Networking In The Time Of COVID-19

Networking is an important practice that professionals make use of to widen their circles of acquaintances and connections. Networking also gives professionals more knowledge on trends and news in their field and job opportunities that may arise.

While online networking platforms provide individuals the tools and space to broaden their network, networking primarily takes place fact-to-face. This could be over coffee, at meetings, or at networking events.

There are several benefits to connecting with a professional in person and many rely on these face-to-face meetings. However, meeting in person is not an option many have at present due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to it being an ongoing pandemic, the true impact of COVID-19 is yet to be properly assessed. However, there is no doubt that people are affected by a sudden loss of jobs and unemployment. There is also uncertainty regarding the future and an individual may have concerns about their job and financial stability.

Networking has thus never been as important as it is now. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), more than four in ten young people employed globally were working in hard-hit sectors. Added to this, 77% of the world’s young workers and 60% of adult workers were in informal jobs.

On the other hand, organisations may not have the capacity to expand teams. With job opportunities being scarce, professionals may use networking to learn about job opportunities and how the pandemic is affecting their industry.

Whether you are networking in search of job opportunities or plan on expanding your circle of acquaintances, these are a few things to keep in mind when networking in the time of COVID-19.

Despite the world being in the midst of a pandemic, businesses must continue to operate and people must network. The key to doing this is technology and connectivity. The pandemic has made several businesses realise the importance of network monitoring solutions that provide services like early recognition of hardware issues, detection of potential security threats, and WiFi monitoring.

IT consulting firms like ITAffix have been providing businesses with network monitoring services long before COVID-19, but the importance of these IT consulting service experts has been highlighted during the pandemic.

Their services, especially with regards to network monitoring, can improve your online networking experience. You can connect with similar businesses and industry leaders to have a better understanding of how your sector is impacted by the pandemic and ways to reduce this impact.

If you are a professional looking for job opportunities or connections through networking, a stable connection and updated software can help make a better impression. Before an online meeting or video conference, ensure your audio and video equipment works and that you can be clearly heard by the other parties.

It is also important to understand that online networking is not the same as a face-to-face meeting. The usual greetings and small talk you would have made a few months ago may not be appropriate given the uncertainty, fear, and stress many are feeling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regardless of why you are networking, it cannot only be beneficial to you. When you set up an online meeting with professionals from your industry, you may be doing so in search of a job opportunity. If your business can benefit from support or advice from others in the industry, you may use network monitoring solutions like those provided by ITAffix for your networking.

However, the other parties must also benefit from the online meetings. Thus, you need to give as much as you hope to receive and understand that networking must be mutually beneficial.

It is also important to be patient. The pandemic has resulted in many changes to the way businesses operate and many have had to rely on an IT company or IT managed service experts for various solutions and tools, including network monitoring.Adapting to these changes takes time and businesses or professionals may not be able to respond to you immediately. While IT consulting service experts like ITAffix offer great customer service and support, businesses and professionals are dealing with a lot at the moment. Thus, when networking, remember to be patient.