I came across a video interview today on The Undercover Recruiter between Jorgen Sundberg and Aimee Bateman from Careercake, about how independent recruiters can be more effective at making connections on LinkedIn®. To make it easy for everyone, the video is embedded below. It’s about 7 minutes long and well worth it.
Most independent recruiters probably consider themselves fairly proficient with LinkedIn®, but some may not realize that the same “social rules” that apply on Twitter or Facebook also apply on LinkedIn®. To really maximize your connections, follow these tips:
- Add a profile picture to your account. It’s surprising how many profiles still don’t have a photo (let alone a ‘good’ photo). No one wants to interact with an egg (Twitter) or an outline (LinkedIn®). A lot of spammers don’t use a profile picture, so make sure you’re not being ignored as spam.
- Make your connection request about THEM, not you. You wouldn’t approach a stranger on the street and start asking for personal information, so don’t do it on LinkedIn®, either. The best independent recruiters still know how to make real, personal connections with people.
- Don’t worry too much about “how” you know the person you’re contacting. Instead, focus on why the connection is beneficial (for THEM). Take time to write a personal invitation message that shows you’ve done some homework. DON’T use the generic message that LinkedIn® provides.
For some more great pointers, watch the video below. What’s your best tip for making connections on LinkedIn®?
http://youtu.be/W6E9VTjBWuU
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