People Who Hate Networking

Most people absolutely loathe networking, and can you really blame them? It’s awkward, odd, and conversations can go nowhere. For those who are introverted, it must be a living nightmare. So, I don’t blame those who absolutely hate the thought of networking.

That said, now is the BEST time for those who literally hate networking. Why? Well, let me explain. The short story is – most people are dying for personal interaction when quarantined at home. So if you’re worried about rejection, it’s almost non-existent.

And if you focus by dipping your toe in the ‘LinkedIn’ water, you’ve got even more of a sense of security. Why? Well considering it’s a business site, the low chance of trolls or people being mean, (damaging their own brand) is extremely low. But that’s not all!

LinkedIn Stats Applicable to Networking

To support my point, I thought it would be good to bring up some of the latest stats on LinkedIn. Not only is this platform growing, but it’s also growing fast. So take advantage of this while you can! So here are some numbers for my fellow data geeks.

– 660 Million Users and 675M Monthly Users (total members are not the same as active ones)

– 40% of monthly active users use LinkedIn daily

– 61 Million users are Senior Level Influencers

Source: Foundation Inc.

– The largest age group using LinkedIn worldwide is adults aged between 25 – 34 at 60%. The 18 to 24 age group follows at 21%

– Edison Research found that 72% of full-time employees in the US use LinkedIn

Other Stats from Business of Apps

• 20 million jobs listed on LinkedIn
• 3 million US jobs posted every month
• 57% of LinkedIn traffic comes from mobile devices
• 130,000 articles are published on LinkedIn weekly

So What’s the Point?

First, there are a ton of people on LinkedIn and it’s growing.

Second, there is a lot of the younger generation here. Therefore, if you are a senior executive or looking to expand your career, this is a great place to publish or gain visibility for your accomplishments.

Last, you may be in the minority if you are actively looking for a new position or networking for it.

Why NOW is the Best Time for Networking

ONE

So think about this logically, how many people are stuck at home currently? I don’t think I need to even google the statistics to know it’s a sh*t ton. Pretty much anyone who can be remote has been remote for a while now.

Why does that matter? If you’re single, you’re bored and looking to connect. If you have young/old kids and are overwhelmed, you’re still looking to connect. No matter your situation, we’re all looking for something new!

We’ve all got zoom fatigue with our family and friends, so meeting someone new doesn’t seem as daunting as it did before. It actually is appealing to most!

TWO

LinkedIn is growing exponentially. And I’ve personally noticed on a daily basis, it seems there are more interactions, posts, and information being shared. Maybe it’s the pandemic, or maybe it’s not. Either way, the opportunity is there.

THREE

LinkedIn is what I like to call a safe space. Youtube is filled with trolls. Facebook is filled with crazy family and friends. Twitter is filled with everything in-between.

But because LinkedIn is geared towards the professional and a work environment, you’re not going to get the people trying to prove you wrong or trolling you.  You just aren’t going to see the number of haters you would on almost any other platform.

And that makes it a safe space. Would you personally risk your career to tell someone their ideas or post is complete sh*t? Probably not. So you can expect the same from others.;[

Last But Not Least

I’ve personally noticed, the number of invites I send out to connect and are accepted has rapidly increased. Again, I attribute it to the shelter in place orders (but I could be wrong).

Not to mention, engagement with peers has increased. We’re all stuck in a shitty, situation just trying to make the best of it. So why not take advantage? Odds of rejection are (from my perspective) hitting an all-time low!