Networking Archives | Work from Home Happiness

Networking Tips: 7 Expert Suggestions for Remote Job Seekers

Ashlee Anderson — Mon, 20 Jan 2020 15:23:03 +0000

Networking is all about making connections and nurturing connections. But what networking tips apply to remote jobs?

I do a lot of IRL career coaching (on top of my virtual career coaching services). Which means I attend a ton of in-person networking events, mixers, and similar meetups.

Why? Because networking is valuable. Period.

Networking online is especially effective for job seekers. According to career site, The Muse, as much as 80% of jobs are filled via networking!

Needless to say, if you’re not pounding the virtual pavement and making professional connections — you’re missing out. Big time.

Now, we know networking is important in person and leads to job offers.

But, how exactly do you network when you’re looking to work remotely?

Good question.

Here are seven networking tips to live by for remote job seekers.

1. Professionally Polish Your Profiles

As a remote job seeker, all of your networking will be done remotely. So, when you reach out to a new person to make a connection, you can bet your biscuits that person is going to check out your digital footprint.

They will scope you out on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or wherever it is you reached out to them.

To make a great first impression, keep your social media profiles up to date and cohesive.

Don’t call yourself Susan in one profile and Sue in another. And, be sure to use the same profile picture across the board.

Plus, remember to actually be social on social media. It doesn’t look great if you reach out to connect with someone on LinkedIn but your profile shows little activity to no activity. Said potential connection is going to think your request is one of self promotion only and not a genuine attempt to expand your network (and they’re absolutely right).

When your profiles are in tiptop shape, people are more likely to accept your connection and even recommend other professionals to e-meet you.

2. Be Unique (But Not Weird)

Uniqueness matters. The average professional receives a whopping 121 emails per day. If you don’t stick out (in a good way) you’re likely to never, ever get a response.

An easy way to give someone a reason to respond to you is by being unique. But, don’t confuse uniqueness with weirdness.

For example, I once had a fellow career coach cold email me. His expertise was tech professions (a super remote-friendly career field).

He wanted to connect with me since I am well versed in the world of remote work. Typically, I’d be all for it! But this particular gentleman (who worked in an office) opened his connection request with, “What’s the point of getting dressed every day just to work from home? Wouldn’t you rather sit in your underwear?”

Weird, right?

It was completely off putting and just too strange to reply to. His email was promptly placed in the trash folder.

Now, he could have been memorable (without being weird) by asking me about morning routines for remote workers and why they matter.

This would have been an interesting question and something I would have definitely answered. But, he took it a step too far and went down the weird path of no return.

3. Patience Is Key

Remember how I said the average professional receives something like 121 emails in a day? That means your non-urgent connection request may go unanswered. And that’s okay.

The worst thing you can do is pester the person you want to connect with. Instead, be patient.

99% of professionals will absolutely want to network with you too. But, many people are just swamped with emails and sometimes responses can take a day or two or ten.

It’s perfectly fine to follow up, but do so after it’s been 5 days without a response. Any sooner and you come off as a bother.

4. Check In With Your Network (Don’t Go Cold On Them)

Don’t just add people to your network (i.e. follow them on Twitter, connect with them on LinkedIn or become ‘friends’ on Facebook) and then let that connection go cold.

Networking is all about nurturing. Networking is not a numbers game.

So, once you have a valuable contact in your network, check in with them periodically. This is one of the simplest networking tips that is often overlooked.

A check in can be something as quick as ‘liking’ a post or commenting on something they’ve shared. A short message to say “happy birthday” or “how’s your day” can go a long way in maintaining this virtual friendship.

You want them to remember who you are. You should feel familiar to them. That way if you ever need a favor (like an introduction or recommendation) you’re more likely to get help.

5. Get Social But Not Too Social

Oh social media! It’s both a blessing and a curse. There are endless possibilities to connect with people all over the world but it can also be a total time suck.

Fortunately, you can absolutely find a happy medium that allows you to grow your network without being tethered to your online profiles.

Networking Tips For Twitter

Hop on Twitter and like, tweet and retweet once daily. Obviously, it’s best if you keep your tweets and retweets related to your profession. This will help you more easily gain followers. Plus, you end up in the feeds of people within your industry who you want to be part of your network (and you of theirs).

On Twitter, hashtags are a great way to get found. Popular and relevant hashtags make it easy to get noticed as an aspiring remote worker.

Networking Tips for Facebook & LinkedIn

Facebook and LinkedIn are both great because they have groups! Groups serve as a virtual gathering place for people who have something in common like a hobby, life circumstance, location, and — yes — profession!

When you join a profession-specific group, there are tons of people you can easily connect with.

But don’t just join a group and start self promoting.

Instead, sit back on the sidelines for a bit and regularly check in to see what active members of the group post and share.

