This document provides tips for building and using a LinkedIn professional network. It recommends connecting with past coworkers, bosses, friends, and others from community groups. It also suggests connecting with recruiters and targeted contacts from companies of interest. The document outlines how to search for and manage these connections on LinkedIn. It advises sending status updates to connections to stay in touch, provide information on one's career goals, and offer to help others in their job searches.
Building a LinkedIn Network: How to Optimize Your Connections
1. Building a LinkedIn
Network:
How to Build and Use
Your Connections
Mark W. Biersdorf
MSR Solutions
July 17, 2012
2. LinkedIn Use
• Access to decision makers, recruiters
• Interviews – bios on interviewers
• Be found by recruiters
• Manage contacts that you meet
• Send follow up notes – status updates
• Paying it forward – help others to access your
contacts
4. LinkedIn – Who to connect?
• Start with past co‐workers, bosses
• Neighbors
• Friends
• Community & religious group members
• High School, College friends
8. Contacts at Target
Companies
• Set Search field to “People” (not
companies)
• Type in target company name
• Search will look for contacts from your
network that either worked at company
or know targeted people.
9. Your Connections
• First – directly connected
to you
• Seconds – connected to
your contacts
• Groups – people in your
groups
• Thirds – people connected
to your 2nds, connected
to your 1sts
10. First Connections
• Firsts – at target company
– Deliver your resume
– Introduce you to hiring managers
– Do company research
• Firsts – not at target company
– Ask the to introduce you to key target contacts
– Do company research
11. Using Other Connections
• 2nd ‐ Electronic introductions
• Groups – directly talk to other members,
sometimes hiring managers
• Thirds – Generally ignore
12. Manage Contacts
• Add Tags, label contacts
• Note to identify how you met them
• Review their contacts for people you know
• Continue to add more contacts