LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform with over 800 million users worldwide. While there are some basic guidelines provided by LinkedIn on how to optimize your profile and engage on the platform, there are also many unwritten rules that have emerged over time. Following these unspoken norms can help you build relationships, increase your visibility, and get the most out of LinkedIn.
Establish Who You Are
Your LinkedIn profile serves as your professional online identity and first impression, so crafting a compelling summary and headline is key. Your summary should move beyond just a list of skills and tell your professional story, highlighting your background, passions, and career goals. Your headline should be optimized with relevant keywords to help you get found for your industry and desired roles. Beyond the written content, also be sure to add media like a professional headshot and background photo to give your profile some personality.
Make Connections, Not Random Contacts
The power of LinkedIn lies in the connections you make, so be strategic about sending invitations and grow your network organically. Only connect with people you already know and trust or have had meaningful exchanges with versus randomly adding anyone and everyone. Seek out connections who are leaders in your industry versus trying to connect with the most high-profile generic celebrities. Nurture relationships with regular engagement and by providing value, not spamming with constant connection requests and sales pitches.
Keep Your Network In The Know
Once you’ve made connections, be sure to keep your network informed by sharing regular status updates. Posting thoughtful comments, news, and insights positions you as an industry thought leader and helps build your professional brand. However, be careful not to overpost or share irrelevant content that could be seen as self-promotional or annoying. In general, a few times per week is sufficient, and always post content that would genuinely interest and benefit your connections.
Give More Than You Take
The best networkers on LinkedIn focus on giving more than they take. Follow the “5-3-2 Rule” where for every 5 posts you share from others, you post 3 of your own insights, and 2 that promote your own products/services. This fosters community and prevents you from coming across as self-serving. Offer thoughtful comments on other’s posts, endorse skills for connections, and recommend colleagues when appropriate. Be generous with your time and knowledge when messaging with your network as well.
Personalize Invitations
When inviting someone new to connect on LinkedIn, avoid generic connection requests. Take a moment to personalize the invitation with a quick note about where you met them, something you have in common, or why you’d like to connect. This extra effort makes accepting your invitation much more appealing. Similarly, when reaching out for introductions through shared connections, make the request more compelling by sharing background details on why you’d value being connected.
Follow The Unspoken Etiquette
While LinkedIn provides a platform to network, there are some general etiquette rules users should follow. Don’t over message connections with frequent solicitations or spam. Avoid politics, religion, and other controversial topics that could alienate your network. Be cautious about humor or sarcasm, which can easily be misinterpreted online. At all times, be professional and polite in your posts, comments, and messages.
Keep Your Profile Current
As you gain new skills, accomplishments, and experiences, be sure to keep your LinkedIn profile updated. This shows your dedication to lifelong learning. Recruiters often look for candidates based on current skills listed, so keeping this section updated improves visibility. Adding new positions, education, certifications, volunteer work, courses, and other merits demonstrates progression throughout your career journey.
Use Proper LinkedIn Etiquette When Job Searching
If using LinkedIn to search for and apply to jobs, follow proper etiquette. Save job applications for positions you are highly qualified for, not just any role where you may vaguely match the description. When contacting recruiters, be concise and focus on what you offer versus demanding roles or interviews. Avoid contacting the same recruiter multiple times in a short span. Applying to specific roles will always be better received than a generic “looking for new opportunities” outreach.
Showcase Thought Leadership
Leverage your LinkedIn presence to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry. Share unique insights, trends, and best practices by publishing long-form posts. This provides a content marketing platform to demonstrate your subject matter expertise. You can also build authority by consistently commenting on other posts with smart analysis. Join industry groups and engage in meaningful discussions around niche topics as well.
Don’t Burn Bridges
Always be mindful not to burn bridges on LinkedIn, even if changing jobs or connecting with competitors. Don’t call out companies, managers, colleagues, or contacts in a negative light. Remember that LinkedIn is a small community, and posts could get back to current or former connections easily. Take the high road during any disputes and move forward professionally. You never know when paths may cross again in the future.
Recommend Connections For Job Opportunities
Keep an eye out for job postings and openings that may appeal to your LinkedIn connections, and recommend them. This provides value to your network by putting possible opportunities on their radar they may have otherwise missed. Most LinkedIn users appreciate being notified of relevant roles, as long as the recommendations are specific and not overly frequent. Just be sure not to pressure connections to apply.
Join Relevant Groups
Joining industry or topic-specific LinkedIn Groups can help you expand your reach. This provides a forum to meet like-minded professionals with shared interests. Once part of the group, engage regularly by commenting on discussions and posting relevant news stories. This increases your visibility and establishes your credibility. Just avoid groups where self-promotion and selling dominate the conversation.
Always Be Positive
While other social networks sometimes reward controversy, negativity is taboo on LinkedIn. Maintain a positive attitude when engaging on the platform, even when commenting on challenging issues your industry may be facing. You want to be perceived as a voice of encouragement that uplifts your connections, not drags them down. Spreading positivity helps create a thriving community.
Don’t Skew Your Title
It’s tempting to give yourself an inflated title on your LinkedIn profile to appear more senior, but avoid the urge. While a bit of creative liberty is fine, blatantly misleading titles such as listing CEO when you’re an Associate comes across poorly. Recruiters and connections can see right through exaggerations and will question your honesty. Have confidence in your real title which likely carries more weight than an unsustainably stretched fake one.
Avoid Politics & Controversy
In general, avoid sharing political opinions or discussing hot button issues on LinkedIn. The platform is designed for professional networking and promotion, not debating partisan issues. Expressing controversial views could be off-putting to existing connections across the political spectrum. Keep posts positive and focused on your industry. If you must discuss politics or social issues, do so in the most polite and constructive way possible.
Don’t Neglect Company Alumni
Stay connected with former colleagues and company alumni even after changing jobs or industries. Your fellow past employees can become valuable professional contacts who understand where you’re coming from. They may be able to refer you for opportunities or provide insider knowledge of your previous employer. There’s also the human element of maintaining bonds with those you worked closely with in the past.
Customize Connection Messages
When reaching out directly to new connections on LinkedIn, avoid copy/pasting the exact same generic message to everyone. While you can have a standard template, always customize each message to the recipient. Mention something specific you have in common, why you’d like to connect, or how they came to be on your radar. This extra effort makes your request stand out while also flattering the recipient.
Say Thank You
Gratitude goes a long way on LinkedIn, so adopt a policy of always saying thank you when appropriate. Thank new connections for accepting your invitation. Thank those who endorse you or recommend you for opportunities. Show appreciation for advice and referrals contacts provide. Acknowledge colleagues who mention you in their posts. Simple acts of appreciation strengthen your network relationships.
In Summary
Mastering the unwritten rules of LinkedIn etiquette helps ensure you make a great impression and get the most out of the platform. Approach your LinkedIn presence as an opportunity to build relationships, not just grow your number of random contacts. Share thought leadership content regularly, but avoid being overly self-promotional. Personalize connection requests and remember there’s a real person behind each contact. Uphold your professional brand by being polite, positive and avoiding controversial topics. Finally, actively engage with your network by thanking them, sharing opportunities, and leaving thoughtful comments.