Once you get a feel for the activity, you can jump in. But it’s best to do so slowly and not cannonball style.

It’s a good idea to comment on other people’s posts before you post yourself. That way you ease your way into the group dynamic without coming across as pushy.

Authentic Networking Tips for Remote Job Seekers

Pro Tip: Do NOT rely solely on free social media automation tools like Buffer. I love Buffer. I really do. Not only is it an amazing free automation tool for social media, Buffer is an awesome remote-friendly company with unbelievable benefits.

Now, that doesn’t mean you can use Buffer on occasion. You can definitely take some of your social posts off of your plate by scheduling them ahead of time. But, be sure to check in on those posts after they go live and respond to any comments.

When you’re just posting on a routine automated schedule with little other activity, you come across as robotic (because you are). And, one of the best networking tips I can give you is to be authentic and human.

6. Let Others Toot Their Own Horns

As a remote job seeker, your end goal with networking is to find (and land) a telecommute position.

Once you start working toward your work from home goals you are inevitably going to come across professionals that currently work remotely in a position you’re after. And that’s amazing! These are the perfect people to ask for an informational interview.

Most professionals love to talk about themselves, and they’ll be happy to spare some time to answer all of your questions you have about their work.

Somebody who is already doing what you want to be doing is the perfect person to pick their brain. Not only will you gain valuable career-related information, you also make a valuable connection.

This person is likely to know of remote positions within their own company that is currently hiring AND will be more likely to recommend you if you make a great impression.

Plus, it’s just nice to have someone to talk to that’s been in your shoes. There’s nothing more valuable than having 10-15 minutes of someone’s time to help you move toward the right remote job for you and not settle for something that’s not right for you.

7. Connect With Like-Minded Out Of The Cubicle Thinkers

Remote workers are a unique breed of people. Take it from someone who’s been doing it for 10 years .

If you’ve never worked remotely before, it’s a good idea to get a feel for how exactly telecommuters put in a full day of work while still being connected with coworkers around the world.

One way remote workers maintain contact with others is through Slack. If you’ve never heard of it before, Slack is like a virtual workspace. It’s a place to share and collaborate. And it’s not all work related! There are Slack Channels that aim to entertain with a steady stream of gifs and memes.

You can discover remote-friendly communities at Slack or simply join a few channels that interest you. Inevitably, as a remote job seeker, you’ll come across a company that will ask you if you have any experience with Slack. And you can confidently answer, “You betcha!”

Online Networking Tips To Live By

Remember, don’t spam your fellow professionals. Not only is it ineffective, it just makes you look bad. Always make sure you are adding value to conversations, chats, and threads.

Don’t forget: Never, ever post anything online in forums or on social media that you wouldn’t want a potential employer to see. `

While your aim is to network with potential connections, you have to be mindful that recruiters and hiring managers are checking in on you to. So, perhaps my most valuable of all networking tips is this: Give companies a reason to hire you by being amazing online.

You’ve got this!

Happily,

Ashlee Anderson, CPCC

Did you know I’m now offering one-on-one coaching sessions for remote workers? I’ve got two amazing packages available that can supercharge your job search and makes it much easier to find the remote work of your dreams!

The post Networking Tips: 7 Expert Suggestions for Remote Job Seekers appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

How to Write a Powerful LinkedIn Profile to Help You Find a Work From Home Job

Ashlee Anderson — Sun, 21 May 2017 12:00:38 +0000

It’s no secret that LinkedIn is the go-to place for professional networking.

And, as an out-of-the-cubicle thinker, you’ll want to make the most of this powerful social site!

With more than 400 million active users, you can make valuable connections as a remote job seeker looking to kick your cubicle to the curb.

Once you make the decision to work from home, it’s time to give LinkedIn a second look.

When you take the time to do it right, your LinkedIn profile can help you develop valuable professional connections and allows you to get found by recruiters looking for remote workers.

Before We Get Started

If you’re not currently active on LinkedIn, that’s okay! It doesn’t take but a few minutes to sign up.

And, if you’re already a LinkedIn member but it’s been awhile since you’ve been active or haven’t optimized your profile, that’s okay too.

We’re going to go through everything you need to do to set up (or revise) a killer profile on LinkedIn.

Establish a Goal for Your Profile

I always talk about the importance of goals as a remote job seeker. Goals give your remote job search a sense of purpose. They also help you track your progress and stay on task.

Your LinkedIn Profile is no different. Give yourself a specific goal you want your LinkedIn profile to accomplish. Do you want to:

Get found by remote recruiters?
Expand your current network?
Connect with remote-friendly companies?

Not only does your goal give you something to work toward, it helps define your ideal audience. And this is important when it comes to writing your profile.

