In these past several months, employers have had to make many tough decisions while the global pandemic ushered in industry-affecting change that couldn’t be avoided or ignored. However, even in the midst of corporate turmoil and unprecedented layoffs, companies are still hiring.
Recruiters and hiring managers may be keeping their distance, but they’re also keeping their eyes and ears open for top talent, relying on word-of-mouth as well as professional hubs like LinkedIn and Facebook Groups to find new prospects.
That means your next opportunity could very well be the result of a network relationship you’ve cultivated with someone who’s plugged in with a hiring professional on an active search or it could be the result of simply being active and visible in networking spaces.
Therefore, we want to encourage you to strengthen your networking skills and remain confident in new opportunities, even while COVID-19 continues to affect workforces across the globe.
Here are 4 key tips to follow for networking right now:
1. Reach out to colleagues and friends, old and new, to set up exploratory calls.
When your career and livelihood are on the line, you can’t be afraid to put yourself out there.
You can really get things going by simply searching your phone contacts and social media friends lists for job-relevant people to speak with about potential work. Not only does it show initiative but it also increases your chances of being introduced to the right people or having your name brought up in the right conversations.
2. Attend virtual networking events.
One upside to this pandemic is the sense of grind and community that many people have adopted in the face of adversity (and distance). Virtual meetings for like-minded professionals have become not only popular but also commonplace.
They’re great tools for being seen and heard so you should be using these online gatherings to your advantage.
3. Clean up social media accounts.
For people who don’t know you, your social media accounts are often the source of first impressions. Do yourself a favor and go through old pictures and posts to make sure there’s nothing that might scare away potential opportunities.
4. Be active on LinkedIn.
It’s not enough to just have a profile on this platform; you must also proactively engage with other professionals on LinkedIn.
Take some time to create an engagement strategy where the goals are to comment on posts and articles while also creating informative and thought-provoking content to publish yourself.
Following these networking tips will help you remain professional, relevant, and accessible, which makes it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to deem you worthy of consideration. These tips will also help you form some amazing network relationships, which is always a plus!
For more helpful information to boost your career, check out my LinkedIn profile, or visit HuntingtoHired.com.