Optimize LinkedIn for Career Growth: My Story

The following article was published in One Up Your Career - the daily info-vitamin capsule by Unnati to help you growth hack your career.

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Hi Readers,

Every Friday edition of the newsletter contains lessons from a real-life story. Today, I am writing about my journey with LinkedIn.

In 2013 I created my LinkedIn account to advertise job vacancies. This is how my journey with LinkedIn began. To be honest, I did not have a clear objective while making my LinkedIn account. Then, it was just a platform for me to promote the job vacancies but with time I have realized the potential it presents. It took me around 6 years to establish myself on LinkedIn but of course, you do not have to spend half a decade of your life doing the same.

Here is how you can accelerate your growth on LinkedIn. I mentioned in an earlier edition that I see LinkedIn as a modern communication method. All you have to do is to learn the law of this land to milk the opportunities. I suggest take the inversion approach or in other words approach a situation from the opposite end of the natural starting point. So, in that order defining your objective for being on LinkedIn is the first step. Because when you have your goals defined, it becomes easier to carve out your path.

Let me share my objectives to be on LinkedIn and my means of achieving them:

Personal Branding

It all started with the job postings I did under my name and the huge traction I received due to the nature of the posts. Now, taking it a notch higher. I aim to engage with thought leaders and for that, I demonstrate personal thought leadership. Regular posts show that you are a conversation initiator. So I regularly post content with the idea of thought leadership.

It is a mix of life lessons and things I observe around me and it is a proven fact that people connect or engage more with original content.

Access to Clients

Back in 2013, I used to log in to my LinkedIn account twice a week and send two sets of bulk connection requests. One set of requests was to MDI alumni and the other to people in hiring positions (CEO, founders, hiring managers). This was a strategic approach that augmented my business. Connecting on LinkedIn is unlike any other social media platform. Firstly, your connections speak volumes about you and having a credible connection base gives you the leverage to connect with more influential people.

Networking with MDI alumni served the first purpose and it was a low hanging fruit because I am a product of MDI, Gurgaon. Connecting with hiring partners was strategic because, in the long run, they became my clients. LinkedIn was and is still an important medium for accessing clients.

Helping Others

LinkedIn is an invaluable contributor to my personal and professional growth. I have benefitted greatly from my connections and I try to return the favor by leveraging my pool of network to help others in need. I call this enlightened self-interest. It is like planting a seed and even if you will not be around to eat the fruits of the tree you will be an indirect beneficiary by means of receiving oxygen and other environmental benefits.

Promotional Activities

LinkedIn is essentially a marketing platform; of your self or your business. And I utilize my connections to promote activities. I am one of the organizers for a startup pitch event. I have been able to get participants and investors from the marketing efforts I put on LinkedIn. Besides, I promote the products and services of others as a goodwill gesture. The huge connection base that I have empowers me to promote a variety of things catering to different groups of audiences. Using your profile as a marketing channel can be done only when you have built a strong connection base and credibility for yourself.

I had fun covering LinkedIn as a topic this week because it is close to my heart and there is so much more to be explored. So, watch out our next week’s editions for more Gyan on LinkedIn.

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