10 Keys to Building Valuable LinkedIn Connections
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Today’s topic is using LinkedIn in job search in a less-frequently talked about way.
That is, using LinkedIn to build your brand and establish personal relationships by engaging with others.
Like relationship-building in general, this isn’t only for when you're in job search mode.
We all know about using LinkedIn to search for and apply for jobs and to learn more about people with whom we’re going to have a meeting or interview.
One of the most powerful uses of LinkedIn is more subtle.
Use LinkedIn to develop relationships with people who could be helpful to you in your job search by engaging with them.
Who are these people?
People who do the kinds of jobs that interest you
People who work at companies that interest you
People who share some affinity with you. Perhaps they’re people who went to the same school as you. Those people are more likely than average to help since you’ve shared a common experience.
Experts in a field that you find interesting. They may be thought leaders, investors, teachers, researchers, etc.
Let me walk you through it step-by-step.
1. Find people you believe might be helpful in your search.
One way is to find people who talk about the field that interests you. Say it’s “social media marketing.”
Google that term, in quotes.
You’ll likely see posts that list the top 10 influencers in social media marketing.
Search for them on LinkedIn.
You can see how many followers each person has. It’s a measure of the size of their network and other people’s interest in following them. People with tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or millions of followers must be saying something interesting!
You’ll probably want to find people who are popular but not Elon Musk popular. You’d get lost in a crowd of comments on those people’s profiles.
2. Follow people who are interesting.
On LinkedIn, unlike connecting with someone, which requires mutual interest, you can follow anyone. That means LinkedIn’s algorithm will show you their posts and other activity.
To ensure you see posts from these people, click the bell 🔔 on their profile. You can choose to see all posts (preferred), or just top posts.
3. Start reading and engaging with their posts.
Do you find their posts interesting and insightful? Do you have something to add? If so, begin to engage by reacting to their posts and commenting.
There are several types of reactions available.
You can apply one to any post or comment, depending on your feelings.
You can also reply to other people’s comments. You can even react and reply to your own comments.
This process should be familiar from other social media channels.
4. Reacting and commenting are valuable in a few different ways.
First, reacting and commenting helps a wider audience see the member’s post due to how LinkedIn’s algorithm serves up posts to its 930 million members. It favors posts with many views, reactions, comments, and reposts. The original poster will appreciate that.
Second, if you write interesting, thought-provoking comments, the original poster or other people reading the thread may take notice. They may reply to you. It’s like striking up a conversation on the street, but it's even more acceptable in the Land of LinkedIn.
Third, by engaging, you will begin to form your online persona of being a knowledgeable, interesting person.
5. What’s going to happen?
You may find that the original poster connects with you on LinkedIn. Or people commenting or simply reading the post do the same. Your LinkedIn network will begin to grow.
6. What does that mean to you?
LinkedIn is a true network. You have:
First-level connections: people you know directly
Second-level connections: you know someone who knows them
Third-level connections: you know someone who knows someone who knows someone
Unless you subscribe to the recruiter version of LinkedIn, which is pricey, you can only see the profiles of your first, second, and third-level connections. The more people with whom you are connected, the more profiles you can view and the more people will potentially see your posts and comments.
You’ll begin to see some of the same people regularly engaging on the topics of interest to you. Start following them. After you have had a couple of interactions with someone, you can reach out to them and have a get-to-know-you chat.
7. What are the best practices for engaging with others?
There are a couple of principles to follow to help in your relationship building.
Do this consistently. People are more likely to engage with familiar people.
Turn on your EQ (emotional quotient or emotional intelligence) when interacting. Be empathetic, and avoid humble bragging and negative behaviors. Be respectful at all times.
Relationships require that people not only take but give, too. Emphasize being a giver.
A little flattery goes a long way
It’s great to validate what someone says and add to it to bring something extra to the conversation
An example:
John Smith posts about why connecting with recruiters during job search is a good idea.
He says, “The best time to get to know a recruiter is when you’re not actively looking for a new job.”
You can like the post and say something like:
“Yes, getting to know a recruiter before you need one is a great idea. And if they are trying to fill and job and you provide a great referral, they’re more likely to call you again. And maybe at that time, what they’re calling about will be really interesting to you. Great post, John.”
You validate their idea, add to it, and then pat them on the back.
8. Who should you seek out to do this with?
It’s great to engage with people who are several years ahead of you in your career journey. They likely have a larger network than you do, and that network’s probably chock full of people who might be helpful in your search.
9. How is this going to help me in my job search?
You can do this with people who work at companies that interest you as potential employers. Perhaps you’ve seen job postings and want to go beyond simply applying online. If you make a personal connection with someone at that company, they may try to help you get seen by the recruiter. This is more effective than simply landing on an electronic heap of applicants.
This activity complements the networking and outreach you should be doing in other ways. For example, speaking with friends, family, current and former colleagues, classmates, etc. It widens the field with whom you’re interacting and gives you access to an incredible number of highly-accomplished, connected people.
There’s certainly a bit of randomness to all of this, but it works.
10. Anything else I need to know?
We’ve all felt that cringey feeling from connecting with someone on LinkedIn and then, five minutes later, being asked to book a 15-minute meeting to learn how they can get us more leads, help us make a fortune in crypto, be our virtual assistant, etc.
Like all relationship-building, this process takes time. You don’t want to make an ask too early before building rapport. Take it slow.
There are people on LinkedIn who are using it for improper reasons. They may have a very attractive profile photo, unrealistically impressive credentials, and few connections. Beware of who you engage with on social media forums.
Please give this facet of LinkedIn a regular place in your job search process, and make it more than just a place to post your profile. If you do, you’ll find that you may reap terrific rewards. I’ll cover additional tips on making this work in future newsletters.
I’d like to hear about your successes and challenges in doing this. Feel free to shoot me a message at any time.
Feel free to email me with your questions and comments at neil@danzgergroup.com. I respond to every email.
Do you or someone you know need help determining what kinds of roles and companies would be great work situations? Conducting an effective job search without endlessly applying online? I coach and advise people 1:1 and in hybrid 1:1/small group settings. Learn more about my career coaching and sign up for a free 30-minute Career Solutions Call.