2 rules for drinking at a networking event: It's not cocktail hour, it's 'relationship building hour,' Harvard career advisor says

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Networking events can be intimidating. You have to be professional but personable, come off as confident but not schmoozy. Walking this line can be challenging and you might find yourself turning to an open bar to quell some of your nerves. Imbibing isn't outright bad, but, as anyone who has had one too many drinks knows, there are some instances when alcohol can hinder your social skills instead of help. Your goal at networking events is to convey you are "competent, committed and compatible," says Gorick Ng, a Harvard career adviser and author of "The Unspoken Rules." "It may be called 'cocktail hour,' but it's really 'relationship building hour,'" he says. "It's your chance to walk up to a stranger and turn them into an acquaintance or ally." Here is the right way to use an open bar at a networking event, according career experts.