What is your LinkedIn account saying about you?
So often at the moment I come across accounts obviously set up because someone was told it was a good idea to be on Linked In, or that they ought to have a presence there! But then they just seem to sit there!!
And yes, it is a great idea to be on LinkedIn!! Having an active presence there is like having networking available 24/7. But the key word here, of course is ACTIVE!
You can spot the ‘doing it because I was told to’ accounts a mile off as the personal profile is often incomplete and not up-to-date. Added to that is likely to be a small number of connections, with no recent activity.
Status updates are key. But by this, I mean not just importing your twitterfeed to LinkedIn. Who wants to hear exactly the same content twice when you’re following someone on more than one platform? And, come to that; is it really relevant to your professional network on LinkedIn what you had for breakfast yesterday morning?
What questions have you answered recently? What groups did you join way back when and then haven’t bothered to join in a discussion with since?
Have you actively added to your connections recently? Have you requested a recommendation for a piece of work done?
It sounds harsh, but if you’re not going to put the effort in to maintain your presence, then what was the point of putting yourself on LinkedIn in the first place? You’ve done some work in getting yourself set up, but you won’t be reaping any benefits until you make being active on LinkedIn a regular part of your routine.
What tips do you have for getting the most out of LinkedIn? Please share them!!