How To Build Your Network When You're Working From Home

As I share frequently, the three Ps of networking are: People. People. People. Networking is not about social networking platforms, or email marketing campaigns or the perfect pitch-deck. No, it's always been about the person who is on the receiving end of your communication and specifically, how you make them feel when they receive your communication. Here's the thing, networking has always about other people—and sadly, in the frenzy of life - from FOMO to the drive to accumulate online followers - we seem to have forgotten that we're networking with real people. Now is a unique opportunity to reset your approach to leveraging digital tools, with the resources (blogs, podcasts, articles) below.

To hit pause on networking approaches and tactics that are anything but "people-first". As business as usual is anything but at the moment, this is the time to review how you've been treating your network, from how regularly (and what) you post online to the condition of your online profile (when exactly, was the last time you updated it?). If you've been neglecting online networking tools or using them haphazardly, I strongly encourage you to make use of the resources provided below (which include a downloadable worksheet to guide you with crafting your LinkedIn profile). I've selected these purposely to enhance your long-term online engagement and relationship-building skills - as how you present yourself online today (and how you say it) will bring you closer to others, even when we're having to maintain an IRL social distance.

What immediately pops to mind when we think of networking online: Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Snap... But hold on a moment, online networking encompasses so much more. It's the bio or news media that shows up in Google search or your email signature line or out of office responder. What about a playlist you've created on Spotify or a bookshelf on Goodreads? The digital touch-points you have at your disposal to make stronger connections are bigger than the big three social sites, so start making smarter use of these networking tools. The resources below were chosen to expand what you think is "social" behavior and to help you find more ways to connect with other people.

This path contains a lot of information and follows the approach I take as someone who relies heavily on online tools to connect daily with a diverse, global network. If you're eager to learn more ways to effectively leverage a range of digital (and IRL) tools to maintain and grow your network, check out the optional resources I've listed below for you.