Networking: The RPG – (or Everything I Need to Know About Networking I Learned From Playing D&D) – Adam Philipp

Are you a geek? An Introvert? Afraid of the crowds? Not sure what they will make of you? But you still want to connect with people? Then you want to play: NETWORKING, The Role Playing Game.

On your very first dungeon/networking event you can go out and:

slay kobolds (meet technical recruiters)

fend off orcs (accountants and lawyers)

drink healing/mana/attribute potions (wine/beer/whiskey)

collect loot (contact information!)

equip your character (get dressed up and ad props)

form parties (agree to meet up with someone again)

level up (move on to talking with speakers or higher level dungeons)

If you apply all the skills you honed with years of playing: D&D, GammaWorld, Top Secret, etc., you will find that networking is just another great RPG except the characters are really well developed and the GameMaster is not so scary. Let’s go out and play!

Adam Philipp (@MyPatents) is tech-savvy patent attorney and the founder of ÆON Law (), a high tech IP law firm in Seattle. Adam has a penchant for connecting with the tech community and does not hide his love of meeting smart people. He can usually be picked out at events as the lawyer with the glowing name badge.