Make LinkedIn Work for You
LinkedIn serves nearly a billion members – and presents an even greater number of opportunities for those who understand how to leverage the platform’s power. Many people take a passive approach to the platform, simply putting up a profile and waiting for recruiters to contact them or leads to roll in. This is a mistake. If you want LinkedIn to work for you, you must work it yourself. Here are some tips to help optimize your LinkedIn experience:
Engage. Read, interpret, and comment. This is more valuable than simply liking or commenting with a generic response.
Be helpful. Don’t just list your title and job description. Provide your audience with content and expertise that they can use to solve their business problems. It’s important to let people know what you do but even more important to demonstrate that you can help solve their problems.
Show personality. Create an authentic way to stand out and provide a point of connection that goes beyond your resume. After all, LinkedIn is a social network, so be sociable.
Connect. We all have too many InMails from people wanting a meeting or pitching products and services. This is the contemporary version of cold calling, and it’s not very effective. A better approach is to engage with someone’s content, comment, and find a point of connection.
Be active. Most people think their LinkedIn profile is just an online resume. They’re wrong. It’s a place to showcase your unique value and make connections. The more active you are on LinkedIn, the more value you will get out of it. Don’t be a LinkedIn zombie!
Optimize your headline and the “About” section. Your headline is not just your job title. Use it to tell potential employers exactly what you can do for them. Your summary should be a story that showcases your expertise, passion, and the results you’ve achieved.
Highlight your expertise. Include case studies, articles, videos, and infographics in your profile. This engages visitors with concrete examples of your work.
Leverage recommendations: Request recommendations from past employers and colleagues. These serve as powerful testimonials and social proof of your skills and reliability.
Publish native content: Write articles that address common pain points in your industry. Providing valuable content positions you as a thought leader and keeps you on the radar of your target audience.
To expand your reach beyond your immediate network on LinkedIn, combine broad and niche hashtags to tap into specific industries and conversations. Tag relevant professionals or thought leaders to introduce your content to their audiences. Boost visibility by engaging with comments and likes shortly after posting, as LinkedIn prioritizes active posts. Posting during peak times—typically mornings or midweek—can further improve engagement. Try different combinations, stay consistent, and refine your approach to get the most out of your LinkedIn experience!