Part 1 of 6: Networking During a Pandemic

2021-02-01T16:02:49-05:00

Networking used to be done in person, but that isn’t today’s reality during a pandemic. Does that mean we can’t network anymore? Not at all.

Networking may have changed, but it will never disappear. In 2021, social media is the key and it can transform how you should approach a job search with the possibility of reaching millions of people.

Preparing to Network
First you need a LinkedIn profile, and it needs to be professional. As a veteran, the first thing you should do is sign up for the Free 1-year Premium Subscription: http://rly.pt/2AOYLQl. The subscription provides a great way to reach out to people and access LinkedIn Learning, which offers a huge library of training courses.

Professionalizing your LinkedIn profile will require some thought. To start, you need a good photo. Take a picture that shows you in a professional demeanor.

Next, use LinkedIn learning to take a few courses on how to build a profile. There are a number of lessons on how to build a profile, ways to connect to others, and how to fully complete a profile that displays your accomplishments. This is critical for your online performance.

Next, you will need to have content to participate. Your content can come from your experience, your opinions on subjects, sharing information you come across in your newsfeed and commenting on articles. Participating increases your visibility to your connections. We recommend creating a Google Alert (http://rly.pt/3rpoPXt) around topics related to your profession. The alerts will be a constant stream of new content for you to share and help develop your online reputation.

Create a Twitter Account
Twitter is one of the single greatest tools for you to shape your online reputation. Your Twitter feed (things that you post) allows you to share articles and thoughts related to your profession, and demonstrating your expertise. Additionally, there are thousands of job openings posted in other streams daily. LinkedIn learning has several courses to help you become proficient with this valuable tool.

Research and Follow
Once online, it is time to research. Research companies of interest in your industry. Reviewing potential employer profiles and “Liking” or “Following” them can help you learn more about them and position you in a positive light once you start networking.

Tips for Researching with LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a wealth of information. Key areas to research are organizational pages. Most employers have a presence on LinkedIn. By reviewing the company page you can get a feel for what the company does and reviewing their daily posts can provide some insight to corporate initiatives, successes, and company culture. Many times, jobs are posted on LinkedIn and may allow you to apply directly from the company page.

Also, profiles of people who work for these organizations are useful. You can research who you may have a connection with, share professional skill sets with, and job roles or titles inside the company. With a premium subscription, you can save profiles to review later and this can help when you begin networking.

Tips for Researching on Twitter
Twitter also provides excellent real-time insight to a company or person. By researching corporate Twitter feeds and their employees, you can find out about an employer’s opinions or perspectives on what’s important to them through their events, news, press releases, and more.

In Part 2 of this discussion, we will share how to leverage these tools to begin networking.

Veteran subscriptions | Social Impact

As part of LinkedIn's commitment to connect veterans with opportunity, we offer U.S. service members and veterans a free one-year Job Seeker Career Premium subscription.

Response by SFC Melvin Brandenburg made Feb 1 at 2021 7:37 PM

2021-02-01T19:37:00-05:00

I found my current position that way

Response by CPT Richard Trione made Feb 8 at 2021 7:12 PM

2021-02-08T19:12:13-05:00

I highly recommend BNI "Business Networking International!" I have been an active member for 3 years and my business ROI has increased by 30%.
https://www.bni.com/

BNI: Business Network International | Business Networking

With over 275,000 Members worldwide, Business Network International (BNI) is the world's largest business networking and business referral organization.