recommendation is to aim for three or four substantive conversations at your next social event, instead of working the whole room.

For more of Michael Dulworth’s networking tips, read Jay Robb’s review, or better yet, read the book itself!

It has come to my attention that most of my postings lately have dealt with networking. Although it’s an important subject for anyone who is promoting a business or seeking employment, I’m afraid I’m starting to get a little repetitive, so today I’m going to venture out into the Blogosphere and visit another introverted blogger.

R. Quinn is an American who describes herself as a “recovering screw-up” and an “academic slave.” In her blog, The Professional Student, she recently wrote an interesting post with the simple title “I am an introvert.” in which she talks about her own experiences with other people’s perceptions of introversion and explains very clearly the differences between extraverts and introverts. It’s definitely worth a read!