How To Introduce Yourself When Networking Online

Online networking events for your career are exploding. [i.e. Here's a free event on Tuesday that lets you use your LinkedIn profile to connect.] It's as if the professional world finally just figured out what the dating world has known for some time: it's much easier, cheaper, and more convenient to meet new career friends on the internet.

Asking to Connect on LinkedIn Isn't "Networking Online"

A common mistake I see people making is assuming they're online networking when they invite people to connect on LinkedIn. This is not networking - it's just a step towards doing it. Networking is an exchange between two people. It's a conversation that helps them get to know one other enough to feel comfortable connecting and sharing on a platform like LinkedIn. I get a bit frustrated when I see a random, "I'd like to connect with you on LinkedIn," request in my mailbox. It's too impersonal. At least customize the request. [Read here on how to make more career friends by not falling into this trap.]

In my experience, virtual events designed to give you a chance to exchange some pleasantries and professional information are examples of good online networking. (If you've never attended an online networking session for your career, you should check out Mingle - a free weekly online event that helps LinkedIn users expand their network.)

Don't Be a Rookie - Write Your Introduction In Advance!

While I'm a big fan of online networking, being effective at it does involve a bit of a learning curve. Especially, the introduction. Here's why...

Online, we lose a lot of the valuable communications skills that face-to-face networking provides (i.e. voice tone, facial expressions, body language, etc.). Therefore, coming up with a good introduction is vital if you want to make some solid online connections.

Answer 3 Questions to Make a Good 1st Impression

In my experience, the best online introductions answer three questions as follows:

1. What problem do you love to solve in your work?
2. How do you do that?
3. What are you looking to do next with your skills?

When you answer these three questions in a positive and dynamic fashion, people get an immediate sense of your confidence and passion for your work - two traits that make you instantly more interesting as a potential person to network with.

Here's an example:

I love working with social media to help my company connect better with customers. I'm responsible for twelve different social media accounts where I get to interact with clients to answer their questions and educate them about our services. I'm looking to connect with more people in social media to learn more about how they're using social media in hopes I can expand my knowledge and find some new techniques to apply to my work.

The above introduction is short, clear, and compelling. You know this person has a good handle on their career. They are able to convey enough about themselves without having to write an epic novel.

Plus, A Good Intro Expedites the Relationship Building Process

I've been using this approach for some time now, and it comes with a great upside. It helps keep the networking in gear by helping the person I'm networking with online get an immediate sense of what I want to accomplish via networking.

For example, this is the one I use when I connect on Mingle:

I love helping people find a cure for their chronic career pain. I do this over at CareerHMO, where I get to work with people in a virtual coaching program using some cutting-edge tools and resources. It's worked so well that I'm now focused on partnering with companies who want to offer the service as a benefit to their employees to increase job satisfaction and improve productivity.

By sharing what I want to do next in my work, it makes it easy for the person on the other end of the live chat to share their own experience and ask specific questions around the types of people I want to meet to help me achieve my goal. It's amazing how many people I've networked with using this introduction have had contacts to introduce me to, or offered suggestions on how to approach certain companies about my work.

Use Online Networking to Make More Career Friends

They say, when it comes to your career, "your network is your net worth." I have to agree. Especially, when we have such powerful tools, like LinkedIn, to keep track and develop our network. Online networking events are going to help people consistently and efficiently expand their circles of professional influence - and that's pretty important if you want to stay employable for a lifetime. As we say at CAREEREALISM, "Every job is temporary." Which means, networking is something we all need to be doing - even if we are happy in our current positions. Things change. People change. Times change. Leveraging online networking helps us with the most critical element to career success - embracing change.

What's your best online in introduction? I'd love to see how you introduce yourself online in the comments below. That way, we can give readers even more examples of introductions that get results!

PS - One last reminder to check out Mingle - a *free* online professional networking event designed specifically to make it fun for your to make more career friends. I wouldn't encourage you to do so if I didn't think it was rewarding - so come join me!

If you want to read more of what I've written, check out my articles on Inc.com.

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Have we met before?! If this is your first time reading my posts on LinkedIn, thanks for stopping by! If you liked what you read, will you follow me here? I write weekly on all topics related to careers. Also, I'd be truly grateful if you'd share my work with your LinkedIn network - let's help more people take control of their careers!

Looking to Get More Hands-On Advice?

1. You should check out: CAREEREALISM - Because Every Job Is Temporary.
   
   
2. You can get a 7-Day Free Trial to: CareerHMO - The Cure For Chronic Career Pain.

Both will give you some new ideas on how to become a better business-of-one.

<<< PS - This is the book I wrote to help people find career satisfaction.

How to connect with me on LinkedIn: I am open to connecting with anyone who sends me a customized request to connect (i.e. tell me what article you read, why you want to connect, etc.).

FYI: If your connection request asks me to review your resume or profile, I won't accept it. I currently don't have the bandwidth to do that for everyone, so if you are looking for help, check out the free resources I offer on my site,CareerHMO.com instead - it will help!

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