As unemployment numbers continue fluctuate and hiring remains on hold for many companies, it becomes even more important to build and maintain your network. A referral might be the difference between landing a job and continuing to turn in applications to no avail. Here are some of the best ways to network from home during COVID-19.
Get Online
Seems obvious, right? For most people, being attached to the internet via your computer, tablet, or phone is not something new. Rather than scrolling through the latest TikTok videos, head over to LinkedIn and Indeed. Both of these major professional networks allow you to create a profile, load a resume, and apply for jobs. Do yourself a favor and take advantage of the basics these websites have to offer. For bonus tips on how to make yourself stand out on LinkedIn, check out this blog post.
Engage
Now that you have a solid online presence, it’s time to take it up a notch with engagement. LinkedIn is a great way to engage with a professional community. Keep in mind that this is not the platform for sharing family photos, sharing memes, or commenting with an overabundance of emojis. Instead, find groups to join, those with which you share common interests or about which you’d like to learn more. Join the groups, comment on posts, and ask other members to connect if it seems appropriate. When you decide to post something, whether it is sharing an article or an original post of your own, add relevant hashtags to ensure the right audience sees it.
Networking on social media doesn’t have to be overwhelming: a simple message to a coworker on a birthday, a well-wishes note to a colleague who did a great job on a project, or a simple question to your network asking for recommendations on blogs to follow.
DID YOU KNOW?
Over 600 employees at Great West Casualty Company follow our company LinkedIn page. If there are companies you are interested in being employed with, follow those companies on social media to stay in the loop on job opportunities and company news.
Re-Engage
You probably already have a network of people that you can connect with, both on and offline. Don’t be afraid to reach out to them if you are actively job searching. Keep in mind that networking is not just a one-way street. It is best to develop genuine relationships by connecting with your network even when you don’t need something.
Commit
Networking is something that should be ongoing, even when you are not searching for a job. The hardest part of networking is remembering to do it. Set reminders in your email or phone. We recommend checking in at least once week with a new post, engagement, or connection.
Speaking of networking, we’d love to connect with you. Join our Talent Community and you will receive job alerts, company updates, recruiting tips, priority resume review, and more from our Talent Acquisition team.
This blog post was created by Megan L., HR Communications Specialist at Great West Casualty Company.
© Great West Casualty Company 2020. The material in this publication is the property of Great West Casualty Company unless otherwise noted and may not be reproduced without its written consent by any person other than a current insured of Great West Casualty Company for business purposes. Insured should attribute use as follows: “© Great West Casualty Company 2020. Used with permission by Great West Casualty Company.”
This material is intended to be a broad overview of the subject matter and is provided for informational purposes only. Great West Casualty Company does not provide legal advice to its insureds, nor does it advise insureds on employment-related issues. Therefore, the subject matter is not intended to serve as legal or employment advice for any issue(s) that may arise in the operations of its insureds. Legal advice should always be sought from the insured’s legal counsel. Great West Casualty Company shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, action, or inaction alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the information contained herein.