How to network on vacation (and why)

At one time or another, we’ve all sat next to someone interesting on a plane or a train, making small talk that sometimes leads to long-winded conversations about life, the world, even personal struggles or accomplishments. 

It’s been said it’s easier to talk to a stranger . . . but could these random, chance chats lead to networking opportunities? 

To be clear, vacation provides crucial time to unplug, relax, spend time with family and friends and is vital in maintaining work-life balance—so no one is saying you should treat your holiday like a business conference. (Not least any travel companions you may have.)

But the trick is, should you recognize when a conversation on a beach, boat or beyond could be moving in a direction related to your skills, experience or care . . . it might lead to surprising, beneficial results, says Ronald Placone, associate teaching professor emeritus of management communication at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business.

“There are always opportunities to network,” he says. “Sometimes they emerge when least expected.” Whether it’s at the airport bar flying home for the holidays, or at a tropical resort as you seek warmer temps this winter . . . the thing you could find instead is someone who could help you out down the road. 

Fast Company asked three business experts about how to keep in touch with interesting folks you meet on your travels.

The magic of the vacation dynamic

You never know who you’re going to meet when you’re in a new environment. You may cross paths with an industry leader, a fellow professional in your field, or even a recruiter while enjoying your mai tai by the pool, or while killing time in the Amtrak café car. 

This random meeting could facilitate a conversation.

“You may be more relaxed, less scripted, and come across as more genuine” in such contexts, adds Placone. 

“Even when you’re unplugging, casual conversations often touch on what we do professionally,” says Kara Ayers, senior vice president of talent at Xplor Technologies, an Atlanta-based SaaS and payments company. She calls potential benefits to these meetings to be “tremendous.” After all, referrals fill many positions and often make solid hires.

Sharing your skills and success with someone in a vacation context is more casual, and not as performative as it would be in a mixer or at a formal work event. Chatting with potential contacts on vacation feels refreshing because it’s unbiased and pressure-free, Ayers says. And if you love what you do, encounters like these with someone like-minded in the wild may remind you of that. 

“For example, during a recent vacation, I had a simple discussion with another HR professional which evolved into an exchange of best practices for managing global benefits,” she shares, an encounter she calls “enlightening and valuable.” 

Nowadays, with the rise of digital nomads, greater remote work opportunities domestically and abroad and even more expats in the workforce—it could very well be a real possibility that your next holiday sees you cross paths with a potential future colleague.

But “don’t push it,” adds Placone.

Reading the room

The absolute key to vacation-networking, and why it even unfolds in the first place, is that it’s casual and organic. 

If the stranger you strike up small talk with in the hotel lounge reveals they work in the same field as you, go with the flow without an agenda. Not everyone wants to talk about work while their OOO message is on back home, especially when so many U.S. workers report feeling guilty for going on vacation to begin with.

A big part of doing this right is being able to accurately pick up vibes. Avoid the all-time rookie mistake, of course, of trying to chat to your neighbor on public transportation once they put their headphones in—that’s the universal traveler’s signal for “stop talking to me.”

“If an airplane seatmate pulls out their computer or tablet and either starts working or watching a show, that’s another signal,” says Ruth Sherman, a communications coach, media trainer, and consultant in Greenwich, Connecticut. “You might be okay with talking to strangers on your vacay, but others” might not be. And of course, if the individual is with other people, make sure the conversation is inclusive for everyone to participate, Ayers adds.

“If they seem uninterested, pivot the conversation back to other topics,” advises Ayers. Listen and be engaged with the other individual and their interests. In this setting, the chat is “not self-promotion,” she says. Be authentic and enjoy the serendipitous meeting for what it is: an unplanned encounter with a friendly stranger who shares interests, or a similar life context when it comes to career. 

And if things feel right, approach the topic about staying in touch. 

‘Let’s connect’

Many people want to be 100% disengaged from anything that even reminds them of work while on vacation. It’s okay to acknowledge that now is not the time to have networking-type conversations. (Good form, even.) But you could always mention that you’d value a future opportunity to reconnect and talk shop when you’re back online. 

“Ask about how to best to communicate with that individual in the future,” if they’re open to it, Placone says. Many people do not carry business cards these days, so Ayers recommends offering to connect on LinkedIn. “This is low pressure and a great way to stay connected,” she adds.

Other vacation-goers opt for the Instagram follow when they hit it off with fellow travelers. If that feels right, do that, even if you do hope for a potential professional relationship down the line. 

Networking on vacation is about doing what feels right, easy and authentic.

“You are not pitching someone or showing them that you are the best candidate” for a hypothetical role, Ayers says. “You are sharing stories and experience.” Maybe that’s trading war stories from earlier jobs, hot takes on buzzy industry news in the headlines, or just bonding with someone similar on a human level in a comfortable, low-stakes environment. 

“That authenticity builds trust and makes the interaction more memorable,” Ayers says.

And in a labor market as fraught as this one, a genuine bond in a surprising setting might be the unexpected boon your career needs.