LinkedIn is a fantastic place for people in similar industries to connect and stay in touch, and it can be a great opportunity for you to promote what you're doing at work, and any amazing projects you're working on, to your peers. But there are mistakes many people make when using the site that can and should be avoided, here are just a few suggestions - it might be worth reading through the list and double checking you're putting your best foot forward!
NOT FILLING OUT YOUR PROFILE
The first one is fairly simple - it's super important to make sure your LinkedIn is up to date, and that you have a great picture of your excellent face up on there! If you're using the site to network, your face might be integral to a contact remembering you from a conference - don't be shy, make sure you've got an appropriate photo up as your profile pic! Also be sure to keep your education details up to date as it's a terrific way for alumni to connect with you.
SENDING OUT TOO MANY INVITATIONS
While it's excellent to make connections with peers in your industry, sometimes people go a bit wild on LinkedIn and end up shooting out an invitation to connect to every single profile they stumble across. A huge number of connections you don't know might make you feel popular, but you're unlikely to be doing some real networking with them and thus most of the benefits of LinkedIn connection will pass you by. Being a bit discerning can be a good thing.
POSTING INFLAMMATORY COMMENTS
Ever see folks who treat LinkedIn as though it's their personal Facebook page, spouting off aggressively about issues that aren't work related - and even if the issues ARE work related, the level of anger and vitriol is entirely inappropriate? Yeah, don't be those people. Interesting and lively discussions can always be had in mutually respectful ways.
SELLING VIA LINKEDIN SPAM
Sure, you're in sales and you've got a product you wanna boast about. Great! But sending someone an invitation that is essentially an unsolicited marketing approach full of links to products you sell is not a good look, it doesn't establish trust or rapport, and it doesn't feel like a genuine connection at all.
TREATING LINKEDIN LIKE A DATING SITE
This really, really shouldn't have to be said in 2019 - but it never hurts to remind everyone that LinkedIn is a site for business networking, it's not an avenue to send messages to people you don't know to try your luck with them romantically. As Ross Simmonds so eloquently put it, "let’s keep LinkedIn a place where we can expect interactions to have the same level of professionalism that they would (or should) at a corporate event."
MORE:
5 Things To Stop Doing On LinkedIn Immediately
7 Things You Need To Stop Doing On LinkedIn (Ross Simmonds)
Why Creatives are Using LinkedIn Wrong...
Update your LinkedIn with A.I.D.A principles
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