We are living in unprecedented times where the traditional concept of “work” has transformed radically. Remote working has emerged as a new global trend and 72% of the global workforce is opting for a hybrid work model, according to a report by the Harvard Business Review.

However, a recent 2022 Career Interest Survey by the NSHSS sheds a very different light on Gen Z, who feel they are missing out on the significant aspects of networking and career development opportunities that a conventional office setup had offered to past generations. 

Contrary to this, however, the digitally advanced era of today actually offers employees a greater chance to network, than was previously possible. Here are a few tips for the digitally able professionals of today to help them build a strong network and advance their careers. 

Understand the New Era of Networking

Even though the means for conducting professional interactions have changed over the past couple of years, making connections and laying the foundation of your network has always stayed the same. Your chances of physical interaction with senior colleagues or upper levels of management may have been reduced considerably as compared to the past, however, there is now a whole new set of ways that you may be able to approach co-workers and superiors and build professional relationships.

Virtual meetings, events, and gatherings offer an excellent platform for you to interact with colleagues across different verticals and departments. People from departments different than yours would have been complete strangers to you had you been working in a traditional setup. However, now they are just one click or message away for you to communicate.

Remote working has also allowed us to break geographical limitations as well. Now you can interact with any number of co-workers simultaneously in an instant. A colleague sitting thousands of miles away can now be available for you within minutes, as compared to the past, when you would have had to travel the distance to meet your fellow employee in person.  

However, this new decade of networking is not without its challenges. You will need to thoroughly understand the new set of protocols of this digital age such as creative ways to approach people as you can’t just simply walk up to them now and strike up a conversation. You will also need to be mindful of different time zones when sending that instant message to colleagues sitting afar.  

Get Social Digitally

With 79% of employees looking for jobs on social media, and 91% of employers using it in their recruitment hunt for the ideal candidate, it’s no surprise that your digital presence in the online world is of great importance. However, before diving deep into this digital social realm, you will need to be organized and clear on a few things.

As a first step, you will need to conduct targeted research for your networking requirements. You will need to narrow down and follow these organizations, associations, forums, and causes that will be helpful in building your professional network. The primary purpose of this is to increase your environmental affordance. Greater involvement in all these domains means you will remain up to speed on all relevant events and can attend those that are of prime importance career-wise. Utilize the great power of social media to follow your people of interest.

The next step to remember is to be strategic in your approach. The spontaneity of past times when you could casually strike up water cooler conversations or have a general talk during conference dinners is long gone. You will need to follow up on this proactively as scheduling is of utmost importance.

You will need to strategize for efficient networking and decide definitively on certain matters such as time spent on online networking, a list of objectives, including the number of people you want to connect with, the companies you want to explore further, and identifying individuals for discussing a given issue. You will need to plan this proactively to maintain your online presence. Additionally, choose a diverse range of sessions such as webinars, online job fairs, one-on-one Zoom meetings, and online conferences.

According to research by the University of Cologne, the trait of proactiveness is the most effective predictor of networking. To build a relationship with a particular individual or professional group, you will need to approach them directly by emailing them, sending them a message on any social media website, scheduling a zoom appointment, or finding out about online networking events that they might attend.  

Utilize the Power of Social Media

Social media provides remote workers with a highly effective platform to diversify and develop their professional network, strengthening weak ties and building and nurturing professional relationships. With the presence of individuals who are part of the upper echelons of the professional world, the potential to interact with them can be a major career boost for your professional journey. According to a study by International Data Corporation (IDC),  75% of B2B buyers studied and 84% of C-Suite Executives use social media to support their purchasing decisions. Meanwhile, LinkedIn’s State of Sales report from 2018 showed that 89% of the top sales Executives deemed networking platforms to be of peak importance for closing deals.

It is thus imperative for remote workers to be part of social media in today’s day and age. With a wide variety to choose from, the best way is to be part of those platforms that are most popular, including:

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Reddit

There are a few simple rules to approaching people, especially professionals, on social media which you will need to follow so that the ice can be broken in a formal, professional manner:

1.  Approach Everybody

The focus on networking with senior professionals is far too prevalent. It is better to prioritize developing relationships with your co-workers and with those who are in the early stages of their careers rather than focusing just on reaching out to executives. This network will advance in seniority simultaneously as you progress in your career and will introduce you to lucrative potential chances in the future.

2.  Message Must be Brief, But Personalized

For first-time interaction professionals, especially those of high seniority, will not display great patience with long messages as most people do not have the time. The message should have a personal touch, be clear, concise, and easy to read on the screen of a mobile phone. You can also mention matters of common interest and reference a mutual friend or alma mater. LinkedIn’s InMail analysis highly recommends that these messages should not be more than 100 words. The rate of response decreases considerably as word count exceeds this.

3.  Don’t Hesitate in Asking for Advice

Even if you are aching to pitch an idea, product, or investment portfolio, it is highly recommended that you refrain from doing so online as it might leave a negative impression about you. Instead, never hesitate in asking for advice on these relevant matters. This will not only help you in starting a discussion with new people, but it will also make your career development seem more genuine.

4.  Help Others

Although it may seem that this will not have any beneficial impact on your networking goals, an act of generosity will always pay you down the line many years from now. Helping and networking with those who are starting out in their careers will help in building your good reputation and these connections can prove to be extremely beneficial in the future.

5.  Don’t Neglect your Current and Former Colleagues

Don't forget about your existing network of current and former colleagues while you are expanding your online network with new people. The solid foundation of your network is built on these existing, genuine connections. It is imperative that you make an effort to stay in touch more frequently with coworkers, customers, partners, and mentors who have the most extensive experience of what it's like to work with you through the days.

Be a Valued Connection and Offer Services

Members of the Upper Management and Executives are constantly searching for staff members that add value. You will need to understand and plan out ways to add more value to the company using the abilities you are best at. Even though this might seem difficult while working from a remote job, but this can be done quite easily. A study conducted for 1000 remote workers in the US found that only 38% of them went the extra mile to their catch managers' attention, but those who managed to do so were 85% more successful. This is because majority of them utilized visibility tactics. Their successful strategies included:

• They kept moving their projects forward
• Helped their co-workers with their work
• Volunteered to help with a project or opportunity

By going out of your way to deliver value and offer your services to the organization, Executives are sure to notice this, and you will earn face time with them as well as recognition as an emerging leader, and a chance for a potential mentorship.

Conclusion – Networking of the Future

Modern networking needs modern methods to ensure results and a solid foundation of professional relations. The digital remote employees of today have a wide variety of options on how to build solid professional relationships, ranging from virtual coffees to in-house technology sessions, or serving as your company's valuable go-to source for new and interesting prospects. Networking provides you valuable access to support communities of peers and professional organizations, as well as opportunities to develop relationships with mentors and leaders. It helps foster a feeling of community and professional identity, and by doing so, it builds a social standing in society.