I talked to a lot of job seekers in December. The conversations revealed that one of the challenges they were facing was the inability to network because of the of in-person opportunity to meet were cut off.
I think the opposite it true. There are way more opportunities and people have much more flexibility now that they are in work from home mode.
Refreshing a connection with people you know is just as easy as ever. Send a text or an email saying how great it would be to catch up and ask for some potential time slots. Set up a zoom invite and there you are. Not complicated at all.
Hi Mary – I know we haven’t spoken since we worked together. It would be great to catch and reminisce. Do you want to have coffee over Zoom later this week?
Making a new connection with someone you don’t know is, frankly, not any different than it was before. Figure out what you have in common. Maybe you know the same people or you work in the same industry or you kids played for the same soccer coach. Send a note mentioning the connection and why you want to connect and them set up time for a call.
Hi Bob – Not sure if you remember but I was in your dance class last winter. I saw the article about your recent retirement and wondered if you might take a few moments to give some insights in the industry. I’d be happy to send a Zoom invite at a time that works for you.
And finding new people to connect with is becoming easier. I have attended a bunch of virtual conferences and they are getting better and better. They are not hard to navigate and offer “rooms” to meet the speakers and other delegates and directories of the attendees with their details.
The other neat thing is that because the conferences no longer have the time and expense of travel, more people are attending. They are great forums for finding new people to help advance your knowledge and your career.
The bottom line is that there are more chances than ever to refresh connections and make new ones.
Recruiter's Couch 