Being on a public platform like LinkedIn can feel overwhelming, especially if you are new to social media. If you are not comfortable with social platforms – you don’t have to join. But if you choose to, there are ways to maintain privacy while still building a professional presence.
Building Your Network
- Connect with people you know—colleagues, industry professionals, or those you meet at events.
- When sending a connection request, add a short note. It makes your request more personal and meaningful.
- Engage with posts from your network by commenting or sharing insights. This helps strengthen your connections.
- Join LinkedIn groups relevant to your industry or interests. Participating in discussions can help you meet like-minded professionals.
- Follow industry leaders and companies to stay updated on trends and job opportunities.
Managing Connection Requests
- You don’t have to accept every request you receive.
- Before accepting, check the person’s profile and ask yourself: Do I have something in common with this person?
- Look at mutual connections and their activity to gauge their relevance to your network.
- If the answer is no, it’s okay to ignore the request or even remove a connection later if needed. And no, the connection will not know.
- If you receive a request from someone you don’t know but find their profile interesting, send a message before accepting to start a conversation.
What to Share
- Post about projects you are working on, whether personal, academic, or professional.
- Tag contributors to give proper credit and encourage engagement.
- If you work in research or a confidential field, wait until information is publicly available before sharing details.
- Discuss industry news and share your perspective. This helps establish your credibility and interest in and outside the field.
- Share lessons learned from work experiences, challenges you have overcome, or career milestones to provide value to your network.
- Use a mix of text, images, or even short videos to make your posts engaging and visually appealing.
Maintaining Privacy While Being Active
- Adjust your privacy settings to control who can see your activity and contact you.
- Be mindful of the personal details you share in your profile and posts.
- Avoid posting sensitive information about your workplace or colleagues without permission.
- Regularly review your connections and remove those that no longer align with your professional goals.
LinkedIn can be overwhelming, with so much to learn and explore. If you want to make the most of it, join JBC’s upcoming webinar. This session will guide you on using LinkedIn effectively for business growth.
Leveraging LinkedIn for Small Business
📅 Date: May 15
⏰ Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
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