Brooke Linn (EDU’04) has a mantra: Never underestimate the power of being likeable.

“I used to get on my soapbox and tell students to take advantage of those daily opportunities, even if it’s just connecting with someone at Starbucks,” Linn says.

“We have all these recruiters on campus, you might find yourself in line behind someone who has a shirt on from an employer that you’re interested in. Don’t just look down at your phone, take advantage of those opportunities.”

Being likeable is one thing. But small talk? Networking? Few things strike as much terror into the hearts of introverts.

Here are five tips Linn offered to help navigate those social circumstances that often prove daunting for so many of us.

Tip #1: Prepare for Battle

Before you go to a career fair or networking event, get coaching from someone who can help plan out questions and talking points.

If you’re a current Purdue student, the Center for Career Opportunities offers coaching from a career consultant.

If you’re a Purdue alumnus, connect with Maureen Huffer Landis at the Purdue Alumni Association. She offers career consulting services for Purdue graduates.

If you’re intimidated by the idea of a career fair, you might also look for a smaller event. An event organized through a student organization might have fewer people.

Tip #2: It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know

Look around your circle and talk with peers who might have connections they can help you make. If you’re looking for a job at a certain company, check out their LinkedIn page and see if you have any connections who work there.

Being proactive through the network you already have is a great way to expand it. Don’t be afraid to ask for an introduction!

Tip #3: The Purdue Connection

I used to tell students to look for a connection, and Purdue is a great place to start. Purdue grads love helping students out.

I encourage people to go on LinkedIn or the Purdue Alumni portal. Research profiles in your industry and start sending messages.

When you send a message, make sure to personalize it based on what you saw on their profile. What did you think was interesting? Then see if they wouldn’t mind answering a few questions.

Once you’ve been able to have a back-and-forth conversation, hopefully you’ll feel more comfortable considering setting up a meeting with them.

It isn’t likely that everyone you reach out to will respond, but there’s always a chance. I would caution students against sending more than three requests at a time, because in the event that they do all respond, you want to establish a strong professional image and that means you need to manage all those conversations well.

Whether or not you’re able to meet with that person face-to-face, the core of it is finding people — and if you’re not going to career fairs, then LinkedIn is the best way to do it.

Tip #4: Be Aware

Even if you’re an introvert, it’s still important to be aware of your surroundings. You don’t need to chat with everyone in line while you’re waiting for your coffee, but be mindful of how you cultivate your image.

If an opportunity presents itself, take advantage of it. If you’re the type of person that gets so lost in social media — even if you’re doing it to support your job search — that you lose awareness of what’s around you, then it might benefit you to make the decision to conduct that portion of your job search at home versus in public. But if you can manage it well and don’t have missed opportunities, then proceed as you see fit.

Tip #5: Practice Makes Perfect

If you’re going to interviews or career fairs, you know that the first thing they’ll say: “So, tell me about yourself.” If you have a solid elevator pitch, you’re setting yourself up for success with the rest of your conversation. And the good news is, that’s something that’s easy to practice at home.

If you aren’t a natural conversationalist, develop a strategy to manage social situations. A great place to start is by asking questions. Most people are happy to talk about themselves if given the chance. Come up with a go-to list of questions. Again, maybe a career counselor, professor, or advisor can help you develop those questions. No interviewer or recruiter has ever complained about too many questions.

I recommend the resource Big Interview that the Center for Career Opportunities offers to current students by logging into their myCCO accounts. You can practice answering questions to a webcam. The answer is recorded, and students can watch it back to see how they look and sound. It’s an eye-opening tool for a lot of people!

Bottom line: do your homework! Practice your elevator pitch, develop a strategy for social situations, and make sure you’re asking solid, research-based questions.