Life
This App Takes The Stress Out Of Networking
And is actually, dare I say it, fun
I'm a huge fan of using social media and other apps to make connections that I may not have had the courage to make in person. Flirting IRL makes all my anxieties come out, so I used Tinder for a few months and ended up meeting my girlfriend, a connection I know I wouldn't have made otherwise. And as much as I sometimes complain to my friends about getting pitched to in my Instagram DMs by people looking for coverage, I also know that sending a message on social media can be the least stressful and most chill way to meet someone you could potentially vibe with on a professional level.
Shapr is just like Tinder or sliding into someone's DMs, only it focuses just on your career. A batch of 10 to 20 like-minded professionals is curated for you every day, so you are only put in contact with people who you'd want to talk to. (Thank god for the limited swipes, because anyone who's used a dating app knows that it becomes addictive.) From there, you can start conversations with people you want to meet and who want to meet you, too, or they can reach out to you first. Instead of emails, which sometimes feel formidable, or in-person first meetings, which always give me cold sweats, you can chat with a contact before meeting up to see if you actually vibe enough to potentially work together.
Shapr takes out the uncertainty of meeting new people for business, and, while using it for the past few weeks, I've met people I otherwise wouldn't have had the opportunity to work with, and have been able to network at my own pace. I'm able to tell potential connections how I'd want to meet, whether over a dinner or a quick coffee. I'm also able to make my intentions clear, right on my profile, so that people don't match with me thinking that I'll be able to offer them a job or a freelance position. Not knowing the ins and outs of any situation fuels my anxiety, and this app is like a weighted blanket that calms the stress of getting ahead in my career.
Whether you live with anxiety or not, having Shapr around can help you network the right way, without having to worry that your email came off too strong or question who you're really meeting up with for a business breakfast. It makes the stress of networking a lot more bearable.
So stop wasting time and start making the right connections!
