How do I get what I need from Linkedin without frustration, anxiety, and headaches?

I think this is the most commonly asked question in my LinkedIn network, and this is especially true if you look at the emerging scientists joining my network today. In the ancient days on Linkedin, you could join Linkedin, connect with like-minded professionals and know that you'd be able to get help if you needed it, but all of that changed. Now you're lucky to connect with people, groups (at least my groups aren't as helpful), and trying to learn from other people is like pulling teeth. It's almost like people have forgotten that they also were in need of guidance once upon a time. I've always tried to put more kindness into the world and I appreciate the plight of the emerging professional, because I remember how hard it was for me to get guidance in those early days. Only one person was willing to mentor me back then, and I have had a wonderful career that I owe entirely to him taking the time to help me grow and develop into the professional I wanted to become back then. With the spirit of gratitude, I'm writing this post to answer this question. I hope it helps you.

1. Define What you Need: Linkedin has MANY different ways to use it to get what you need, but you have to define what that is. Years ago, I had a client who was extremely resistant to my coaching program and I almost fired her. She fought me on everything and I don't believe in forcing someone to take directions. So, I told her if she didn't want to do the work I wasn't going to do it either. She went ahead and completed the first step - framing your vision, and after this stopped fighting me. When I asked her what changed, she said she felt like she had been a ship without a captain wandering around aimlessly and she didn't realize this until she defined her vision. This same principle applies to Linkedin. You cannot get what you need if you do not know what you need. Define what you need in order to achieve it.
2. Fix your Linkedin Profile: I am not saying my profile is perfect or that you need to put yours together like mine is, but if you're not able to pull people to you, it is likely your profile. There's plenty of information out there on how to create profiles and use Linkedin. I have my own opinions which I share when asked, but a professional picture is a must, headlines that draw people in, and having something interesting in your content (including those keywords) can also help. If you want more guidance specific to you, drop me a line and I'll go through your profile with you and offer opinions.
3. Use Linkedin: When I have a new connection request that I accept. I thank the person for connecting. When I want to connect with someone I usually send an invitation that includes why. I use Linkedin to build and maintain a professional network. I also use groups and publishing, but admittedly not as much as I used to or as much as I want to. Activity on Linkedin that is geared toward bringing in what you need is sometimes aligned, imperfect action, but it is the only way to bring it in. You can do this by responding to discussions in groups, starting discussions in groups, posting articles (like I'm doing now), sharing news, and any number of activities. Linkedin has too many users for you to be noticed without positioning yourself and taking action.
4. Be A Real Person: One of my early co-workers taught me a lesson about this I'll never forget. We were working on a project together and I needed something from him. I had always assumed people compartmentalized their personal and professional lives and didn't think to ask what was going on in his personal life, I was just mad that he was weeks late with what I needed and was therefore holding up my project. It turns out his wife had miscarried and he didn't tell any of us at the office, because he was compartmentalizing his life. Here's the deal, we show up to work or in our personal lives as whole human beings. If there's trauma at home, it comes through at work regardless of how hard you try...even if it is just intrusive thoughts, if there's trauma at work it often follows us home. I learned a lesson that day and have strived to create a safe environment for my team - direct reports, supervisor, or random co-worker - to talk about anything and everything. I want healthy teammates and if my taking time out of my day to listen to the story about how you're 3 weeks late because you're processing a miscarriage, then that's how it is. I'll not do therapy and I'll spare you all the graphic details that go with this story, but I will listen. Linkedin is full of people and some of us are real people.
5. Avoid Career Limiting Moves: I know we are online, but that makes it even more dangerous for people who commit career limiting moves because they're on the main stage. Read the room.
6. 80/20 rule: You may wonder what this means. Once you build a network, you'll want to spend 80% of your time providing value to that network and 20% asking your network for things. Don't be the person who is constantly asking for things and never providing them. Eventually people will walk away because they can't get what they need from you.
7. Follow Up: A lot of people fail in their follow up, and this is a bigger problem when we talk about professional networking. If I can't trust you to follow up correctly, can I refer you to one of the many recruiters I associate with? I won't...I'm very fussy with who I'll refer to who...and there's a lot of reasons for that, but the main one is the follow up. The follow up is where your networking is made or broken.
8. Have fun: If you're not having fun you will come across as not having fun and that energy will drag you down. It doesn't mean you have to have fun all the time, but a little fun goes a long way. The day I changed my branding statement I had a recruiter call me and tell me it was the most entertainment she had all day and it was nice to hear someone felt good because of something I did.

Hopefully, this post of suggestions is helpful. Please leave a comment with any lingering questions you have and I'll either answer them here or perhaps make a post about it.