You are working from home wondering if, or when, your career is going to get impacted by this pandemic. Should you be updating your resume? Most definitely, yes. But as it seems that most employers in the U.S. are holding their breath on the long-term impacts of this illness raging through our country, hiring isn’t their top concern. Keeping their company going is priority number one. ABC News reported that 3.28 million Americans filed for unemployment last week.
Mary, a 56-year-old office manager, said, “I’ve been trying to file for unemployment all week, but I keep getting kicked out of my state’s website and I’ve been on it different times each day all week and still I haven’t been able to complete my filing.” She asked what she could do, and I said, “Keep trying to file and start networking.” She asked me exactly how she was supposed to do that since non-essential businesses have closed, and people are holding up in their homes. A good question that many people might be pondering.
What not to do
I advised a client not to tell people she had lost her job immediately. Instead, think about the people who could most help her and make a list. Then, practice what she would say. My recommendation was this: Contact them via text, phone, email, or LinkedIn Messaging. Open the conversation using their names and their family member names if you know them. You need to be authentic and sincere. Ask if they have parents alive and if they are Okay. You need to sound like you genuinely care. This is a hope-you-are-healthy call, not an I-need-a-job call. When they ask about you, discuss your family first. Then state what has happened to your job. Allow the person to empathize, giving them the chance to ask if they can help. Don’t assume they will. Maybe the person has a sick family member and is scared for their survival. Be sure to tell the person you wanted to check on them, and when things calm down, you’d love to have a short chat about your career.
I got an email from a vendor I do business with. She wrote: “Dear Robin, I wanted to touch base and check-in. The situation with the coronavirus is so scary, and the world feels so strange. We are all working remotely, but I wanted you to know that we are here if you need anything—feel free to reach out whenever.” She was surprised when I replied with a very personal response on how my family was doing, and I asked about her son by name. She did answer much more personally then, but I was sure her boss had told all the salespeople at her company to connect with clients. Somehow it was off the mark. At least she tried. But the better approach was from another vendor who picked up the phone and called saying, “Hey, how are you and your family doing up there in Seattle? It sounds scary there.” The phone called last maybe 5 minutes, and I appreciated that call. He never once mentioned business just talked about my family, saying he was okay. He was genuine in wanting to know that I was healthy and well. Scared maybe, but fine. I appreciated his effort to contact me. I’m surprised that other vendors have been quiet.
As we chart these unknown waters ahead, you can and should be networking during this time. Here are three key things you can do.
Use free videoconferencing. “Seeing” the person makes your connection much more personal. Try using any of the following services. Facebook's Messenger allows you to use video conferencing for free. Skype is another way to see people as you talk. Google Hangouts is another. I used Zoom the other day for a call with two friends, and we got unlimited minutes for free (usually, you need to pay for any time over 40 minutes). Facetime is terrific if you both have iPhones. WhatsApp allows you to call people on any smartphone Apple or Android. Videoconferencing is the best way to network right now. Be considerate and set this up in advance.Expect people to look very causal – no makeup, dressed in sweats, unshaven, etc.. Since not everyone likes looking their worst when on a video call, setting up a prearranged time to chat works best.
Connect with new people
Now is the time to look through your LinkedIn connections. Are your old bosses, coworkers, and business friends part of your network? If not, what better time than to look them up and send them a connection request. But don’t just use the standard phrase, “Let’s Connect on LinkedIn.” Personalize it. Say something like this, “I wondered how you are doing during this challenging time? Are you healthy? Please connect and send me a message.” If you are in a large company, connect with some of those folks in new departments and ask how working from home is going and if you can connect?
Update your LinkedIn profile
If you have been putting off updating your LinkedIn profile, now is the best time to do it. Recruiters, colleagues, former bosses, and future ones may be checking you out now or in the near future. When people come to your LinkedIn page, you want to have your best professional self online. Do you need to get some updated recommendations? You may want to write one for the other person first and then ask if they will create one for you. Experts recommend you have at least 4-5 recommendations and at least one that is relatively recent. If your photo is out-of-date, you can use your smartphone camera and pose for a new one. Be sure the background behind you is plain, and you have an engaging, warm smile on your face. Check to make sure that you have excellent lighting on your face. It’s the key to a great photo.