Identify Your Ideal Audience

Your ideal audience are the people you want to read your LinkedIn profile. If your end goal is to find a remote job, your ideal audience are remote recruiters and hiring managers. Knowing who your audience is means you can write in such a way that you actually attract these people to your profile!

Keep your ideal readers — recruiters and hiring managers — in mind as we work to write your LinkedIn profile.

Step 1: Make a Great First Impression

Now that we know what your ultimate goal is and the audience you want to reach, we can get down to the business of writing a standout LinkedIn profile.

Did you know a whopping 94% of recruiters use LinkedIn to vet candidates? Needless to say, your LinkedIn profile can make or break your chances of getting seen by recruiters in the work-from-home realm. And getting seen all starts with a great headshot.

Your Face Is Your Brand

Whether you like it or not, your LinkedIn profile will first be judged by your headshot. In fact, your profile is 14x more likely to be seen just by having a picture!

A professional, friendly profile picture signals to others that you are competent which automatically lends credibility to your professional claims. Your headshot is important — especially as a remote job seeker. Your face is your brand!

DIY Advice

If you have the funds to pay someone to take a perfectly professional and polished picture of you, great. Go for it! If not, that’s okay too. You can take the DIY approach and end up with a great shot.

If you haven’t already, download the LinkedIn App. There’s a built-in photo editor you can use to enhance your profile image. Choose between an image in your phone’s gallery or take a new shot. When starting from scratch, use this great advice for capturing a LinkedIn-profile picture on your own.

Now there’s no excuse not to ditch your selfie for a professional shot!

Complement Your LinkedIn Profile Picture with a Headline

Along with your profile picture, the first thing people view on your profile is your headline! And while it’s an important piece of your professional puzzle, don’t overthink it. By that I mean, don’t try to be too clever, use buzzwords, or cliches. Instead, make sure your headline clarifies who you are and what you do. You can also use this important piece of LinkedIn real estate to highlight any professional accomplishments or achievements.

Example Headlines for Remote Workers

E-commerce copywriter who helps small businesses increase their online presence and maximize conversions. Contributor to Business2Community, Huffington Post, and LifeHacker.
Virtual assistant who helps bloggers and online business owners manage their content marketing strategy and advance their social reach. Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification.
Social media manager who helps brick-and-mortar stores get found online and make meaningful connections with customers. Social media strategist and professional certification from Emory.

When recruiters are searching for potential hires, they get to see headshots and headlines first, like so:

Make the most of this first impression using your headline and headshot. When you do, you give remote recruiters a reason to actually check out your profile! And that’s where you can really shine as a potential remote candidate — but you have to entice them to learn more about you with your headshot-headline combo first.

The Importance of Keyword Optimization

Throughout this article, I’ll be reminding you about keyword placement within your LinkedIn profile. Why? Your profile is searchable. And because it’s searchable, the right keywords can increase your chances of coming up in both LinkedIn and Google searches — a process called Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Anytime you add to your LinkedIn profile, it’s an opportunity to get found. So, always place an emphasis on keywords and phrases your ideal audience may use to find you.

Now, this doesn’t mean you ‘stuff’ your summary (and other parts of your LinkedIn profile) with industry keywords, but you should figure out what relevant keywords are as they pertain to your initial goal and target audience. A good place to find these keywords is on LinkedIn itself.

Go to the “add skills” section of your profile. Start typing in a skill you’d like to highlight and LinkedIn will throw out suggestions.

For example, in the screenshot above, I typed in the broad term “marketing” to see what types of marketing skills others are searching for. If you’re at a loss for keywords, use this little trick to find ones that best represent your own knowledge. These are the terms and phrases to include throughout your profile so that you are more easily found on LinkedIn.

Step 2: Let Others In On Your Professional Journey

Once you’ve made the right first impression, it’s time to let remote recruiters in on your professional journey. When done right, your LinkedIn profile tells a story of your professional accomplishments, skills, and achievements. Basically, you’ll use your summary and experience sections to tell the story of Y-O-U.

Use Your Summary Wisely

By nature, we hear the word ‘summary’ and start to think of super condensed renditions of much larger stories. And while that’s true, it doesn’t mean your LinkedIn Summary should be sparse!

When writing your summary, remember to:

Keep it to 3 to 5 paragraphs
Be personable
Write with your target audience in mind
Use industry-specific keywords

Let Your Personality Shine in Your Summary

Your summary should demonstrate your professional prowess. This is time to toot your own horn! Let recruiters know about your capabilities and credentials. Give them a reason to contact you!

In reality, you are selling yourself — so don’t sell yourself short. Take the time to think about your professional history. What have you accomplished? What are you great at? What makes you uniquely you? These are the details recruiters want to read about potential candidates, especially remote workers.

Your summary gives recruiters a chance to get a feel for you without having to meet in person. Show them what you bring to the table and why you’d make a great hire. This is truly a chance to show off your personality. For a little inspiration, check out these LinkedIn Summary Examples that deliver the right balance of professional accomplishments with a dash of personality.

