Posting on LinkedIn can be a great way of attracting the attention of recruiters, prospective employers, and new connections in your network. It will help you appear in more searches and allow others to better understand your expertise and perspective.
Not all posts are equal, however. Here are a few guidelines to help you get the most out of your LinkedIn activity.
Keep it Professional
LinkedIn is a professional network. It’s not Facebook or Instagram. Post accordingly. Save updates about vacations and TV for those sites. On LinkedIn, you should post about items relevant to your field or interesting to your network. Posting articles, sharing opinions on general trends, and providing thoughts about relevant work experiences are all great ways to maximize using the platform. You want to appear professional. Moreover, you want to give recruiters a better sense of who you are and peers an opportunity to connect with you over shared interests. Posting about personal matters can distract from that.
However, there are personal topics which may interest others in your network. Writing personal reflections on professional milestones, work-life management, or experiences in your field can be valuable ways of connecting with others. If you do so, however, you need to be mindful of how much you want to blend your personal and professional identities on a platform like LinkedIn. A personal touch can be compelling. But it should be limited to professional topics. Save truly private entries for other forums.
Be Mindful of Sensitive Information
Sharing thoughts about previous work experiences can be a great way to connect with others on LinkedIn. The same is true of discussing news or research in your field. That said, you need to be mindful not to share sensitive information. You don’t want to embarrass former or current colleagues or employers. Moreover, you don’t want to violate an NDA, or get in trouble for sharing copyrighted or proprietary information without permission. Always pay attention to compliance and confidentiality. You do not want to get in trouble for appearing to promote a product, or for leaking internal information.
Keep it Short and Sweet
You do not need to write an essay every time you post. In fact, lengthy posts can often work to your detriment. Being concise will allow others to engage with you more readily. Your posts should take no more than 2 minutes to read, unless you’re sharing a white paper or longer article.
There is no need to post more than once a week. In fact, posting too frequently may give the wrong impression. A strong candidate for any position should be focusing on their work, not spending all day on LinkedIn.
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Posting on LinkedIn does more than attract the eyes of recruiters. It gives others in your field an opportunity to connect with you and allows you to expand your network. By sharing brief, weekly posts you can help yourself with your current job search and beyond. Just be sure not to break confidentiality or compliance rules.
