As someone looking for a job, you know just how important networking can be. With the way the world has changed in the past few years, you may be wondering how you can network effectively in a world where so many events and gatherings have been cancelled. In this article, we are going to share some tips for helping you take advantage of your networking opportunities on and off the internet.

Get active on social media by joining Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

As the year 2020 approaches, one of the best ways to network is by being active on social media platforms. The LinkedIn platform is a great way to connect with other professionals in your industry and it is also a fantastic way to stay up-to-date with news and trends in your field. You might also consider using Twitter as an additional networker, especially if you follow the right hashtags and participate in industry-specific chats on the platform.

The other thing you should do besides being active on social media is make sure your online presence is up to par as well. The best way to achieve this is to have your profile picture be a professional headshot, as well as your resume and contact information easily accessible from the profile page. You can always create a separate email address for the job search if you're concerned about privacy. You can only use this address for work related correspondence during the job search process.

Get a head start on virtual events by attending them

However, don't worry about the cancellation of in-person events as there are still plenty of chances to network even though in-person events have been canceled. In 2020, there are many conferences and networking events that have gone virtual, so you really do not have any excuse to not attend any of them. There is usually a list of upcoming virtual events available by doing a quick Google search on upcoming virtual events, or by checking out relevant groups on social media. As an added benefit to attending virtual events, you will be able to expand your professional network, as well as learn more about your field and stay updated on the latest developments within your industry.

Identify a person and reach out to them individually

If you're struggling to find virtual events or online communities that are relevant to your industry, don't be afraid to reach out and connect with people individually. To begin with, you can start by contacting people you already know - former colleagues, classmates, family friends, etc. Inquire if they know anyone who might be able to assist you in your job search and ask them if they know anyone. As soon as you have exhausted your personal network, try reaching out cold to people who are working for companies that you are interested in or that have work that you admire. There is nothing they can do to upset you more than to say no.

Take action on the contacts you have

As soon as you have made contact with someone, it is important to follow up with them as soon as possible. If you wish to contact you via email, telephone, or LinkedIn, you should do so. Make sure you do not annoy people by being too persistent in your follow-ups.

It would be nice if we could talk about something other than work

Find out about their hobbies, interests, their family, and anything else you can about them. Identify a common interest you both share so that you can start a conversation. Make sure to ask them questions about their hobbies and interests in order to let them do the majority of the talking. If someone comes up to you and asks what you do for fun or how your life is going, make sure you don't tell them that you are out of work. Rather than saying something about being unemployed, try to tell them something interesting that doesn't have anything to do with being unemployed, or just say that you've been busy, without going into detail about why exactly this is taking up so much of your time lately.

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