Put Your Experience on Display

Remember, along with your summary, your experience section shows remote recruiters you have the practical experience to get the job. This section is pretty self-explanatory! Here you’ll list your work history, starting with the most recent.

Note: Don’t be lazy and only include your current position. Not only does it make it look like you’ve only held down one job, you make it harder for recruiters to find you!

Remember, your LinkedIn profile is searchable. And the more information you include (with relevant keywords, of course), the greater your chances of getting found.

With each job you list, you can include a short description of what you did and accomplished. This is a prime spot to add in those strategic keywords we discussed.

Step 3: Place Proof In Your Profile

LinkedIn is a social networking site for pros. And like any other social media platforms, a little social proof goes a long way! That’s why another LinkedIn profile must-do, is uploading or linking to work you’ve accomplished! In the experience section, you have the opportunity to literally show your work to others. Do it.

Share a PowerPoint presentation. Link to a blog post. Upload a design you created. Whatever tangible work you’ve done, show it.

For example, I have Freelance Writer listed on my work history. In the screenshot above, you can see I added media links to articles I’ve written. This backs up my claims of being a contributor to certain sites and shows my writing chops to recruiters.

You’ve Got Skills

LinkedIn has a section devoted entirely to skills. Be sure to include them wisely on your profile. This isn’t the place to stretch the truth, so to speak.

In other words, if you use social media personally but never in a professional role, don’t put social media marketing as a skill on your profile. It’s a fib and, while it may help you get found by remote recuiters, it’s not a claim you can actually back up with experience or demonstrable proof! And by listing skills that you actually have, you’re more likely to get endorsements.

What Are Endorsements?

Remember, we’re aiming to give your LinkedIn profile social proof! Once your profile is published, your connections can see your listed skills and ‘endorse’ them.

When a connection endorses you for a particular skill it’s pretty much cementing your abilities, and makes you more discoverable by recruiters!

How to Get Endorsements

I don’t recommend asking your connections to endorse you. Instead, go ahead and endorse your connections. Often this will encourage those you endorsed to return the favor.

Remember, as a remote worker the more you can demonstrate your skills, the better you strengthen your personal brand. And a strong personal brand gives remote recruiters confidence in your abilities to get the job done!

We know social proof is important. Uploading work and getting endorsements are tried and true ways to gain that social proof that is important to make you look like a standout remote candidate. Another way to build a positive reputation on the world’s largest professional networking site is by recommendations.

What Are Recommendations?

Recommendations are simply a way for others to vouch for you. Think of recommendations as personal advocates telling others you are the real deal and worth a second look. Like endorsements, a good way to go get recommendations is to recommend others.

Above is a screenshot of my friend and fellow work-from-home blogger, Lashay’s, profile. To make a recommendation, simply navigate to a connection’s profile, click those three squares next to their picture, and select recommend. That’s it! The more you recommend, the more likely you’re to be recommended by others.

Step 4: Add Finishing Touches to Make Your Profile Yours

So far we’ve looked at the big sections that recruiters check first and foremost. We’ve also discussed how to put social proof into your profile for added oomph. Now it’s time to put your own finishing touches on your profile to make it yours:

Add your college and connect with classmates
Follow companies you like on LinkedIn
Join LinkedIn groups that make sense for your interests and industry
Start connecting with others

These small touches round out your profile and truly make it your own. Give remote recruiters another glimpse into your own personal brand!

Customize Your LinkedIn Url

Another often overlooked place to put a personal spin on your LinkedIn profile is your URL. You’re assigned one by default, but can customize it any way you want.

Doing so gives you even more exposure and makes it easier to get found. For example, I changed my LinkedIn URL to Ashlee-Anderson-Blogger. When someone Googles Ashlee Anderson, chances are my LinkedIn profile will pop up because I have my name is the URL (a big factor in SEO).

Your URL is another place to throw in a keyword you want to be known for. Let’s say you’re a content marketer, you could change your LinkedIn URL to John-Smith-Content-Marketer.

Put the LinkedIn Profile Tips Together

We’ve reached the end. I know it’s a lot to think about at once. But seriously set aside a couple of hours so you can properly dig into your LinkedIn profile to take it from just OK to networking powerhouse.

A well written profile does a lot of the work for you, and while recruiters, clients and peers won’t necessarily be knocking down your virtual door to get acquainted with you, a well written, optimized LinkedIn profile does go a long way in expanding your network — and this is important! About 70% of jobs on LinkedIn will come from your network.

Let’s Connect!

I too am going through the process of revamping my own LinkedIn profile and connecting with fellow out-of-the-cubicle thinkers. Will you join me? Send me a connection request. I’d love to be a part of your network!