Make social media work for you
The good news is that the tools which may work against you can also support and magnify your networking efforts when used correctly. Let’s see how.
LinkedIn is a professional networking service. Use it to be seen by as many people as possible once your profile is up to date.
A fully completed profile should include:
A professional looking headshot.
A completed summary.
A completed work history.
Recommendations from your current network (the more the better!).
LinkedIn gives you a lot of control over how your profile's visibility. To be seen by as many people as possible, go to your Privacy setting and choose Name and headline under Profile viewing options. You can then customize what people see and turn part of your public profile on or off. Read LinkedIn's instructions on how to do this.
Highlight key information in your Summary section
Like your CV, it should not just be a list of tasks and responsibilities. You should talk about your accomplishments and achievements; however, instead of putting them all under each separate job section, I recommend using the Summary section. That way anyone viewing your profile will see your key achievement highlights without having to scroll down (because a lot of people won’t bother).
Request a LinkedIn recommendation
You must have good quality recommendations on your profile. Each one from a manager, client, supplier or colleague increases your credibility.
You can ask any one of your first degree contacts for a recommendation as long as you have worked with them or for them (never ask someone who is a connection but has not worked with you).
LinkedIn makes this very easy to do via their messaging system.
Or you can proactively find connections you have worked with, leave them a positive review, and drop them a message letting them know you have written a recommendation and would like one in return.
You will receive a notification when someone submits a recommendation, and you have the option to publish it on your profile or not.
Develop your presence
Once you are happy with your profile, you can start developing your LinkedIn presence.
LinkedIn allows you to connect with people anywhere in the world, but do not fire off endless connection requests, or you may be blocked. Always go for quality over quantity, and connect with relevant people.
If you do get blocked from sending connection requests, try withdrawing pending ones. Here is a quick video which explains how you can do this:
Most people only ever use it to connect with others, but LinkedIn has far more value than that.
Use LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn Groups are a powerful way to network with the right people. They cover every occupation including some you’ve never heard of! Take time to search for groups and join a few.
Once you join one, go to settings and consider changing the group activity digest from daily to weekly to avoid too many emails.
Now you can start contributing to your groups. Start gradually to build your confidence as you become an active member. You can contribute in the following ways:
Start by answering other people’s questions. This is a great way to show off your knowledge.
Post your own industry-related questions.
Post a link to a relevant recent article, and ask for people’s thoughts on it.
You can also write your own articles and add them to your profile. Then share them with one or more of your groups. This is another great way to build credibility.
Every time you make a contribution, you will see a temporary jump in the number of people viewing your profile. Don’t forget to send a connection request to people you have an online conversation with.
Should I pay for LinkedIn Premium?
There is no one answer to this. My personal view is that only people in a rush to find their next job would benefit from this investment.
If you have not already done so, I recommend creating a dedicated professional twitter account as part of your personal online brand. Link it to your LinkedIn account, so any articles you post automatically go out to your followers.
If you have not used Twitter before, don’t panic. You don’t have to Tweet until you are ready to do so. Remember, with so many ways to network these days, allow yourself time to experiment and find ways that suit you and your personality.
You can also use Twitter passively as a great research tool - no Tweeting required. Follow thought leaders in a particular industry. An organization's Twitter feed is an excellent way of staying abreast of their news delivered straight to your phone. Large organizations will have several Twitter channels; maybe one for each country. There may also be a separate HR Twitter feed, which could be the first place they advertise jobs.
To start with, aim to find 12 Twitter accounts to follow, making sure they are a mix of organizations and individuals. Again, it's okay to wait until you are confident and ready before posting your thoughts and sharing content.
I think Twitter works best for building your credibility and raising awareness rather than starting direct one-to-one conversations. If someone is already aware of you through Twitter, it increases the chances of them responding to you when you contact them directly via a different method.
Make offline tools work for you as well
An underused way to grow your network is the unsolicited approach, where the person you wish to contact has no prior knowledge of you (as far as you are aware).
Welcome to the world of cold networking! It isn’t for the faint-hearted, but it works.
And often the most effective ways to cold network are the oldest.
Send an email.
Post a snail mail letter.
Make a phone call.
Emails
These original networking tools get overlooked which is why they are still valuable.
Email is easy, free, and fast, but your networking activity is about cutting through the noise that managers deal with every day. Email is useful, but it can get lost in an overflowing inbox.
Letters
Everyone loves receiving a letter with a handwritten envelope because it’s such a rare event. It will always get the receiver’s attention.
Phone calls
Never underestimate the power of a phone call. If you can navigate the gatekeepers (switchboard operators and personal assistants), and reach the person you want to speak to, you will definitely have their attention. They key is to have a script and know what you are asking for; which is their advice, a little time, or permission to send them something. Never ask for a job!
You may be skeptical about the power of networking by phone, but think how many times you receive an unsolicited sales call. Companies still invest in cold calling for a reason. It works!
However, the phone call is best used to follow up your first communication.
A couple of years ago, I had a client who, rather than just send a straight email, recorded a one minute YouTube clip talking about his experience and why he was interested in working for a particular organization. He then emailed a link to three senior managers in that organization saying he would call them the following week.
One manager replied saying when he would be available to speak; the other called him. Not a bad success rate!
Let's recap!
LinkedIn is designed for networking and allows you to both expand your contacts and build your credibility.
Develop a professional Twitter channel dedicated to showcasing your knowledge and following thought leaders.
Don't limit yourself to online networking. A phone call and sending a letter are still great ways to get someone's attention.
Now that we have covered some of the ways you can use your networking tools, we are going to look at how you can save time by creating a set of standard templates that can be personalized.
