Networking on LinkedIn when you have little to no experience can seem intimidating. However, with the right strategy and approach, it is very possible to build connections and stand out, even as an inexperienced user. In this article, we will explore tips and best practices for effectively networking on LinkedIn with no experience.
Build a strong profile
The foundation of networking on LinkedIn is having a robust, professional profile. Treat your LinkedIn profile like an interactive resume that tells the story of who you are professionally. Some tips for building a strong starter profile:
- Include a professional headshot so you have a face behind your name
- Flesh out the About section to feature your background, skills, passions, goals, and what makes you unique
- Add your education and any certifications or relevant courses
- List involvement in student groups, organizations, or volunteer work
- Highlight relevant projects, papers, presentations using the Featured and Accomplishments sections
- Add your LinkedIn profile URL to your resume, email signature, and anywhere else you feature your contact details
Having a complete profile signals to connections that you are serious and credible about networking on LinkedIn. It also gives them details and talking points if they choose to reach out or engage with your content.
Connect to people you know
Start expanding your network by connecting with people you already know and trust, such as:
- Family, friends, classmates, colleagues
- Professors, teachers, faculty advisors
- Club members, teammates, collaborators on projects
- Acquaintances, friends of friends
When sending connection invitations, customize each request with a quick note about how you know the person or why you’d like to connect. Being thoughtful and personal will make people more inclined to accept your invitation.
Aim to build an initial network of at least 50 connections – this will give you a base to start from. Aim to connect with those who would provide value in your network, not just adding connections for the sake of numbers. Quality over quantity.
Join groups
Joining relevant LinkedIn Groups related to your university, interests, major, career goals, and more allows you to connect with like-minded professionals. Here are some tips for getting started with groups:
- Search for groups using keywords like your university, program, major, field of interest, career goals, and location
- Join groups with substantial membership (25,000+ members is a good benchmark)
- Become an active participant – comment on discussions, ask questions, provide your perspective
- Engage with group members by liking and commenting on their posts
- Connect with group members whose experiences and insights provide value
Being active in a few niche groups and demonstrating expertise is more powerful than passive membership in many general groups. Identify and focus on the ones most aligned to your goals.
Follow companies
Following companies you want to work for, aspire to collaborate with, or admire is a great networking strategy. Here are some ways to maximize company following:
- Follow companies you’re interested in working for to get insider views of their culture, values, and work
- Engage with company content by liking, commenting, sharing, and reacting
- Turn on job notifications to be alerted when target companies post opportunities
- Connect and build relationships with company employees to gain visibility
- Follow trendsetting companies in your industry to keep a pulse on what is cutting edge
Following companies also surfaces insights for your own brand. You can identify gaps in your skills and experiences compared to job requirements to guide your development.
Provide value to your connections
Rather than aggressively promoting yourself, focus on providing value to your connections. Some ideas:
- Share relevant articles, resources, and insights that would interest your network
- Congratulate connections on work milestones and achievements by liking and commenting on their posts
- Offer assistance to connections working on projects or initiatives in your area of experience
- Ask thoughtful questions to peers to spark insightful conversations
- Post polls and questions to crowdsource ideas and spark discussion
When you consistently provide value, you build social capital and goodwill with your network. They will be more inclined to return the favor with support, insights, and opportunities.
Engage with LinkedIn’s alumni and campus features
Take advantage of LinkedIn’s features tailored for students and new graduates:
- Alumni Pages – Follow your university’s alumni page to connect with fellow graduates
- Campus Pages – Discover which companies hire alumni from your school
- University Pages – Connect with your college’s official university page
- Career Pages – Explore the career paths taken by alumni from your university
These features allow you to identify and connect with “alumni buddies” – fellow graduates who can provide career advice, job leads, and mentorship.
Find mentors
Seeking experienced professionals to mentor you helps unlock insider advice while expanding your network. Tactfully reach out to connections who could advise you, such as:
- Professors and academic advisors you have a rapport with
- Family friends and parents’ colleagues working in your target field
- More advanced students or young alumni from your university program
- Professionals in your chosen industry who create content you follow
When requesting mentorship, be clear on your goals and the perspective the person could provide. If asking someone you don’t know well, offer to connect over a 20-30 minute phone/video call at their convenience.
Message strategically
Messaging is a valuable way to deepen connections into relationships. Some best practices:
- Personalize each message rather than blasting generic messages
- Align your ask to each person’s unique background
- Quickly establish common ground and rapport
- Have a clear purpose for your outreach – share an article, ask for quick advice, request an introduction, etc
- Respect people’s time by keeping messages focused and well-crafted
Target messaging to connections who would truly value hearing from you. Quality conversations generate opportunity.
