New Grads: How to Use LinkedIn to Network During COVID-19
Class of 2020 college graduates have been unexpectedly shaken to the deep recesses of their core. COVID-19 has disrupted their dreams of last semester spring vacation, graduation parties, and other traditional graduation activities. Graduation ceremonies will now be conducted via online platforms and diplomas received via mail. The U.S. economy in January 2020 was booming, promising a multitude of job possibilities, then it all imploded. The stock market dropped an unprecedented 10,000 points in 3 weeks leading to skyrocketing unemployment rates as businesses shuttered during the national shutdown to mitigate the COVID-19 infection spread.
This is not the time to be complacent or believe you won’t get a job. I am seeing some of my new college grad clients actually get job interviews!! Others are being told that recruiting is “on hold”. This is expected as organizations analyze the loss incurred during the shutdown while contemplating when to reopen as well as how to proceed in the post COVID-19 reality.
Now is the time to be persistent in your networking efforts.
Networking is critical to success in finding leads to a job interview then hopefully a job offer. Most college graduates aren’t familiar with networking or how to begin. College admissions counselors don’t have time to educate each graduate on this process. Proper networking is an investigative tool used to augment any other job search methods. Networking through your local networking associations or online networking events assists in purposefully seeking out, establishing and nurturing mutually beneficial relationships. A fellow networker may have a lead for you and you may have a lead to pass on to someone else. At its core, networking is simply connecting with a purpose. That purpose is to decrease the time in obtaining a solid job offer while helping others if possible.
While the business world stands still, now is the ideal time to begin networking. Everyone is familiar with LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the perfect place for a new graduate to begin networking. Hopefully you are already using LinkedIn and have built your professional profile. Your photo should be appropriate to the job you desire, so please delete the backwards ball cap photo of you holding your favorite IPA - unless of course you want a job at a brewery! There are many articles related to how to build the proper, attractive LinkedIn profile online (Here is a helpful link).
Here are 4 basic tips I give my new graduate clients to assist with networking on LinkedIn:
1. Set a specific time limit
Let’s be honest. Any social media platform can lead to “chasing squirrels” and LinkedIn is no different. It is an extremely robust repository of connections, learning tools, job search tools, application processes and much more! As a new graduate, you have a finite timeline to graduation. Most new grads want a job as soon afterward as possible, right? At this moment you are on “Covid time” so use this time efficiently. It’s time to have laser focus. Set an arbitrary time limit on your phone for this intense work. Set the clock for 27 minutes or some other odd number then get started with 100% of your attention on the goal of “working” LinkedIn. Dings, pings on Instagram, Snapchat, TIKTOK, email or anything else that attempts to distract are totally ignored. You are the king of this time clock. Depending on your personal working attention span, maybe you can fit in another session later in the day but each time you set that clock, remind yourself that you are working with a purpose for a limited time toward the ultimate goal. Employment!
2. Choose your LinkedIn connections with intention
Start with the “school” you are graduating from within your college or university. It may be the school of business, engineering or nursing. You have built relationships and a network within this “school” while you were being educated. Connect with these people. Classmates, TA’s, professors, department chairs, and the dean. Sororities and fraternities are great for networking and many national headquarters will help with job placement — especially with alumni. The members of the college career services department are also connections to request. Connect with anyone you met or interacted with while in school so that you can start building a robust LinkedIn network!
Don’t forget family, family friends, persons that you interned with, former jobs. It’s all about the connection. You never know who in your LinkedIn connections may know of an organization that is hiring, so having a large number of connections can only help your search.
Everyone knows what it’s like to begin a professional career and most people are more than willing to accept a connection in order to assist a new graduate. All you have to do is ask!
3. Increase the number of connections by setting specific goals each day
If you haven’t developed an abundance of connections, the building process can seem overwhelming. Increasing the number of connections increases the possibility of connecting with someone who can lead you to an interview. Approximately 75% of job searchers use LinkedIn to find employment and many companies use the platform for hiring and recruiting. Consider your current count of LinkedIn connections and set a realistic goal of where you would like the count to be. Most people have on average several hundred connections. To reach your new goal, take a predetermined amount of time each day to make these connections. My clients and I make a game of it with them being accountable to me for a preset number of connections made per week until they reach their individual goal. Your networking power grows with increased connections. One in three professionals on earth are on LinkedIn and 40 million students and recent grads use LInkedIn. Every time a connection shares or likes your posting, your reach increases dramatically. As a new graduate, LinkedIn is a must!
4. Look and ask before hitting ENTER on job boards
Today’s job boards like Indeed, Glassdoor, etc. make it very easy to apply for jobs online. Having a connection in your network that currently works for the company you are considering applying with is much better than simply applying alone. Before you hit ENTER on that online application, take a look at your LinkedIn connections to determine if you have an existing connection with someone already inside of that company. Send them a message via LinkedIn expressing your interest in applying for the position. Let them know the job number and title then ask for their insights into the position. This may prompt them to look inside of their internal system and possibly refer you.
The fastest way to enter the job interview process is via an employee referral. Employee referral programs allow current team members to introduce a candidate increasing the candidate’s odds of receiving an interview and hopefully a job offer. Employee referrals consistently are a win-win for organizations and new hires alike. Use LinkedIn to tap into this fountain of opportunity.
The class of 2020 has had to deal with major adversity consisting of a worldwide pandemic and rising unemployment rates not seen in years. The competition for available jobs will be tough, so I highly recommend that you start solidly working your LinkedIn network for any possible leads. The class of 2020 will forever share this once-in-a-lifetime “COVID-19 experience”!
I offer a completely free 30 minute introductory job interview coaching session. Contact me today to prepare for your tomorrow!