In 2020 the world shut down, forcing employers to move all business operations online. Marketing agencies said goodbye to in-person pitch meetings and in-office collaboration.
Interviews, face-to-face meetings, alumni events, previous jobs, and conferences were once the places to be if you wanted to expand your professional network. Now, in a post-pandemic world, business networking looks vastly different.
63% of people continue to use digital networking more frequently than before. Social media platforms like Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, and others help people find jobs, meet new people and promote their work. People may still believe that face-to-face interactions build stronger relationships. However, those same people learned to adapt and find the bright side of a remote world.
76% of business professionals agree that a top benefit of technological advancements is more flexibility in regards to location and timing. Those familiar with their company’s remote operations can work from merely any corner of the globe. The same goes for networking. Social media allows users to connect with people no matter their time zone, background, language, and line of work.
While Facebook was around before the pandemic, its functions have allowed three billion people to share and find their interests, hobbies, and communities. Facebook groups are its most unique feature: communities of anywhere from five to hundreds of users all sharing a common interest.
Facebook allows its three billion users to be a part of the conversation, no matter what that conversation is. Users can treat the platform as a personal scrapbook or they can treat it as a professional portfolio detailing as little and as much as they want to share.
With around 800 million users, Linkedin is a fan favorite for business networking. Attaching resumes to their profiles, taking skill assessments, detailing their work experience, and connecting with users across the globe are just a few features that it offers.
Business professionals have taken advantage of Linkedin and the opportunities it presents for the past 20 years. However, the pandemic made this sophisticated and professional platform a top performer. Linkedin isn’t just about creating your network, but about interacting with it as future employers can view your activity.
The less popular of the three major digital networking platforms, Twitter, is home to 217 million active users. This social media platform is fun and professional all at the same time. Many users like to visit the platform for a laugh but a portion of its users find it successful for professional ventures.
Users can share and re-share articles, posts, videos, and photos. Future employers or existing ones can scroll through your account and view everything you’ve interacted with. If users want to use Twitter for professional matters, they should be active by sharing content related to their industry and professional achievements, not just mindless matters.
As post-pandemic life continues, so does the digital age. No one knows if the world will ever be the same, therefore, taking advantage of the new way of life is key. Taking advantage of the new way to network is key to your professional success. If you’re not sure where to start, there are a few guidelines that can help:
- Build honest connections
- Communicate effectively
- Give others something valuable before you receive
- Make yourself stand out
- Take advantage of digital tools
It’s crucial not to overlook the importance of becoming an expert in digital networking. No matter if we are ready for the world to change or not, it is. Technology, communication, business operations and networking are ever-changing. It’s difficult to keep up with, at times. If you want to learn more about where business networking stands in a post pandemic world, check out this Smith.ai infographic below.
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