| By Nora Fogarty |
By now, I’m sure you’ve heard it a thousand times: It’s not about what you know, but who you know. It’s an adage that is thrown around so often in discussions about job hunting or networking that sometimes it seems the words themselves no longer have any meaning, beyond the way they pair so nicely with a sage nod from an authority figure or happily-employed friend.
Networking can be stressful, especially when there are so many options out there for online networking. The most widespread by far is LinkedIn, which can be an incredible tool if you know how to use it. After all, the site isn’t just for people who are actively hunting for a job or internship! Successful employees who are perfectly happy with their positions at a company or organization can use LinkedIn to form new connections for potential collaboration, or just to learn new skills. Additionally, employers themselves often use LinkedIn to not only search for potential applicants, but also to keep apprised of workforce trends and to build a base of interested parties in a field or geographic area.
Whew. That’s a lot to think about.
Without further ado, I’ve constructed a quick-and-easy guide to LinkedIn networking for college students. There’s no time like the present, after all, and even if you aren’t considering a job or internship for a few years yet, or you’re already locked in to work for someone after graduation, knowing exactly how to form and maintain these valuable connections is an important skill to have in your back pocket.
Here’s a hypothetical situation: You’re 21 years old, staring graduation in the face, and you’re starting to worry about finding full-time employment after you cross that stage in May. You have a LinkedIn profile already, and it’s up to date, but you haven’t had any success with engagement on the site. Where do you start?
My first advice is to consider joining professional groups on LinkedIn. After all, you can hardly expect to fall into contact with other people in your desired field if you don’t ever go anywhere to meet them. The search bar at the top of the home page is your new best friend – do even a quick search for open groups of professionals in your area, and choose a few that you think will be valuable. Hint: look for groups with a lot of active discussions and more than 2-3 members who frequently post.
Once you’ve identified and joined a few professional groups, it’s time to dip your toe in the waters. Think critically about the discussion topics in a group, and form your own informed opinions. Then, make a post or begin commenting on existing forums. If you’re truly engaging in thoughtful dialogue, starting a conversation with someone else is a great way to find new potential connections who likely are employed in your field or are at the very least heavily interested, and who may have connections of their own.
It’s at this point that I want to make an important differentiation. LinkedIn networking is a two-way street, not a one-way alley. If you approach the networking process from a purely self-centered perspective, you won’t get very far. Meeting and working with professionals in your area of expertise or interest is a fantastic opportunity for you to learn, yes, but it’s also a moment for them to learn as well. This article states it well: Networking means connecting with people, not just talking to or at them! One great strategy? Listen more than you talk.
Once you’ve built up an online presence in a few groups or forums, you can then begin to consider formally connecting with others on LinkedIn. The website offers a built in feature to send a default message, inviting the other person to accept your invitation. While the feature itself is helpful, avoid using that bland, automatic script. It shows a lack of creativity and interest in that person’s individual skills and qualities. What makes them a good connection to have? Did you enjoy a discussion they started or participated in? Try including a personal note—ask if they’d like to talk about the subject further, or explain why you find their particular blend of experience and knowledge interesting.
Here’s a sample connection invitation:
Hi Andrea.
I really enjoyed your post in the ‘Marketing for Nonprofits’ forum this week, and I’d like to hear more about your opinions and your experiences in the field. I am interested in nonprofit media management as well, and if you have the time, I’d love to keep in touch and continue the discussion.
Best,
Wally Pilot
Or, if the person you’re approaching is an alum from your school:
Dear Max,
I noticed that you also attended the University of Portland! I’m a current senior and a Mechanical Engineering major, and I’d love to hear more about what you’re doing with Boeing right now. Would you be interested in getting coffee and chatting about your experience in the industry?
Many thanks,
Wally Pilot, ‘16
As you can see, a LinkedIn connection invitation doesn’t have to be a long, complex, arduous task. If you just put in the effort to find common ground with a potential connection, the message itself will be not only easier to write, but will carry a tone of sincerity and will be much more likely to get a response.
Once you’ve begun the network-building process, it’s easy to think that you don’t have to keep up any longer. After all, you have those connections now—why bother staying in touch unless you need something? This is a problem many LinkedIn users have, and it’s also why the most successful networkers are so successful to begin with. They maintain their connections, continuing to engage in meaningful dialogue and discussion both in professional groups and outside of them, and they don’t treat their connections like a one-stop-shop for endorsements or industry insider advice.
LinkedIn can be a great tool for you as a college student and beyond, if you use it correctly—allow your network to expand with the inclusion of not just other random individuals who happen to have the same interests in their profile, but people who also share common goals or backgrounds, and who are willing to keep up a two-way-street model of communication. These are the types of connections you want to have when the time comes to search for a job or an internship.