The folks at LinkedIn recently asked me to respond to their post on entry-level professionals making connections in hybrid work. I had more to share than the tiny space I was given to reply. I hope you find this more detailed answer useful.

Connecting online is not impossible, but it is more intentional. You cannot rely on connections happening serendipitously. Having mentored many folks in hybrid and remote work situations, I recommend the following to build connections:

Tip 1 - Ask questions in the open

Most people new to an organization fear asking questions in open chat channels. However, if you ask a question in some public chat channels, you might educate many others with the answers you receive. You might also flush out different assumptions that allows the team or the organization to correct.

Tip 2 - Answer questions in the open

Maybe you are new to the organization or fresh out of school, but it doesn't mean you have nothing to offer. You may have picked up new techniques that people in the organization are looking to learn more. Share what you know with humility.

Tip 3 - Find the "social channels"

One of the questions you might ask is "How do I find out about the hobbies and interests of my coworkers?" There may be more social chat channels where people learn more about their common interests. Maybe they meet after work when they are in office? Ask and explore what people share.

Tip 4 - Notice who helps internally

Notice who tends to answer questions online in some of these public channels. This comes in handy for Tip 6.

Tip 5 - Notice who from your company shares on LinkedIn

Make sure your profile is connected to your new company on LinkedIn. Then look at your company page and check out some of coworkers' profiles. Check out who tends to share more about the company by looking at the profiles of others in your company. Then see Tip 6.

Tip 6 - Ask if you could meet online or in person to learn more about the company and the industry.

If you have identified helpful individuals in your company, either through internal chat channels (Tip 3) or on LinkedIn (Tip 4), ask if you can set up an online call to learn more about the company. Or ask which office they go to and which days they are in the office. Offer to buy them a beverage of choice to talk about the company.

I've used these tips for years in joining many online organizations and it helps me build networks quickly.

Hope it helps you too. Let me know if you have other tips.