By Tobore Edema
International Graduate Team Lead, GradSWE
Bioengineering MS Candidate, 2020
New York Institute of Technology
Photo Credit: Pixabay The world as we know it is changing due to the coronavirus pandemic, but who says networking has to be cancelled?
Given the difficult challenges that these times have brought, there are still several ways that we can effectively position ourselves to maximize career and academic opportunities towards personal success.
Although in-person networking can sometimes be awkward or nerve-racking, especially when adapting to a new culture, environment or language, virtual networking can potentially take off the edge as it creates an opportunity to practice e-meeting new people and strengthening existing relationships.
So, until the normalcy of in-person networking returns safely, here are a few strategic tips for virtual networking that can help you land that job, internship, fellowship and other opportunities that you seek.
Personal (Re)Branding
In light of the current remote learning and work-from-home situation, your digital personal brand is pretty much what determines your entire first impression to others, so why not invest the time and resources to curate a personal brand that accurately communicates your value and personality? Moreover, your online presence can either make or mar your chances with good opportunities.
Tip: Try to have a professional looking headshot on your LinkedIn profile and other related social media platforms. If you don’t have one, you can watch this YouTube video or read this article on how to take professional looking headshots with your phone camera. You can also check out these articles on business looks for headshots here and here.
Your Written Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch could be verbal or written, and in the latter case, your professional bio could as well be your written elevator pitch. For online platforms such as LinkedIn, having a well written bio or introduction helps to convey your accomplishments, strengths, goals and credentials in a concise and clear manner. Besides, it is best practice to always put your best foot forward.
Tip: On your summary or introduction, avoid verbosity, use the right capitalizations and look out for grammatical errors. If English is not your first language, you can ask someone to review the key sections of your profile such as your intro headline, summary and experience.
Utilizing Free LinkedIn Tools
Among other tools, LinkedIn offers a one-month free trial version of its LinkedIn Premium package, a plan with features that can offer career insights, job competitiveness as well as sending an InMail to anyone on the platform.
Tip: Sign up for the free trial and maximize it to the fullest. It may help to create a list of everything you intend to do during the entire four weeks of the plan before activating it, such as utilizing job insights, identifying specific individuals to reach out to, etc. Also, if you decide to discontinue the subscription, just don’t forget to cancel at the end of the trial!
Networking Internally
Sometimes the opportunities that we seek are within our reach but we just don’t realize it. Reviewing our existing contacts and reaching out to people that we already know or met briefly in the past can potentially open new doors. These people may also know someone who can help us.
Tip: Send a cold email to professors from your school, old or current classmates or even people in your LinkedIn network. Once again, use LinkedIn to find alumni of your school and reach out as well. Worst case scenario they may or may not respond but at least you made an effort.
Networking Externally
There are several webinars and virtual conferences hosted by various organizations such as SWE, and some of them are either free of charge or offer scholarships. A couple of these events also ask for and share the contact details of attendees for further networking. It’s also good practice to prioritize these events as you would an in-person event.
Tip: During these events, try to actively participate in the chats by introducing yourself, turning on your video, commenting and contributing to the Q&A, especially as these activities typically take on a written format. Also, if and when you do receive a spreadsheet of attendees’ contact information, go ahead and connect with as many people as you need to.
Being Open to Video Chats
In the absence of in-person meetings, when possible, having video calls can create a lasting impression and offer a faux form of in-person connection when e-meeting with people for the first time. As voice calls can be limiting, video calls create an opportunity to convey nonverbal cues.
Tip: When asking to meet with people, you can indicate your openness to having a video chat as this can portray flexibility and confidence.
Finally, regardless of whether you are meeting people for the first time in-person or virtually, it's okay to not feel confident on the inside. So if you ever feel nervous, always remember that you can practice being confident by-- sounding the part, dressing the part until it becomes a part of you.
Good luck!
Given the difficult challenges that these times have brought, there are still several ways that we can effectively position ourselves to maximize career and academic opportunities towards personal success.
Although in-person networking can sometimes be awkward or nerve-racking, especially when adapting to a new culture, environment or language, virtual networking can potentially take off the edge as it creates an opportunity to practice e-meeting new people and strengthening existing relationships.
So, until the normalcy of in-person networking returns safely, here are a few strategic tips for virtual networking that can help you land that job, internship, fellowship and other opportunities that you seek.
Personal (Re)Branding
In light of the current remote learning and work-from-home situation, your digital personal brand is pretty much what determines your entire first impression to others, so why not invest the time and resources to curate a personal brand that accurately communicates your value and personality? Moreover, your online presence can either make or mar your chances with good opportunities.
Tip: Try to have a professional looking headshot on your LinkedIn profile and other related social media platforms. If you don’t have one, you can watch this YouTube video or read this article on how to take professional looking headshots with your phone camera. You can also check out these articles on business looks for headshots here and here.
Your Written Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch could be verbal or written, and in the latter case, your professional bio could as well be your written elevator pitch. For online platforms such as LinkedIn, having a well written bio or introduction helps to convey your accomplishments, strengths, goals and credentials in a concise and clear manner. Besides, it is best practice to always put your best foot forward.
Tip: On your summary or introduction, avoid verbosity, use the right capitalizations and look out for grammatical errors. If English is not your first language, you can ask someone to review the key sections of your profile such as your intro headline, summary and experience.
Utilizing Free LinkedIn Tools
Among other tools, LinkedIn offers a one-month free trial version of its LinkedIn Premium package, a plan with features that can offer career insights, job competitiveness as well as sending an InMail to anyone on the platform.
Tip: Sign up for the free trial and maximize it to the fullest. It may help to create a list of everything you intend to do during the entire four weeks of the plan before activating it, such as utilizing job insights, identifying specific individuals to reach out to, etc. Also, if you decide to discontinue the subscription, just don’t forget to cancel at the end of the trial!
Networking Internally
Sometimes the opportunities that we seek are within our reach but we just don’t realize it. Reviewing our existing contacts and reaching out to people that we already know or met briefly in the past can potentially open new doors. These people may also know someone who can help us.
Tip: Send a cold email to professors from your school, old or current classmates or even people in your LinkedIn network. Once again, use LinkedIn to find alumni of your school and reach out as well. Worst case scenario they may or may not respond but at least you made an effort.
Networking Externally
There are several webinars and virtual conferences hosted by various organizations such as SWE, and some of them are either free of charge or offer scholarships. A couple of these events also ask for and share the contact details of attendees for further networking. It’s also good practice to prioritize these events as you would an in-person event.
Tip: During these events, try to actively participate in the chats by introducing yourself, turning on your video, commenting and contributing to the Q&A, especially as these activities typically take on a written format. Also, if and when you do receive a spreadsheet of attendees’ contact information, go ahead and connect with as many people as you need to.
Being Open to Video Chats
In the absence of in-person meetings, when possible, having video calls can create a lasting impression and offer a faux form of in-person connection when e-meeting with people for the first time. As voice calls can be limiting, video calls create an opportunity to convey nonverbal cues.
Tip: When asking to meet with people, you can indicate your openness to having a video chat as this can portray flexibility and confidence.
Finally, regardless of whether you are meeting people for the first time in-person or virtually, it's okay to not feel confident on the inside. So if you ever feel nervous, always remember that you can practice being confident by-- sounding the part, dressing the part until it becomes a part of you.
Good luck!
