The Do’s and Don’ts of LinkedIn Networking
Still getting your head around LinkedIn? We’ve put together a few pointers to help you get the most out of your profile:
Do – Look your best at all times. Think of LinkedIn as your own personal marketing tool, make sure your profile picture is appropriate and shows you in the manner you wish to be perceived.
Don’t – Connect with just anybody. If you don’t know the person you’re trying to connect with, what will it achieve? You need to be able to explain why they would want to connect with you.
Do – Give a detailed description of what you do at the top of your profile. To only give your company description could look like you don’t care, or maybe don’t even really know!
Don’t – Be self-indulgent. If you start a discussion or post a link make sure you give value. Blatant self-promotion will not win you any fans.
Do – Get testimonials. Ask colleagues or people you have worked with to give testimonials referencing your skills.
Don’t – Neglect your profile. A profile with no activity will not enhance your relationships. Make sure you post content regularly, even if it’s just once a week.
Do – Choose the groups you join carefully. To begin with, stick to a small number of groups and make sure they are the most relevant to you. Also, add value to a group with well thought-out responses to interesting discussions.
Don’t – Spam. This is possibly the biggest ‘no, no’ of them all. If you flood your connections newsfeeds with pointless information they are likely to block you.
Do – Write new connections a personal message. This will go a long way in showing you care and starting relationships on the right foot.
Don’t – Hog the conversation in groups. Give everyone a chance to voice his or her opinions.
Do – Write meaningful recommendations. Although there is the ‘endorsement’ function, people rarely see the value in these and would much rather see you take the time to write a significant recommendation rather than those annoying endorsements.
Last BUT not least:
Don’t – Treat LinkedIn as a chore. It really is the best networking tool out there today. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!