You are working from home wondering if, or when, your career is going to get impacted by this pandemic. Should you be updating your resume? Most definitely, yes. But as it seems that most employers in the U.S. are holding their breath on the long-term impacts of this illness raging through our country, hiring isn’t their top concern. Keeping their company going is priority number one. ABC News reported that 3.28 million Americans filed for unemployment last week.
Mary, a 56-year-old office manager, said, “I’ve been trying to file for unemployment all week, but I keep getting kicked out of my state’s website and I’ve been on it different times each day all week and still I haven’t been able to complete my filing.” She asked what she could do, and I said, “Keep trying to file and start networking.” She asked me exactly how she was supposed to do that since non-essential businesses have closed, and people are holding up in their homes. A good question that many people might be pondering.
Use free videoconferencing.
“Seeing” the person makes your connection much more personal. Try using any of the following services. FaceBook's Messenger allows you to use video conferencing for free. Skype is another way to see people as you talk. Google Hangouts is another. I used Zoom the other day for a call with two friends, and we got unlimited minutes for free (usually, you need to pay for any time over 40 minutes). Facetime is terrific if you both have iPhones. WhatsApp allows you to call people on any smartphone Apple or Android. Videoconferencing is the best way to network right now. Be considerate and set this up in advance. Expect people to look very causal – no makeup, dressed in sweats, unshaven, etc.. Since not everyone likes looking their worst when on a video call, setting up a prearranged time to chat works best.
Connect with new people
Now is the time to look through your LinkedIn connections. Are your old bosses, coworkers, and business friends part of your network? If not, what better time than to look them up and send them a connection request. But don’t just use the standard phrase, “Let’s Connect on LinkedIn.” Personalize it. Say something like this, “I wondered how you are doing during this challenging time? Are you healthy? Please connect and send me a message.” If you are in a large company, connect with some of those folks in new departments and ask how working from home is going and if you can connect?
Update your LinkedIn profile
If you have been putting off updating your LinkedIn profile, now is the best time to do it. Recruiters, colleagues, former bosses, and future ones may be checking you out now or in the near future. When people come to your LinkedIn page, you want to have your best professional self online. Do you need to get some updated recommendations? You may want to write one for the other person first and then ask if they will create one for you. Experts recommend you have at least 4-5 recommendations and at least one that is relatively recent. If your photo is out-of-date, you can use your smartphone camera and pose for a new one. Be sure the background behind you is plain, and you have an engaging, warm smile on your face. Check to make sure that you have excellent lighting on your face. It’s the key to a great photo.