Why CPA Chapter Networking Nights Feel Awkward
The invitation says 'networking night.' Members show up after work, pick up a name tag, and grab a drink.
Then they find the two people from their own firm — and spend the next hour with them.
Nobody meets anyone new. A few people leave early. And the chapter wonders why attendance keeps slipping.
Quick Answer
Chapter networking nights feel awkward because open mingling gives members no structure and no reason to talk to someone new.
Accountants don't dislike people. Most just dislike unstructured small talk — especially after a long day.
5 Reasons Networking Nights Stall
1. 'Go Network' Isn't a Plan
Accountants spend their days working to clear processes and standards. An event with no structure — just 'mingle' — can feel uncomfortable by comparison.
2. Firms Travel in Packs
When a firm sends five people, they naturally stay together. It's comfortable, but it defeats the point of a chapter event.
3. Conversations Stall at 'Where Do You Work?'
Without a better question, most networking conversations cover firm, role, and busy season — and then run out of steam.
4. People Are Tired
Many members come straight from the office or a three-hour CPD session. Walking up to strangers takes energy they don't have left.
That's especially true for introverts — and many of the most common networking mistakes introverts make come from trying to network without a plan.
5. New Members Stand Alone
Students, new members, and newly designated CPAs don't have a firm group to fall back on. If nobody approaches them, their first chapter event is a lonely one.
Why Members Stop Coming
Most members join a chapter for two things: professional development and a professional network.
CPD can be earned in many places. The network is what makes the chapter different — and when networking nights don't deliver it, the reason to show up fades.
- New members don't return after one lonely event
- Mid-career members stop coming because they 'see the same people'
- Members from industry and government feel like outsiders at a room full of public practice
- Volunteers burn out organizing events that feel half-empty
What Doesn't Fix It
More Drinks and Better Food
Nicer venues help attendance, but they don't change who talks to whom.
Round-the-Room Introductions
With 40 or more members, it takes too long, and nobody remembers anyone's name afterwards.
Asking Members to 'Meet Three New People'
A good intention, but without a specific reason to approach someone, most people won't.
What Helps: Add Structure
The chapters that fix networking nights don't ask members to become extroverts. They change the format.
Give Every Member a Specific Question
'Find someone who moved from public practice into industry and ask why they switched' is far easier than 'go network.'
Make It a Game With Clear Rules
A simple goal — meet five people, one prompt at a time — gives the evening a structure accountants can get behind.
Send Experienced Members to New Ones
Prompts like 'Find someone attending their first chapter event' put the effort on the people who are comfortable, not on the newcomers.
A new member welcome icebreaker is built around exactly this idea.
Put Networking First
Run it in the first 20–30 minutes, before dinner or the CPD session, while people are still standing.
Where to Start
For practical formats that work with accountants — from table topics to phone-based games — see our list of icebreakers and networking games for accountants.
Or see how a networking game for CPA chapter events runs from start to finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do accountants avoid networking events?
Mostly because open networking feels unstructured and draining. After a long day of client work, walking up to strangers with nothing specific to say is a lot to ask. Many accountants are happy to talk once a conversation has a clear starting point.
Why do members stop coming to CPA chapter events?
Often because the events don't deliver the network they were promised. If members spend each networking night with their own colleagues, or new members stand alone at their first event, the value of showing up drops.
How can a chapter make networking easier for introverted members?
Replace open mingling with structure: a specific question to ask, a partner to find, and a set amount of time. Pair-based formats are much more comfortable than speaking in front of a group.
What's the best time for networking at a chapter event?
At the start, while people are standing with a drink — before they sit down for dinner or a CPD session. Once members are seated, most stay with whoever they sat beside.