Understand LinkedIn in a simplified way to use it for creating opportunities.

1. #demystifyLI
Understanding LinkedIn
Simplifying LinkedIn
Ashi Singhal
Using LinkedIn

2. At which stage are you in
using LinkedIn?
STAGE 1
You have no interest in LinkedIn & you joined LinkedIn just
because many people are doing it.
STAGE 2
You have developed interest in LinkedIn but you are
clueless what to do next after making your LinkedIn
profile.
STAGE 3
You are exploring & actively using LinkedIn after making
your profile.
STAGE 4
You are not just exploring LinkedIn but also getting
benefits from it.
STAGE 5
You are helping others in exploring & using LinkedIn
hence, building your brand here.
#demystifyLI

3. Tips to proceed
from one stage
to next?
#demystifyLI

4. You have no interest in LinkedIn & you joined it
just because many people are doing it
STAGE 1
Without a purpose, you'll be lost in the opportunistic world of
LinkedIn. Find a purpose. It can be,
#demystifyLI
Exploring different career options.
Building any career from scratch.
Helping others with your knowledge, skills & expertise.
Strengthening your career.
Building communities.
Searching & trying new career options.
Keeping yourself updated with latest career trends.
Finding your potential clients.
Establishing your personal or business brand.
(Discover a new purpose & add it here)
Start exploring LinkedIn with that purpose. Develop a genuine
interest by talking with LinkedIn users & by reading about it over
internet.

5. You have developed interest in LinkedIn but
you are clueless what to do next
after making your LinkedIn profile
STAGE 2
#demystifyLI
Don't just make your profile but MAINTAIN it. Your profile is
your personality's reflection. Use profile's each part properly.
Whether you're a high school student, an undergrad or a job
seeker, burst the bubble of "Over Professionalism" & be
confident while doing any LI activity. Be YOU, act like YOU,
talk like YOU, professionalism will follow.
Put comments on others' post. Show your existence.
Send messages to people.
A "Hi, How are you?" is enough to begin the conversation. Be
patient for responses. Don't bombard the person with
messages if s/he hasn't replied. If out of 50 no one is replying
back, don't worry, move on to next 50.
Once you've broken the shell of hesitation by comments and
messages, put your own post. Keep the engagement on!

6. STAGE 3
You are exploring & actively using LinkedIn after
making your profile. Now how to get benefits?
Collaborate with other people for creating content. Create a
content series together, use the power of hashtags. Your content
is your visibility. More visibility, better opportunities.
Don't step back from sending direct messages to HRs, Investors,
founders. Make sure your message is sensible & effective.
Show credibility of your profile by asking recommendations from
people. It'll give an edge to you & your profile among others.
Bring conversations off LinkedIn. Use Skype, WhatsApp, Zoom, a
phone call or go meet them for coffee. Networking do wonders!
Take "LinkedIn job" feature seriously to search for internships/jobs
at fresher, senior or any level. You'll find multiple opportunities.
Use LI search bar on top of your LI page. Find relevant people. Enter
job title, person's first or last name, location, etc. that you wanna
search. Apply filters smartly to find what's hidden in the world of LI.
BE PATIENT and CONSISTENT. Don't expect to get results in a day
or a week. Invest your efforts instead of giving up.
#demystifyLI

7. STAGE 4
Start building your personal brand 'regardless of who you are'.
Your brand will help you to connect with people. Remember,
genuineness to help others form basis of real connections.
So, "You try to fake it, you'll definitely fail it!"
Do research on what people need & how you can help them with
your skills. That intersection will give you niche for your brand.
Build communities on & off LinkedIn. Take responsibility of acting
on initiatives. If you ain't confident to initiate at the moment,
reach out to someone who can. "Assist now, Lead later!"
Share your good & bad experiences through content (text, videos,
audios, images) Sharing is Caring, and Caring is Building Rapport!
Don't restrict your reach to particular domain or a city or even a
country. Expand it by talking to different people, by engaging on
different kind of content. Use the power of online interaction.
Keep asking one question to yourself, "Am I adding value?" Use
this question & its answer as a compass on this journey!
You are not just exploring LinkedIn but also
getting benefits from it. Next step?
#demystifyLI

8. STAGE 5
#demystifyLI
You are helping others in exploring & using
LinkedIn hence, building your brand here.
It's great that you're helping others, but are people really getting
benefits from your help?
Do some research about it. Get feedback from people whom
you're trying to help. If out of 10 people, 6 are getting benefits
from your efforts, it doesn't mean the ratio will be same for rest
90.
If the ratio is same, start bringing your brand to other social
media platforms & even offline.
Amplify INTERACTION. Start speaking in public events to share
your purpose & vision. You can speak in someone else's event or
can organize one by yourself. Use your online presence to make
things easier & effective in real world.
If the ratio is not same, you gotta change your methods. You
need to analyze the gap between your purpose & people's need.
Put aside your perception for a while & think with the people's
point of view about their requirements.
Ultimately, "It's not about you, it's about them"
Once you identify the reasons, make changes. Remember, what
works for someone else may not necessarily work for you.

9. Demystification
#demystifyLI
to be continued...