Humans like putting things in categories. Whether it's movies, music, or restaurants, it's comfortable for us to parse things into different groups in our minds. It's one of the traits that allows us to manage a world of staggering complexity. We also like to do it with our relationships. We put people into relationship buckets: he's my work colleague, she's my friend, he's just an acquaintance, etc. But it's not always as clear cut as we would like it to be. What about a long-term client who has become a friend or a friend who you hired to work for you? This has only been exacerbated by the advent of social networking platforms … [Read more...]
How to Share Your Experience (and NOT your Resume) on LinkedIn
How do you talk about your past on LinkedIn? It's easy to look at the Experience and Education sections on your LinkedIn profile as the "resume" part of the profile. There's a slight problem, though. No one wants to read your resume. Even corporate recruiters and headhunters don't want to read a resume. But then how are you supposed to talk about your past work life? Your Profile Isn't Your Resume Much of this confusion stems from the fact that the LinkedIn Profile did start as a kind of online resume. In its early days, LinkedIn was a way for professionals in Silicon Valley to keep track of each other because it was an environment … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Incorporate LinkedIn into Your Offline Networking
When I talk to professionals about social media, I often get a litany of complaints (especially from veterans in the industry): "It's a waste of time!" "All I see is kids on their cell phones all the time - I don't have room in my schedule for that!" "The next generation is going to have a hard time talking to people because they're so used to just texting everything or Facebooking their life!" Even though each of these has some measure of truth, I also hear a little bit of jealousy as well. Those born after 1980 are considered digital natives because they've grown up with technology integrated into their lives. It's easy for them … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Use LinkedIn in 3 Minutes Daily
I often get asked "So what am I supposed to actually do on LinkedIn?" Usually this is asked with a mix of confusion, annoyance, and desperation. Online social networking represents a fundamental evolution in how we communicate - and it can be overwhelming. So how can you start using it in a way that helps you accomplish your work goals? One of the best ways to get acclimated to LinkedIn is to use it consistently - you want to make your social media use a habit. You might be afraid that this takes a lot of time - never fear, once you do make it a habit LinkedIn requires just a few minutes a day to use effectively. Social media moves … [Read more...]
How to Use LinkedIn Status Update “Tags”
LinkedIn is most useful when you leverage it as a tool to engage with the people in your network. When you tag someone in a status update, they'll get a notice in their LinkedIn account (and an email in their inbox, depending on their account settings). So now we have a way to grab someone's attention! Instead of hoping they'll stumble across your mention, they'll know that you have brought them up in conversation. This has a number of positive effects. It puts you back on their radar, which is helpful in a world where our network is bombarded with messages and information. It's a light touch in your networking relationship; maybe … [Read more...]
5 LinkedIn Status Updates You Can Post Right Now
LinkedIn Status Updates are a critical tool in developing your online presence. The opportunity to speak directly to your network is incredibly powerful, but sadly, still underused. Your LinkedIn network is made up of professionals who have opted-in to you, but if you don't share anything, they can't stay informed. They want to know what's going on in your professional world, and they are looking to you for information that can help them. "But I don't know what to share!" I hear that all of the time when I'm coaching and training individuals on how to make the most of their networking on LinkedIn. So let's get tactical. Here are … [Read more...]
9 Ways the Pros Use Their Status Update on LinkedIn
Updated December 2018 One of the most common features on social networking websites is the status update. Using the status update feature, a user can type in a short message that is broadcast to their entire network. Facebook’s popularity is based largely on people’s ability to share information through the status update feature, and Twitter has taken the process one step further – it’s just status updates, and nothing else. It can be exciting to share in this way, and many business people are using it to share professional information as well. Unfortunately, the ubiquity of status updates makes it hard to be “heard” above the … [Read more...]