Craft tailored connection requests
When asking to connect with someone you don’t know, take the time to craft a personalized note explaining who you are, your commonalities, and why you’d value connecting.
For example:
Hi Matt,
My name is Sarah and I’m a junior at University of Michigan majoring in business. I noticed you also graduated from UMich and now work in product marketing at Nike. I hope to someday work for an athletic apparel company, combining my passion for business and sports. I would love to connect with you to learn more about transitioning from UMich to a marketing role in the athletic industry. Let me know if you would be open to connecting!
All the best,
Sarah
A thoughtful note demonstrates your genuine interest in the person and helps differentiate you.
Offer recommendations
Providing recommendations reinforces your credibility while helping others in your network. Some tips:
- Recognize colleagues, classmates, or peers you’ve worked with who deserve endorsements
- When requesting recommendations, provide context on relevant projects and positive traits you’ve demonstrated
- Offer thoughtful recommendations in return – build a culture of recognition
- Recommend those who have fewer existing recommendations to help give them a credibility boost
Authentic recommendations, even for early professionals, carry weight and confirm you have skills to contribute.
Publish long-form content
Publishing long-form written posts is an impressive way to highlight thought leadership. Possible topics:
- Research papers or final projects – provide excerpts with insights
- New skills or competencies you are building – share lessons learned
- Events, speakers, or courses attended – summarize key takeaways
- Project case studies demonstrating an achievement
- Perspectives on trends in your field – provide analysis
Long-form content showcases your areas of expertise and ability to provide value through content.
Post multimedia
Incorporating multimedia into your posts makes them more engaging:
- Photos from events, classes, internships, or conferences attended
- Slides from projects and presentations
- Videos summarizing books and courses or highlighting an achievement
- Infographics displaying key data and statistics
- Audio clips from podcast interviews or conferences
Multimedia spotlights experiences and dimension to your profile beyond just text.
Comment thoughtfully
Commenting on others’ content, especially influencers and connections you admire, raises your visibility while sharing your perspective. Best practices:
- Provide unique viewpoints that add to the conversation
- Pose thought-provoking questions to spur discussion
- Tag relevant connections who would find the post interesting
- Give validation by calling out helpful points or insights
- Share related resources – articles, videos, books, events etc
Thoughtful commenting strengthens your personal brand as an engaged, astute networker.
Curate content
Become a curator of the most insightful articles, trends, tips, and stories by sharing them with your network. Ideas for curating excellent content to share:
- Industry news relevant to your connections’ roles and interests
- Advice from experts and thought leaders in your chosen field
- Stories of professionals who have inspiring career paths or lessons
- Case studies from innovative companies disrupting their space
- Reports on new technologies, methodologies, and best practices
Consistent curation establishes your finger on the pulse of latest developments.
Join LinkedIn events
Expand your reach by attending virtual LinkedIn events like:
- Networking events within LinkedIn groups you belong to
- Panels, workshops, and fireside chats featuring industry leaders
- Recruiting and open house events from companies you want to work for
- LinkedIn’s own programming like LinkedIn Live videos and LinkedIn Learning courses
Events provide exposure to new connections and insights from experts.
Request informational interviews
One of the most powerful networking techniques is informational interviewing. This entails requesting 15-30 minutes of someone’s time to pick their brain and ask advice. Some tips:
- Target professionals in your dream role or company to learn their career journeys
- Prepare questions that uncover their perspectives and experiences
- Close by asking for 1-2 additional connections who may provide value
- Follow up with a thoughtful thank you and offer to return the favor
Informational interviews unlock inside understanding of roles and industries.
Track your progress
Measure your LinkedIn networking efforts by tracking key metrics over time:
Metric | Starting # | Goal |
---|---|---|
Connections | 50 | 500 |
Followers | 20 | 200 |
Groups Joined | 2 | 10 |
Content Shares | 3 | 25 |
Recommendations | 1 | 10 |
Engagements on your posts | 5 | 100 |
Tracking metrics motivates you to put in the work to grow your presence.
Conclusion
Even if you are just starting out, dedicating time to thoughtfully network on LinkedIn opens doors to connections, insights, and opportunities. Build your foundation with a strong profile, connections, and groups. Consistently add value through content, conversations, and shared wisdom. Measure your impact along the way. With a strategic approach, LinkedIn networking will become a valuable asset in growing your career, even without extensive experience to start.