Networking is hard. It takes time to keep in touch with people, especially those you used to work with or have met along your career path. And when you do reach out, there’s always the question of what you will say.
For anyone who’s had to launch a job search, you know how uncomfortable it is to reach out to someone you haven’t spoken to in years. You’re not alone. Thirty-eight percent of people surveyed by LinkedIn admit they find it difficult to stay in touch with their network.
It doesn’t have to be this way for you. Become a master at nurturing your network. Not only will you maintain your contacts, you’ll also develop a reputation for being someone who is a trusted source of information or help.
[See: The 25 Best Social Services Jobs of 2017.]
Always stay in touch.
Don’t wait until you need something to reach out. Sixty-one percent of global LinkedIn users agree that regular online interaction with their professional network can translate into possible job opportunities, according to LinkedIn’s research.
One of the best ways to stay in touch is to use LinkedIn’s notifications to see what’s going on with your connections. Click on the notifications icon and you can see who has started a new job or has a work anniversary. You can even see who is celebrating a birthday if your connections included that information in their profile.
But don’t stop there. If you find an interesting article, plan to attend an event or discover other news worthy of sharing, send it to people you think would benefit either within LinkedIn’s messaging or via email. But some words of caution: It’s best to share your message with one person at a time. LinkedIn’s group messaging is set similarly to email’s “reply all” function. When someone responds to your group message, everyone is included in the response.
[See: 25 Best Jobs That Don’t Require a Graduate Degree.]
Email versus LinkedIn Messaging.
Data from the Pew Research Center shows that only 18 percent of LinkedIn users log in daily. Furthermore, some users have disconnected their email updates from LinkedIn or ignore the messages altogether, so your message via LinkedIn may never be seen. On the other hand, more than one-third of users say that a casual conversation on LinkedIn Messaging has led to a new opportunity, according to LinkedIn. So you can either send the message through LinkedIn and see what happens or if you want to attempt a work around, email your connection. You can find the default email address in your connection’s LinkedIn profile. If you do decide to use email, pay special attention to your email subject line. That is the first thing the recipient will see so make it interesting so your email will get read. Try something like “This article is right up your alley” or “Thought you might find this interesting” if you’re sharing something with someone you know.
Use the power of an inside connection.
According to LinkedIn, 70 percent of people were hired at a company where they had a connection. It’s best to network with people inside companies you are interested in before a job is posted, but sometimes you see a job posting first. This requires you use the two-step method — you find a job or company you are interested in and then you reach out to an insider. LinkedIn makes this super simple. Just go to the company’s LinkedIn page. LinkedIn shows you your connections at the top of the page. You can even click on the new message box at the bottom of your screen and send your inside connection a message. If you don’t have any inside connections yet, view the people who work there. As you look at employee profile summaries listed, pay attention to the shared connections under each. One strategy is to ask someone you have a strong relationship with to introduce you to a specific person inside the company. The other approach is to reach out cold to the person who would potentially be your boss.
[See: 10 Ways Social Media Can Help You Land a Job.]
Other ways to engage with your network on LinkedIn.
Stay top of mind by updating your status once a day. Your status update could be an article you found and want to share with your network. You may choose a quote of the day. You could even write and share you own article on LinkedIn using the built-in blogging platform.
As part of your regular routine, log in to LinkedIn once a day and view your notifications. Send any congratulatory messages. If you don’t see any, view your home feed on LinkedIn and see what status updates your connections have shared. You can also like, comment or share any of the updates that are relevant to your work. This will show up in your network’s news feed and possibly draw attention to your profile. Your goal is to stay top of mind in case anyone you know is in need of the talent you possess.
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Make Networking Easier by Using LinkedIn originally appeared on usnews.com
