Building a strong network
Now that you’ve maximised your LinkedIn profile, let’s talk about networking. Networking via LinkedIn is underrated and seemingly underestimated. It can present job opportunities, provide industry insights, and help you grow both professionally and personally.
Expanding your network
The first step to take is expanding your connections on LinkedIn with professionals, recruiters and industry leaders across various backgrounds, industries and with different levels of experience. Engaging with influential profiles can really boost your own profile and presence.
To improve your visibility, opportunities and grow your network we strongly suggest you follow thought leaders and influencers and connect with alumni and industry leaders. You can do this via InMail with a personalised message.
To find more relevant connections you should use the advanced search function to find specific people that meet your criteria. You can narrow it down to job title, location, experience level.
Another way of networking which is equally effective is attending virtual events and webinars and if time allows in-person events. Doing this means you can connect with attendees and speakers who share interests and passions.
Joining and participating in Finance Groups
Similarly joining related LinkedIn groups such as Finance or Accounting groups, industry associations or conferences and discussions forums can improve your visibility, personal branding and give you access to exclusive content. By actively participating, discussing, sharing insights and connecting with members you will be able to engage with a wider more relevant audience and demonstrate your expertise.
Sharing Finance Insights and Content
As highlighted earlier sharing finance related articles, insight and thought leadership can enhance your profile credibility and even establish you as thoughtful leader yourself if that’s something you’re striving for.
Don’t forget to engage with your network by commenting on and sharing relevant content that relates to your industry or specialisation. This can help you attract like-minded individuals and demonstrate your genuine interest in your field of work.
Job seeking preferences and Open to Work Feature
If you’re currently on the hunt for a new role there are two tools you can use to reach the right people. You can enable the ‘Open to Work’ feature on your profile which will indicate to employers and hiring managers that you’re actively seeking. You can also edit your job seeking preferences so that you receive relevant recommendations and opportunities as notifications.
By also utilising the advanced search function you can find roles or companies that match a specific criteria e.g. industry, location or job title. You can either apply to the role or reach out to the hiring manager/employer directly to express your interest further helping you widen your network and reach.
Networking Etiquette and engagements
One thing to remember is when you’re making connections and reaching out to people on LinkedIn are the certain do’s and don’ts of engagement. It’s important that you always message with respect and when you make the connection try and include a personalised connection request to show you’re genuine.
Here are our tips for sending out personalised messages:
1.Express how you know them or why you’d like to connect.
2.Express genuine interest in building professional relationships, seeking advice, discussing potential collaboration, or sharing insights.
3.Make sure you don’t send out generic requests to hundreds of people as this will seem ingenuine and they’re likely to have received many of these already.
Conclusion
We can’t emphasise enough how important it is to nurture professional relationships as this will open the door for career opportunities and professional development and LinkedIn is a fantastic tool for it. Networking on LinkedIn is paramount for both personal and professional growth.
The key takeaways are to maximise your profile and to reach out to people that relate to you; your interests, and your industry as this will positively impact your career. It’s important for you to invest time and effort into optimising your profiles and using the valuable tools on Linkedin for your job searching and career advancement.
By actively participating in LinkedIn’s vast network of professionals you not only stay updated on industry trends but position yourself as a valuable contributor and resource in your field fostering knowledge sharing. Investing in networking on LinkedIn – is an investment in your future success.
Connect with us for ongoing finance networking and career insights.