By Lynne Williams

On LinkedIn, you can make a personal introduction to other people in your network. A warm introduction is certainly better than someone reaching out on their own with a “cold call” approach.

As for networking online, LinkedIn might be considered networking on steroids so embrace this feature as part of the largest professional network in the world!

Introductions could happen for several reasons:

• To set up an informational interview to learn more about their company, industry, or career progression. This could be for someone who is in college seeking ideas on where they should start their career, those seeking to change industries or considering a reinvention, or for many other reasons. P.S. Don’t forget that thank you note after that informational interview!
• To learn more about the culture of a company when applying to a job posting (as you NEVER want to straight up ask for a job on an initial contact). It might cause for your resume to be asked to be sent or read or walked down the hall to the hiring manager.
• For B2B sales prospecting for an introduction and referral as a potential vendor (as you NEVER want to ask for an order on the “first date”). According to Harvard Business Review, 90% or more of C-level executives don’t respond to a cold outreach or email blast. Rather than make this introduction out of the blue, you could warm up the outreach by sharing an article of interest with them or like or share their recent post, for example.

First, you need to build the KNOW, LIKE, TRUST with people. I would guess that it’s a rarity that two people meet and get married right after the first date. There is usually a courtship that happens over time, so networking in person and online is the same thing – you need to build a rapport and that takes time.

If you want specific examples of verbiage you can use, you can read the full article by clicking here.

Jobseeker? Event for Women Only? Starting a business? Self-Employed? Employed? Networking? or LinkedIn Workshop? (next one is coming 4/20/19 in Exton)

Come learn and network with the Philadelphia Area Great Careers Group and organizations that partner with us! There is something of interest for any working adult (or about to be working if you are graduating soon!) See the schedule with links here.

Missed the previous LinkedIn tip? Click here.

BIO

Lynne Williams is the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Area Great Careers Group, a 501(c)3 nonprofit of almost 4000 members providing career education and networking. Contact Lynne by phone at 484-393-2951, on the web at www.greatcareersphl.org, email at director@greatcareersphl.org, on social media @GreatCareersPHL and connect on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/lynnewilliams