- Asking for and Receiving Fantastic LinkedIn Recommendations
- Expanding Your Network Strategically
- Building a Presence in Industry Groups
- Getting Active About Posting Content and Updates
Part 1: Asking & Receiving Fantastic LinkedIn Recommendations
Recommendations – Making the Simple Request
The idea of requesting a recommendation on LinkedIn may very well make you almost as skittish as the prospect of a job interview. On LinkedIn, though, it’s worth going out of your comfort zone because recommendations serve as powerful testimonials to your hard work, dedication, and ultimate employability.4 Tips for Asking for LinkedIn Recommendations
These great tips will help take some of the stings out of the big ask, and help you approach the recommendations in a whole new lightTip # 1: Expect some rejection.
Don’t take it personally. Some people are simply uncomfortable offering recommendations. Perhaps they’ve been burned in the past and are reluctant to do so in the future. Or maybe he or she doesn’t remember you quite as clearly as you had hoped. Often, it’s just a matter of being too busy to respond to every request. If you don’t get a positive response, thank the person for his or her time and move on to the next contact on your list. Don’t risk a friendship or hold it against someone you have respected in the past if they choose not to recommend you publicly.Tip #2: Ask for specific recommendations.
Create a list of strengths you’re most interested in highlighting in recommendations and then ask different people to recommend you for specific skills, knowledge, qualities, or expertise. Don’t be afraid to offer a little helpful prompting as well. Reminding them of specific occasions when you exhibited or practiced said skills can be useful in getting recommendations that paint a vivid picture of you as an employee. Over time, memories fade and recommenders often appreciate a reminder that will help them write a more eloquent and helpful recommendation without laboring over it.Tip #3: Write individual requests.
While LinkedIn will allow you to mass email a number of connections in an effort to get recommendations, it always works best if you send individual messages and emails so you can ask for specific things from individuals. This is also a more personal approach and allows you to show your respect and appreciation for each individual who you contact.Tip #4: Invite people who aren’t yet on LinkedIn to connect with you and write a recommendation.
If some of your past managers/colleagues/clients still haven’t joined LinkedIn, you can send an invite to prompt them to sign up. This kills two birds with one stone as it attracts new connections to LinkedIn and allows you the opportunity to reconnect with people you’ve lost touch with along the way.Whom Should You Ask for Recommendations?
Asking is the hard part for most people. But some people struggle with the question of whom to ask even more. The key to solid recommendations is to limit the people you ask to those who can speak about your skills, leadership qualities, etc. Business Insider suggests that getting high-quality recommendations is one of the most important things you can do to boost the usefulness of your LinkedIn profile in a job search situation. It makes sense. Aren’t you more likely to buy a product with glowing Amazon reviews from real people who have purchased that item (you may have noticed the designation of Verified Purchase on some reviews)? If you’re trying to make yourself stand out in your industry, focus on recommendations from people who have used your services, worked by your side, or supervised your work in the past. This list includes:- Colleagues
- Bosses
- Mentors
- Mentees
- Clients
The Etiquette of Recommendation Requests
There is a sense of quid pro quo that goes along with recommendation requests on LinkedIn. If someone does offer a recommendation or agree to write one on the specific subject you’ve requested, it’s worth the good will to offer a small token of appreciation.- A “Thank You” at the very least is in order.
- A gift card to Starbucks or something along those lines is a thoughtful gesture you can make as well.
- Finally, consider giving the gift of your time and attention by crafting a beautiful recommendation for each person who recommends you. If you really want to score points, send a draft to the person in question before making it public.
Part 2: Expanding Your Network Strategically
- Begin with people you know. Social Times reminds you that it’s perfectly acceptable to send out invitations to people you know, just remember to send individual and personal invitations rather than group invites. If you don’t know the person well, include a reminder of how you met. This is particularly important if it has been a while or you’re connecting with someone who meets a lot of people.
- Invite people to connect with you by including your LinkedIn link on business cards, in your email signature, on your professional website and/or blog, on your Facebook page, etc.
- Shift to people you want to know. Hold this step until you have at least 50, if not 100 connections of your own. Begin with people who are connected to people you’re already connected with.
- Attend real world networking events and invite the people you meet to connect on LinkedIn.
- Use the LinkedIn “request introduction” feature to selectively request that people you’re connected to introduce you to people they’re connected to. This feature lets you connect to people who are in your 2nd degree and 3rd degree networks. Keep in mind that you should ask respectfully as it’s a favor for someone to open up their network to you.
- Consider joining “open networker” LinkedIn groups. This will help you boost your numbers quickly, though it may not be as targeted as you’d like. However, it is an excellent tool for building first-level connections who may be connected to the people you ultimately want to connect with.
Part 3: Building a Presence in Industry Groups
The Importance of Group Participation
That group participation statistic is critical for anyone hoping to get noticed. Group participants get four times the number of profile views. Keep that in mind when you wonder exactly how important participation is. Not only is it important to participate in groups to get your profile noticed, but there are many other benefits for membership as well as participation, including the following.- Develop relationships with major players in your industry.
- Build credibility as an expert in your field.
- Establish yourself as a leader.
- Learn about the latest news, developments, and advancements in your field.
- Discuss industry-related problems and brainstorm potential solutions.
- Get introductions to prominent leaders in your field.
- Negativity about the industry.
- Peddling your products, wares, etc. obnoxiously
- Sharing inappropriate or excessive content.
- Posting unrelated content.
Part 4:
Being Active About Posting Content and Updates
Sharing Updates
Sharing an update is really simple to do too! Simply go to your LinkedIn homepage, type (or copy and paste from your Word document or blog), and hit the blue “Share” button beneath the box. You can even choose whether to make your status update public to all of LinkedIn, share it on Twitter plus LinkedIn, or to only share it with your connections.1) Time Your Status Updates Wisely
If you’re going for maximum exposure, you need to post your status updates during LinkedIn’s busiest hours. You want to do so on weekdays, in the morning or at midday.2) Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Content that is. Take your existing content from white papers, blog posts, articles, etc. and repurpose them into status updates, food for thought, new blog posts, top ten blog posts, discussion starters, and LinkedIn content. Forbes refers to this tactic as being lazy, but since time is money, this is a good way to invest your time in a way to maximize its potential return.3) Post Regularly
In order to get the best possible results from your posting efforts, you should post at least 20 status updates each month. As only 20 percent of your followers are reached with one status update, it is optimal to post three to four status updates each day. How does it help to make routine content and status updates on LinkedIn? These are just a few of the highlights to keep in mind before you decide to skip out on this vital step.- Informs others that you’re staying up to date with what’s going on in the industry.
- Invites conversations with other leaders in your field.
- Solidifies your credibility in the industry.
- Provides a large return for a minimal investment of time and daily effort (it only takes a few minutes each day to do).
- Positions you as a leader.
- Engages others in the conversation.
- Brings people back to your profile.
- Earns more recognition from LinkedIn.
- Makes your profile page more “findable” in industry-related searches.