LinkedIn is a rich platform for connecting with people in the same field and having similar interest. Young professionals as well as MBA graduates can improve Linkedin profile and use the platform effectively to network and learn about areas where they want to pursue their career. Using LinkedIn effectively might land you in your dream job by connecting with the right people. Though, it is unlikely that anyone entertains a stranger but the chances of your LinkedIn request going waste is less if one sticks to the following hygiene practices on the platform.
1Improve linkedIn profile by taking care of hygiene factors
The attention span to your connection request will be in seconds. Therefore, if you do not have a meaningful headline or you have missed putting information in your profile, your LinkedIn request will most probably get ignored. So, to improve Linkedin profile, do add a headline to your profile, mention significant achievements and state everything you would do in your resume. Headline, Summary, Experience, Endorsements, Connections and even a customised LinkedIn URL push towards adding credibility your profile.
2You must send a personalised message in your connection request
You are not the only one seeking for advise, opportunity for an individual. If you find him/her worthy, many others as do the same. Consequently, the person ends up getting hundreds of random LinkedIn request which is the last things on his priority list. Always add a short introduction about yourself or beginning the conversation with a small note on your common interest. To find a ‘warm’ topic to talk, you can scan the profile of the individual and find commonalities – say working in one of his ex-organisations, same field, same industry or many be same B-School, you never know what might click.
3Typos and Spelling Mistakes
Typing Errors and Spelling Mistakes in your profile could be the biggest turn off for a recruiter scanning through your profile. Your biggest achievement can go down the drain if it is jotted down with spelling errors. Avoid.
4Spelling others name incorrectly
While you reach out to someone over LinkedIn, please make sure that you do not end up spelling his/her name incorrectly. The chances of your message getting answered will drop significantly; and if you are using the premium service with InMail, that one might go waste.
5Improve LinkedIn Profile by Writing Blog Posts
Apart form regular status updates, LinkedIn has a ‘Post’ feature where you can scribble your subject knowledge and showcase it to your prospects. This is an effective way to be heard to the right audience and at a platform where they are in the knowledge receiving mode. However, one must make sure that you keep on writing a regular basis and at fixed time intervals to build a loyal audience outside your network.
6Don’t push from Day 1
You should not send out a connection request to a person on the day you need him/her. Instead one should keep looking for people to connect and build meaningful relationships and reach out to them when really needed. Connecting and asking for a referral to a job on Day 1 hardly works as the person doesn’t have confidence in you to refer.
