[blindlaw] Schmoozing

[Angie Matney]

Hi Mazen,

I'm interested in what others have to say about this.

I don't really have any solutions for you, but I've gotten a taste of this at some firm receptions held in conjunction with on-grounds interviews here. At one, the recruiter made a point of introducing me to a few different people. I did get a callback from 
that firm, but I ended up accepting an offer from another firm and not going on this callback. Helpful recruiter notwithstanding, that firm was not my first choice.

Things will be different for me as an associate. Maybe I'll be able to get away with bringing a sighted assistant. I hope to be in the position to have a sighted assistant who could efficiently help in these situations. I do know someone like that here, but 
her aversion to these things is so strong that I'm sure I couldn't pay her enough to come with me, even on an associate's salary. (grin)

I have to say that the receptions were far and away the most horrible part of OGI's for me, and those are relatively minor as far as receptions like this go.

Later,

Angie

On Mon, 24 Sep 2007 14:32:38 -0700, Mazen wrote:

>Schmoozing
>Dear Blindlaw,
>I've been trying to figure out a good technique to manage professional social events--the best way to mingle in a crowded room.    Naturally print name tags are useless.
>Have you brought sighted assistants with you to help find  people that you want to meet? Or do you randomly introduce yourself in a conversation?
>I've think both techniques leave much to be desired. A sighted assistant may not recognize people , and its impossible to read everyone's name tag. Also the social skills of the sighted assistant may not be quite up to par.
>On the other hand going alone and randomly introducing oneself in a conversation may enable you to meet some people, but if you're looking for someone in particular you may not get the opportunity to speak to them since you can't find them and 
you end up talking to people you don't really want to talk to. Or you may find yourself in the embarrassing situation of interrupting a conversation where you're not really welcome.
>Option number three of course is standing and waiting for someone to approach you but this of course has the downside of that never happening, plus the problem of not finding the people you're interested in meeting in the first place.
>So, I'm curious am I the only one with this dilemma? If not, what has and has not worked for you?
>Back to billing time,
>M~
>Mazen M. Basrawi
>Associate
>Bingham McCutchen LLP