Face to face meeting which was used as a primary means for networking has taken a back stage for short to medium term. This unexpected crisis has created an opportunity for us to become more active & creative on social media & leverage it for networking. The three pillars- communication, knowledge sharing & support are going to help us in coming out of this crisis in a better shape.
LinkedIn is considered “ the preferred professional networking & engagement platform” by the professionals with 660 million plus users globally. It is one of the leading content publishing & sharing platforms with all content being created by its members. Just creating your profile on LinkedIn is not going to help you unless you utilize this wide community & member base for networking & building your professional brand. You may also miss out to leverage exciting & challenging career opportunities. We are sharing our thoughts on how you can stay digital connected & empowered:
- Up to date LinkedIn profile: The first step in a digital networking strategy is to make sure that your LinkedIn profile is complete & up to date. It is really surprising to learn that a lot of senior folks have missed out updating their professional LinkedIn profile. Your LinkedIn profile should have a strong headline , a great summary, and a complete profile optimized for relevant keywords that will encourage professionals, decision makers & other stakeholders to connect & network with you. Think about the content you can create & share, thought leadership you can develop through your blogs. Focus on your achievements rather than just summarizing work you have done till date & include links to your published works & presentations that will create more engagement.
- Increase frequency of your activity: Scout for professionally managed groups where you can engage & network with fellow members. These groups can be general groups, industry / function / geography specific groups, or those run by specific business associations & federations. These may also include special knowledge sharing or job search focused groups. You should also consider following some organisation which interests you or some industry experts & influencers which can help you augment your networking base
- Showcase your interest: Remember to like & share engaging posts from your connections. Think about who could benefit from a potential career or a consulting opportunity & either tag them in your post or send them a personalized message. Wishing folks in your network on their birthday or congratulating them on their promotions/ taking up a new role goes a long way in building professional rapport.
- Support each other: Folks who go out of the way to suggest & advise others be it for career or networking, share interesting ideas or willing to answer questions on some specific topics tend to benefit most out of LinkedIn. Even sharing relevant sources of information with a person can showcase your knowledge base in a particular sector/topic. Building your circle of influence through your blogs, articles, views & insights can help you open new career/ business /networking prospects.
Are you looking for some career advice, guidance about how to write an executive resume or re-branded LinkedIn. As the founder & executive resume coach at Sushant Kumar Ventures, offering executive resume writing & LinkedIn profile writing services for modern day job seekers, I would be happy to chat to help you meet your career goals; Sign up here.
