When it comes to networking for professionals, LinkedIn is the place to be. It boasts of the world’s largest career development and social platform for professionals, with about 875 million users worldwide. Irrespective of your field of study, career stage, or goals, you have a lot to gain from LinkedIn.
Until recently, I used LinkedIn inefficiently, though I had been on it for a long time. I only connected with people I knew and rarely ever posted anything. I was there to consume content prepared by others, but I never shared anything. I responded to my inbox messages but did not initiate any conversations.
In the past few months, I stepped out of my comfort zone to establish beautiful relationships on LinkedIn. The results have been phenomenal!
I have met amazing people (some of whom I might never meet in person) and learnt so much from them. I am now learning to share more of my ideas and philosophies there. I am so grateful for a platform that allows for such robust interactions and the daily dose of inspiration I get from the fantastic people I have connected with.
If you are still wondering how to use LinkedIn more efficiently, here are a few things I have done that have yielded significant results:
1. Optimise your profile: Upload a profile photo if you do not have one. It is easier to connect with someone you can see than with a pictureless profile. In addition, it would help if you considered adding a banner to your profile. I see LinkedIn banners as an opportunity to succinctly tell someone checking out your profile the basic things you would like them to remember about you. Also, include details on your past and current work experience, education, accomplishments, and other relevant information about yourself.
2. Join groups relevant to your interests: There are lots of field-specific professional groups on LinkedIn. Identify those that are relevant to your interests and join them. You would meet great people there and learn a lot.
3. Follow/connect with people who inspire you: Some people regularly post very inspiring content. Follow them, connect with them, and engage with their posts by adding meaningful and thoughtful comments. If you do this consistently, you will be more noticeable, and others can connect with you. I often get connection requests with a message like, “I saw your comment on XYZ’s post, and it was insightful. I would like to connect with you”.
4. Share on LinkedIn: Do not just be a consumer (like I was 😜). Occasionally, add value to others by sharing posts. Just as you would like to learn from others, some people would like to learn from you. This is also a way to build credibility and grow your personal brand.
5. Engage with your community: It is not enough to send off connection requests, and everything ends there. Instead, reach out to your connections/followers from time to time and identify areas of mutual interest so that the relationship is beneficial to both parties.
I hope this helps.
What would you add to this list? I am eager to learn what networking tips have worked for you on LinkedIn.
PS: Connect with me if we ain’t connected already.
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