Networking with sincerity during a pandemic
By Jim Wiederhold
In a time where communities are keeping their social distance and offices are closed in favor of working from home, networking looks different than it did a few months ago. People are rightfully distracted by COVID-19 and the economic challenge of our current situation. With reasonable expectations and a genuine desire to help your connections, you can continue to grow and deepen your network—even in these uncertain times.
Adjust your expectations.
Sometimes we go on networking autopilot and don’t stop to adjust our networking practices to the world we’re living in right now. Consider the present situation. Everyone in your network is flooded with information on COVID-19. They are under a tremendous amount of pressure, making hard decisions for the future of their organization and getting used to a new way of working and living, all while trying to keep themselves and their families safe and healthy.
You must adjust your expectations accordingly. You can’t expect to call someone up and get an immediate response, or assume they’ll have an opportunity for you. Networking is not about hunting down job leads. This is true all the time, but especially right now. This is not the season to push your candidacy too hard or sell what you do. Rather, show concern for others, asking nothing in return. Start making sincere deposits early.
Call one of your network contacts and ask, “How are you? What is your take on the COVID situation? What challenges are you facing?” You will learn something new about this person, their company’s values, and our world. This can provide you with information to share with others in your network regarding concerns about our current situation.
Approach with sincerity and a desire to help.
People don’t want to be sold something—especially in a pandemic. When you reach out to your network, it is important that you are sincerely interested in their well-being.