CLM’s Young Professionals Community recently held a webinar entitled “How to Leverage the Digital Transformation and Virtual Handshakes,” which discussed how to properly navigate a virtual work environment and offered tips on how professionals can best position themselves to succeed with tools and platforms that will continue to be used long after the pandemic. Below are a few takeaways from the presentation.
12:00:00 p.m.
THE SPEAKERS
Emily Shaw, Senior Claims Specialist, AXIS Insurance
Kyle T. Geiger, Partner,
Walker Wilcox Matousek LLP
12:01:42 p.m.
Emily Shaw
“Just at a basic level, [networking] is the act of meeting new people in a business or social context. So it’s not limited purely to work-related events. The purpose is to develop strong connections and relationships with others in your career area.”
12:02:59 p.m.
Kyle Geiger
“We’re living in a different world than we were 18 months ago.…Nobody here is an expert when it comes to what this world has become virtually. If you told me two years ago that I would be doing mediations virtually…I wouldn’t have believed you.”
12:04:46 p.m.
Kyle Geiger
“I understand that we’re starting to open a bit, but a lot of these [virtual technologies] are going to be here to stay. To the extent that you’re a lawyer, adjuster, or someone else in the legal insurance world, I think these are skills that are going to be useful for years to come, even after we get past this pandemic.”
12:26:13 p.m.
Kyle Geiger
“One of the most important things I’ve learned is, upgrade your Internet. When I first started, I couldn’t get solid Wi-Fi so that my Zoom would work.… It sounds so trivial and minor, but it made absolutely all the difference for me to have a good Wi-Fi connection.”
12:31:12 p.m.
Emily Shaw
“You should keep your video turned on if it’s a meeting where video is expected.… It helps to be able to see who you’re talking to; it’s a lot more humanizing than just a voice on the phone.”
12:31:35 p.m.
Emily Shaw
“Remember to mute yourself when you’re not talking.… Everyone has something, whether it’s kids or pets…and it’s less distracting if [others on the call] can’t hear it.”
12:32:16 p.m.
Emily Shaw
“Don’t comment on other people’s appearances. A lot of us have gone a long time without seeing people in person that we work with…. You never know why someone’s appearance may have changed, and you shouldn’t comment on it.”
12:44:43 p.m.
Kyle Geiger
“Understand how to work the technology. Know when your camera is on. Know how to turn on the gallery setting versus speaker setting. Check that your filters are turned off and your background is clear—all of these things are so simple, but they are going to make you look more professional and ensure that things simply go more smoothly.”