Fall is upon us. The leaves have changed colours, apple pie and pumpkin smells fill the air, and… recruitment season is in FULL. SWING.
Source: Tech Crunch
This year has cooked up something different. Not only has COVID-19 exacerbated ubiquitous nerves, endless interview preparations, and sleepless nights, but it has also shifted one of this season’s highlights, networking events, from in-person to virtual settings.
In the face of uncertainty about the fate of large-scale gatherings, how can you leverage the most notorious digital networking platform, LinkedIn, to land your dream post-grad job?
1. Define your purpose
As iterated by countless professors, when you begin writing a paper, it would be a mortal sin to dive right in; it takes time and thought to develop a clear purpose and desired outcome for your research. In a similar vein, your approach to networking must be outcome driven. Are you actively participating in CPA recruitment or working towards an internship in the public sector? Are you unsure about life after graduation and want to receive mentorship from senior executives on different career trajectories? Each of these goals requires networking with different individuals, and, as you’ll soon hear, targeting the right contacts is crucial for engagement. Thus, first setting out what you want to accomplish is key to success.
2. Build your personal brand
If you thought first impressions mattered before March 24th, their impact amid the pandemic has taken on a whole new meaning. Given that we can no longer rely on nonverbal cues and the vulnerabilities felt in face-to-face interaction, digital first impressions have become our next best gauge. With this in mind, Leslie Hughes, CEO of Toronto-based PUNCH!media, explains how important it is for people to “walk before they run” into online networking by ensuring their LinkedIn profile is up to snuff: “You wouldn’t build a house without having the strong foundation underneath, so you need that solid presence before you can start building connections.” There’s a caveat however: with 660 million LinkedIn users, you don’t get noticed by simply being present; rather, you must make that presence your own by developing your personal brand. What makes you different, memorable, and more engaging than LinkedIn’s other 659,999,999 users? Samantha McLaren of LinkedIn’s Talent Blog explains here how you can build a personal brand that will impress even Oprah!
3. Identify the right contacts
It’s not only what you say, but to whom you say it. Targeting your approach is everything and selecting people with whom you have a mutual connection, a shared interest or alma matter optimizes your likelihood of receiving a response. How might you find those individuals among LinkedIn’s 660M users? Luckily, there are many resources out there which explain how you can find high-value networking contacts such as this video tutorial by career strategist Noelle Gross. As you accumulate names, organize your contacts in a networking spreadsheet to keep track of the status of your outreach and ensure you foster the most meaningful relationships.
So, you’ve defined your purpose, developed your personal brand and clicked "connect." What next? Stay tuned for part two of this Virtual Networking series, Virtual Networking 102, where we’ll discuss best practices for writing LinkedIn messages!
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