By: Neha Bhalla 

There’s no doubt that COVID-19 drastically transformed the entire job search process — networking included. Many career seekers express their frustration with me that virtual networking is not as easy as in-person networking.  The reality is that virtual networking is not going away for a long time, if ever; however, it can actually be easier with the right mindset and methods.

Virtual Specific Benefits

Global Availability: Unlike in-person networking, virtual has no bounds. If you’re considering moving to a new location, you can start meeting people before you land a job. 

Convenience: It can be nearly impossible to get a busy person to meet you out for coffee. 15 minutes on a Zoom call, however, is a much smaller ask. Many students don’t have cars so they can skip maneuvering the bus schedule for an hour for a 20-minute meeting. Plus, while you still have to look prepared, you don’t have to put as much effort into...

Here’s the truth:

Most people don’t know how to network.

They either don’t do it at all — or do it with no real plan or strategy.

You already know job networking is important.

It’s ESSENTIAL to not just getting a job — but also building your career.

If you want to be effective at job networking.

And I mean truly effective…

 You have to put together a plan.

Here are 5 proven steps you can follow to put together a job networking plan to land your dream job.

Step 1: Figure out WHY you’re networking

First — you have to figure out WHY you’re networking in the first place. 

You’re probably thinking “Duhhh, to get a job.” but that’s not enough. Because if you’re trying to meet someone who’s going to give you a job — that’s probably not going to happen.

 You need to form a strategy. And the first part of that is figuring out your networking goals.

Does anyone want to give me a job? Anybody? Hello?

Does asking for an informational interview feel a little like begging to you?  Experts keep saying that informational interviews are getting harder to get yet those same experts are encouraging career seekers to keep asking for them. Let’s put an end to the informational interview, shall we? Or, at least, let’s define them better.

The most difficult aspects of asking for an informational interview are:

• Being unsure who to invite
• Being unsure what to say in the invite
• It just feels awkward 

I believe a lot of that comes from the use of the term “interview”. My suggestion is that we stop calling these things informational interviews as they have come to be known - attempts to cheat the systems and get hired without waiting for a job to be posted. It is for that reason, people are becoming less and less likely to accept your invitation. 

Instead of asking the VP of the environmental firm...

Here is a question recently received from a participant in the coaching program: LinkedIn, who should you accept as a connection and who might you not want to connect with?

Here's my response:

LinkedIn is unlike most other social media platforms that it is intended to be a place for professionals to connect and share work-related information. The typical things one might post on Facebook like the massive plate of nachos you carefully crafted at 2 am, the cute pics of your dog, and random drama are not acceptable in this space.

That said, there are still people who don’t get that and those are the people you certainly don’t want to be connected with, as their likes and personal interest can end up in your news feed.

When you’re in job search mode, you should be using LinkedIn with purpose. Taking advantage of their job search tools and networking opportunities. 

Who you connect with is ultimately your call. Just know that who you connect with has a direct...

Networking! You love it or you hate it but I would guess since you’re reading this that you lead more towards that second one.

Creative Networking is the most effective way to network and consists of 3 parts:

• Mindset
• Creative Strategy
• Connection Integrity

You can learn more about Creative Networking and how to put it to use in this webinar. In this article, we’re focusing on 5 truths about networking that once you realize them you can start improving right away.

1. Networking is the best way to get from the road you're on now and into the career lane that you want. The sooner you swallow this truth pill, the sooner you can get things moving toward your awesome networking outcome. This is a truth in any industry but even more so in the environmental world. You'll find after spending a few years building your networks that you'll have an incredible amount of overlap and 1 degree of separation connections. 

2. You need a LinkedIn Profile. 

   We...