LinkedIn is a robust social media networking platform with more than one billion members across over 200 countries and territories. It was designed specifically to serve as a professional networking tool.1 Because of its robust membership volume, there is a good chance that at least some of your future employers and coworkers will be on the platform.
You may already be familiar with LinkedIn as a place to build a digital resume. Indeed, some companies may ask you for your LinkedIn handle rather than a physical copy of your resume. However, LinkedIn offers much more than a digital space to park your accomplishments.
On LinkedIn, you can work toward building an expansive network by requesting to connect with other people and by accepting invitations to connect. You can also upload posts, such as posts on recent trends in your field, field-specific concepts you find interesting and professional advice. In addition, you can join LinkedIn groups.
LinkedIn groups offer a place to connect with others in your field or industry or with similar interests. You can find a group for practically any area — from freelance writing to artificial intelligence and beyond. Spend some time looking for one or two LinkedIn groups that best fit your intended career path and interests.
Then, join and introduce yourself. Try to be an active participant by reviewing group activity every week or so, commenting on posts and uploading posts yourself. This can be a great way to reach out to other professionals.
One way to use social media for professional networking is to try to connect to industry leaders. The first step to using social media to connect to industry leaders is to build a complete profile (resume), share and post insightful content and become active in professional groups. Along the way, you can identify potential leaders to reach out to.
When you’re ready, you can send them a connection request. Include a note that introduces yourself and explains why you’d like to connect.
