Moving from LinkedIn to Lattes: Networking Done Right

As a self-proclaimed “LinkedIn guru,” I am excited to be hosting a LinkedIn workshop—Moving from LinkedIn to Lattes: Networking Done Right—next month for the Office of Career Services at San Francisco State University!

Many of the students I serve have yet to navigate the LinkedIn realm. And for those who have gotten their feet wet with LinkedIn, they struggle with moving conversations from online to real life (A.K.A. moving from LinkedIn to lattes).

While I can’t spill all of my secrets on Networking Done Right just yet (you’ll have to attend the workshop or book a session to learn those!), I will share a few key tips on how you can excel at networking ON and OFF line.

Networking ON LinkedIn

1. Ensure your profile is complete. Before you begin networking, take an honest assessment of your LinkedIn profile to ensure all of the sections are filled out completely, thoughtfully and accurately. Pay special attention that you have included your current and past companies, education, industry and location, these are all important search tools that fellow LinkedIn users can use to locate you.
2. Update your status often. While you won’t be posting 3+ times per day—which is the recommended frequency for Twitter—you should be updating your status most days of the week. The more you post, the more opportunity there is for your audience to connect with you. And while quantity is important, quality is even more important—posts should remain professional and audience relevant (i.e., please don’t cross-post between LinkedIn and Facebook).
3. Connect with people (you know & don’t know). First, find the people you know and connect with them. This increases your first-degree, and more importantly, second-degree, connections—those people you may not know personally, but you could be soon. Then, have your first-degree connections introduce you to second-degree connections who you are interested in getting to know further (preferably over a latte or two).

Now that you have a grasp of networking on LinkedIn, it’s time to take it off LinkedIn!

Networking OFF LinkedIn (Latte Time!)

1. Be proactive with networking. While it feels nice being the one invited out to coffee, it feels even better to be the one inviting others to coffee (especially since you get to pick the coffee shop). It can be a bit intimidating to invite your first LinkedIn connection to lattes, but it gets easier with practice. Plus, the more proactive you are in inviting others to connect, the quicker your network will grow.
2. Perfect your elevator pitch. You never know whom you will run into, especially as you continue to expand your online—and hopefully offline—network. As such, you must have your elevator pitch perfected. Elevator pitches can range from 15 to 30 seconds, but often focus on three things: the past (what you have accomplished), the present (where you are currently in life) and the future (where you hope to be in the future, possibly including how your connection can help you get there). My three biggest tips for elevator pitches: practice, practice and practice.
3. Make networking a two-way street. While some connections may prove more fruitful than others, it’s important to ensure that both parties are benefiting from the relationship. When meeting with a new connection or asking for a favor, I always ask myself, “What’s in it for them?” While some people love networking out of the goodness of their hearts, I always try to think about what I can do to help my new connection with their job, education or life in general.

Now, how do you plan to move from LinkedIn to lattes?

Interested in upping your LinkedIn/networking game? Contact me today at [email protected] to book your first session! 

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