You’ve likely already heard how important networking is for law students and young professionals. I’ve certainly drilled it into every NCA and Law student I’ve mentored over the past year or so. However, in our current pandemic climate, where large gatherings are forbidden and everyone is staying indoors, effective networking may seem like an insurmountable task. We are lucky, of course, to live in the internet age with a plethora of ways to connect with each other even from great distances. But online networking comes with its own challenges and doing it right requires a slightly different set of skills than in-person networking.
As someone who did 90% of her Canadian legal articling recruitment activity while working and studying in the UK, online networking is not a foreign concept to me. I didn’t have the luxury of attending in-person networking events or gong for coffee with Toronto lawyers before applying to firms’ articling programs. Instead, I spent a lot of time online and on the phone chatting with lawyers and student recruiters building valuable connections.
To help you out during this difficult time, I’ll be providing my top tips for effective online networking over the next two posts. Today, we’ll start with the basics of preparing to network by polishing your online presence and preparing email templates.