How to Network When You Work Remotely

When you’re breezing through your workday on your couch, curled up in a blanket and cozy pajamas, working from home is an absolute dream. When you’re missing human interaction and the chance to build and foster your professional network, on the other hand, it’s not so great. If only you could have all the pros and none of the cons.

You actually can, to a degree. There are plenty of ways to network while you’re working from home, whether you’re a freelancer or a remote-working employee.

Tips for Remote Networking

1. Use LinkedIn for All It’s Worth

LinkedIn is more than the place you go to update your resume every decade and find out where your old classmates ended up. It’s a terrific platform for networking if you take advantage of its many features.

For example, use the connection recommendations to reach out to new people in your industry or your city. Post content on a regular basis to build your personal brand and encourage others to link up with you.

Reconnect with colleagues and professional acquaintances from years ago to rebuild those relationships. You never know when these strategies will lead to a new client or an exciting job lead.

2. Join Professional Groups

Humans are social creatures, so it’s no surprise that there are groups out there to connect professionals in any way you can imagine. There are coworking groups (ahem, like Ladies Work Remote) for people who work from home.

There are professional groups for specific industries, local networking groups, groups for freelancers... the list is endless. Check out platforms like Meetup, Facebook, Eventbrite, and LinkedIn, all of which have countless groups available.

Once you find groups to join, be active and get involved in conversations to get your name out there and develop new connections.

3. Get Involved in Digital Webinars

Professional development courses and seminars have long been a great way to network. In the era of COVID-19, of course, most of them have transitioned to webinars instead. Those webinars are still terrific networking opportunities, though.

Join in on webinars and get involved in any chat discussions that take place throughout. Head to LinkedIn afterward and send connection invitations to the people you’ve met. Don’t forget to connect with the presenter for the webinar, too - these respected professionals can be fantastic additions to your network.

If you’re looking for a place to start, Ladies Work Remote hosts virutal webinars once a month. Check our calendar to see our upcoming virtual events. They’ll be full of great tips and people ready to mingle!

4. Set Up Virtual Coffee Dates

Remember that effective networking doesn’t just involve collecting as many connections as possible - they’re not baseball cards. You also need to maintain genuine relationships with your professional connections. The goal is to develop a mutual respect and understanding.

Make it a point to reach out to one of your colleagues or acquaintances every so often for a virtual coffee date. You’ll just take time to chat, catch up, and get to know each other’s lives and professional goals.

Mastering the Art of WFH Networking

Working from home offers an added freedom and plenty of benefits for people in any line of work.

While it has its downsides, all it takes is some creativity to learn how to turn those downsides into upsides too, and that includes learning how to network from a distance. Start by putting these tips to work!

In the meantime, follow @ladiesworkremote on Instagram and check out our Eventbrite page for upcoming events.