4 Myths Busted: Realize LinkedIn’s True Power (Guest article)

[The following article is written by Marcelle Yeager of Career Valet]

Some people hate it, some people love it, and others ignore it. But there’s no doubt about it: LinkedIn is number one among professional networking platforms. It’s become increasingly popular over the years both in the U.S. and other countries. While many professionals view it as a job search site only, there’s so much more for you to take advantage of. Let’s bust some myths around it.

Myth #1: It’s only for job seekers.

Yes, LinkedIn is a job search site and you can apply directly to positions. Recruiters use it to source candidates and job seekers use it to connect with people at different companies. However, it’s also heavily used by in-house business development professionals, in-house marketing professionals, entrepreneurs, consultants, authors, speakers - you name it. It’s both an advertising and a connection tool.

There may be ways to use it that you haven’t even thought about. If you want to join a board of directors, you’ve got a whole database of people to connect with to learn more about companies and opportunities. If you want to engage in public speaking, you can connect with people, and also build your thought leadership by publishing posts relevant to your area of expertise.  

Furthermore, when you meet people at an event (work or personal) or someone mentions you to a colleague, where will you go to find them and where will they go to check you out? You got it - LinkedIn! Connecting on LinkedIn with people you’ve met enables you to grow and nurture your network over time, which will help you immensely in the future when you decide to embark on a path of professional growth.

Myth #2: Set it and forget it.  

Most people pay zero attention to their profile and then suddenly you need to; the bottom line is that it should be ready when you feel the need to make a transition. A lot of people say to me, “I just created the most basic profile because a colleague told me it’s important.” If you’ve only entered the required information, it’s a lost opportunity.

For each of us, there comes a time when we seek career growth. If your profile isn’t complete and doesn’t properly showcase your experience and expertise, others won’t understand your background and value. And they won’t take the time to contact you to learn more if the information isn’t readily available. It’s an extra step you’re asking them to take, and they’re more likely to contact someone whose background they can grasp immediately. You never know what kind of opportunities may come along and you don’t want to miss them.

In addition, people think their profiles should be very short. The truth is LinkedIn truncates your About section, your Work Experience section, and others, and someone must click “more” to read the full text. Someone can choose to click and read further, so don’t disadvantage yourself from showing up in relevant searches by keeping it so short that you don’t include information about what you’ve done and where your interests lie.

Myth #3: You need to write regular posts. 

A question I’m often asked is how frequently you should post on LinkedIn. You don’t need to do it often unless your goal is to enhance your thought leadership to do more public speaking and/or write a book. Another reason might be if you’re a marketing professional, business development professional, or entrepreneur trying to showcase your business.

If you enjoy writing and want to spend more time doing it, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. Certainly, you can build a large following and increase the chances you’ll be noticed on LinkedIn if you publish more. But it’s not something to stress about if it doesn’t come naturally. Instead, you can post an article with commentary when you find something interesting about your field or industry. That’s much less pressure but still effective.

While LinkedIn does not share their algorithm and makes functional changes without much notice, my understanding of the LinkedIn algorithm is that you’ll be placed higher in search results if you are an active LinkedIn user. To be considered an active user, you need a minimum of 500 connections and to do five pieces of social activity per day. That includes posting, liking, commenting, or sharing other posts. Applying for jobs or sending messages to people does not count as social activity.

Myth #4: You need a premium account to connect with people and grow your network.

If you have the basic (non-paid) plan, you can send unlimited regular LinkedIn messages to your 1st-degree connections. They are free of charge and land directly in the recipient’s LinkedIn inbox. Although you cannot directly message people who are not already a part of your network, you can send a short note with your connection request to reach out to people not already in your network. If someone accepts your connection request, you’ll have the ability to send longer messages.

LinkedIn InMails are a premium feature which allow you to send longer notes to members who are not part of your network. The number of InMails you can send depends on your subscription type. With premium, when you look at who’s viewed your profile, under “Interesting viewers” you can see people who work at a company you follow, are an influencer on LinkedIn, or a senior leader with your job function in your industry. You can give premium a try with a free 30-day trial.

As you can see, LinkedIn is both a passive and active tool that you should be using whether you’re searching for a job or not. At a minimum, keeping your profile up to date, adding connections as you meet people offline, and directly reaching out to those with whom you want to connect will ensure that you’re open to opportunities, whatever that may look like for you.

To learn more about Career Valet go to careervalet.com.