“Your network is your net worth” – Porter Gale
Last week, I shared simple ways you can optimize your LinkedIn profile so that you can become more visible and solidify your personal brand. This week I will be focusing on what you can do to quickly grow your connections and influence on LinkedIn. But once again, we are looking at this within the big picture of all the things you can do to advance your career development strategy.
To help with the details, you’ll definitely want to watch the related YouTube video below!
Creating Connections on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform. For professionals trying to expand their contacts and influence, it is a great resource. With more than 700 million users globally, LinkedIn provides unmatched chances to network with people from all areas of influence. If there is someone you want to meet or connect with, they are probably on LinkedIn.
Know this – who you are connected to on LinkedIn matters. You’ll want to be aware of the connections and network you are cultivating there by going to the “My Network” tab. There you’ll be able to see how many contacts, followers, etc. you have, and who they are. Let’s dive deeper into how to manage and grow your LinkedIn network!
Email Contacts
The fastest way to quickly connect with people you already know is by connecting your existing email contacts to LinkedIn.
To do this, look in the bottom-left corner of the “My Network” tab for a textbox. This is where you can input any email addresses that you have. It will scan the address books in your email addresses, and it will compare those emails to those of LinkedIn users to identify contacts for you to connect with. When it pulls up names you recognize, you can quickly send connection requests to all of these people. It might be a chance to restart some of those previous friendships, professional connections, and academic connections from over the years.
Do this now and see how many people you can connect with in just a few minutes!
Who Do You Know?
In the “My Network” tab there is usually a section displayed where it says “People you may know from . . .” This is where LinkedIn gives you suggestions of people you might know from the same school you were in, company, groups, events, roles, etc. If it gives suggestions from people you actually know, great! Just click that “Connect” button right away.
Beyond that, you may just think to yourself of family, friends, or other contacts that you know that you’ll want to search for and find to connect with on LinkedIn – it won’t take you long!
Who Do You Know?
LinkedIn isn’t just about connecting with people from your computer or phone only – it can also help you stay connected with people you meet in-person.
LinkedIn has a feature that you can scan and show a QR code to be able to quickly and easily connect with people on LinkedIn when you are together with them. This is something I’ve done at meetings, networking events, and other occasions. For some of you, it might be even more beneficial than a business card!
A Few Other Suggestions
2nd-Degree Connections – If you find someone who is a 2nd-degree connection (meaning you have a mutual 1st-degree connection) that can help you grow your network, go and reach out to the person he is connected to and maybe you can get introductions
Who is viewing your profile? – These are people who might be interested in you and curious about what you do. If they didn’t connect with you but you are interested, then reach out and thank them for visiting your profile!
People who like/comment on your content – Start conversations with them. If you don’t know what to talk about, you can discuss what you posted recently that they liked or commented on, and thank them for engaging. You can also ask about their current role or their career goals. This is simply an opportunity to be more personal!
By utilizing these strategies, you can expand your network, establish yourself as a thought leader, and advance your career. Remember, success on LinkedIn takes time and effort, but with persistence and dedication, you can achieve your goals.
Watch more in the video below:
Accelerate Your Career
If you’re ready to accelerate your career and leadership further and want some help doing it, here are a few ways I can help when you’re ready:
- Watch a FREE Engineering Career Masterclass – the 4 Keys to Intentional Engineering Career Transitions
- Enroll in the Engineering Career Accelerator – the exact system that hundreds of engineers have used to go from confused to thriving in their careers.
- Schedule a free call with me to talk about getting personalized 1:1 and group support on your goals.
