Over the long term, career success hinges as much on your business network as it does on your skills. It’s no wonder then that LinkedIn, the world’s premier business social network, has more than 430 million members in over 200 countries and territories.
If you have a LinkedIn profile, the first step you’ll want to take to maximize your presence is to Double the Power of Your Profile. In that post, we recommended joining at least 15 user groups, which is a positive first step toward adding influential contacts to your network and improving your credibility with employers.
In this post, we’ll cover why it’s so important to be an active member of at least three user groups, and stay connected to the activities and dialogues in another twelve. If you can dedicate an hour a week to your groups, the time you invest will pay off in building your network and advancing your knowledge in the areas local employers value most.Here are a few of the specific benefits of active participation:
- Send Direct Messages
When you want to contact employees at target companies, you’ll need to have connections, either as colleagues, classmates, friends, or common groups. If you join 15 groups, chances are, there will be members in your target companies that you would not be able to approach if you didn’t share a group membership. Use the groups to engage these people before you start an active job search. If there is someone you would like to get to know, check to see what groups they have joined, and use that group to create a connection.
- Start Discussions and Ask Questions
Unless you’re an employee of a large corporation, chances are, you will need to rely on the expertise of professionals elsewhere in your industry from time to time. You can do this at industry events, but these may not coincide with your needs. Groups provide an opportunity to start discussions, ask questions, and to provide information to other members. Reciprocity is important, and members who take more than they give find themselves as unwanted outcasts in short order.
- Submit Blog Posts and Online Content
As part of your contributions to an active discussion, you may submit a blog post you have written if it provides requested information. Or you may scour the internet for information. Your homework will be valued by other professionals, and prospective employers are likely to see that you were the kind of selfless group member that would make a good team contributor.
Interested in learning more about this topic? Read on and discover How to Find the Best LinkedIn User Groups for Networking in Your Profession