Written by: Lisa Cannavale | đź“– 2 minute read
COVID- 19 has changed a lot of how we live our day-to-day lives. Maybe you have some extra time on your hands right now, or perhaps you’re just looking to brush up on those professional development skills. Whatever it be, now is a good time to think about expanding your professional network.
Now, where to begin? Here are some easy steps to help you find professionals on LinkedIn!
Start on LinkedIn
Don’t have a LinkedIn or want to brush up on your online profiles? Try this skillshop to get started: Creating a Great LinkedIn Profile skillshop. Once you refresh your profile, see how to find professionals on LinkedIn.
Think about what industry you’re interested in.
Industry is like a code word for field. Ever hear someone say “I’m in the marketing field,” ? It’s just one way we categorize and cluster different types of jobs. If you want to be a teacher, you would look in the Education industry.
Example industry names if you’re still stuck: Sports Marketing, Pharmaceuticals, Information Technology, Software, Engineering, Health, Communication and Media, Criminal Justice, Politics, Finance and more! Remember, Google is your best friend. Keep on typing.
Type that industry in the search bar
Here you can search by people or a group. I recommend joining a group- it’s a great way to stay current on industry trends!  It also exposes you to a larger network of like-minded professionals.
Visit the University at Buffalo LinkedIn page
Click alumni to meet UB alumni professionals. You can see where their geographic location, what they do for work, and what they studied in college.
You can then type the industry name in the keyword box to find alumni that work in a specific industry or company!
Press the connect button- but don’t stop there. If you have never met this person before, you’ll want to write a message explaining who you are and why you’re reaching out. This next blog gives you all the information you need to reach out to this professional.
