How to Use LinkedIn Effectively by Setting Objectives

LinkedIn is the only leader in the social media domain for professional networking. Launched on May 5th, 2005, LinkedIn gained popularity quite rapidly thanks to its innovative idea, which set it apart from normal social media websites.

LinkedIn boasts over 1 billion users. Now, consider this: As of 2024, the world’s population is close to 8 billion. Out of this, approximately 5.2 billion are in the 15 to 65-year-old age group. That means that over 20% of people of the working age group use LinkedIn.

This data makes it evident that LinkedIn is not only hard to ignore but also not advisable for any professional. However, knowing how to use LinkedIn effectively to achieve our objectives is essential for professionals.

Setting Objectives for Effective Use of LinkedIn

Effectivity only comes with objectivity. The first step is to realize the objectives and then make any available tool effective for our objectives.

In this case, the tool is LinkedIn. How can we use it effectively to meet our networking objectives for a simple task like a job change to make personal and professional branding? Everything depends on how we can use it effectively and correctly.

There are leaders, and then there are followers, but we all have a natural instinct to follow others. Even leaders follow their followers’ thoughts, needs, and aspirations to determine what they would like to follow.

Brands are an excellent example of this instinct. People buy them because they are expensive, and others are buying them. As a result, we don’t often question ourselves about what’s better in one brand than the other or any other product with no famous brand name.

Social media is a combination of this following and the need to communicate. People use social media because others are using it and feel the need to create their presence and either talk about themselves or something they like (or dislike) or simply listen to what others say.

We call LinkedIn social media just because it’s a community of people, but in a strict sense, it is not social media but a network of professionals. Many people consider LinkedIn just as a tool for finding a job. However, It is a tool that can serve us various productive purposes as follows:

• Learning and Professional development
• Professional networking
• Personal branding
• Career switching or job changing

Passing the time, venting out, or just having a presence for the sake of it doesn’t serve any purpose.

Like everything else, being objective is very important for LinkedIn to serve you. And with that objectivity comes the need to invest some time in it.

LinkedIn for Personal Branding

The most crucial part is not just creating a good LinkedIn profile, but how do we maintain it.

On other social media networks, people see what you write and follow you for what you say, how you say it, or if you are famous. Unlike that, LinkedIn gives us a platform to create a brand for ourselves. So when your second and third-degree connections come across your profile, they will go to your profile first to see who you are. So, the profile is the first step to presenting yourself correctly.

Do’s and Don’ts for the LinkedIn Profile

Before actively using LinkedIn to achieve professional objectives, the first step is creating a LinkedIn profile that stands out.

About Me Section

The objective for this section is personal branding by making an impression.

The “About Me” section summarizes what any visitor sees first and the first place to create an impression. Therefore, spending a reasonable amount of time on this section is paramount.

Being creative and not just writing just a couple of sentences is important. Writing a big essay in this section is also a big NO. The ideal length for this section is 8 to 12 sentences, where you describe your professional experiences and achievements. There is no need to express yourself and your likes and dislikes.

Work History Section of the Profile

Objectives for this section differ if you are an employer/business person or an employee. In the former case, it is better to create branding for your company by explaining about it and its achievements. If you are an employee, this place informs visitors, including potential employers or recruiters, about your experience and achievements without boasting those.

Be precise and present the facts without putting too much spice into writing the summary of your work. The ideal work history should be in 5 to 10 sentences.

If you have a big list of companies you have worked with, the recent experiences should be explained in more detail because what you did 15 or 20 years back does not matter much. Very old career histories can be covered in one or two sentences.

Skills

Your objective for this section is to attract potential employers and recruiters.

LinkedIn offers us to list up to 50 skills. However, no one is out there looking for a Superman. Listing 50 skills for the sake of it doesn’t create an impression. Instead, list 10 to 20 of the most relevant skills in this section in the correct order, starting with the primary skills.

Awards & Honors

The objective is two-fold. This section is for branding and is also important if your objective for LinkedIn is to find new jobs now or in the future. Listing all awards and recognitions will serve the above purposes well.

Language Skills

The objective of this section is mainly to attract recruiters or employers who need multilingual talent.

Listing languages that would serve any purpose for the career does not make much sense. A typical example is in countries like India, where there are many local languages, while the official language is mainly English. Therefore, listing out those local languages does not make much sense. However, it’s crucial to list your proficiency in ANY international languages.

Beyond the LinkedIn Profile

Connecting with the Targeted Audience

It is always advisable to be objective about whom we connect. A targeted audience based on our objective is always better than having a huge, irrelevant network.

Posting Meaningful Content

It is crucial to be active on LinkedIn, in addition to creating a profile and regularly reviewing and maintaining it.

The objectives behind being active are multifold. For example, you may stay updated about what is happening in your professional domain, learn new things by reading what people share, or post relevant things for personal branding and networking.

One of the most important things is not to get trapped in debates and arguments. Positivity can take us a long way; if we do not like someone’s statement, it’s always better to scroll past it.

Using LinkedIn Groups Effectively

Being part of the relevant LinkedIn groups can also add value to knowledge exchange and personal branding. However, relevancy is more important, and adding several irrelevant groups does not serve many purposes.

It may also be counterproductive to have unnecessary messages in the feed to cause missing out on important posts. Posting relevant posts in relevant LinkedIn groups can boost your professional branding greatly.

Conclusion

In conclusion, LinkedIn is a formidable platform in the professional world. It is a digital space where opportunities abound for those who navigate it purposefully and objectively.

By carefully curating a professional profile, engaging thoughtfully with content, and networking with intention, users can harness LinkedIn’s full potential to advance their careers, grow their businesses, and forge meaningful professional relationships.

It’s not just about being present on the platform; it’s about being proactive, strategic, and authentic in your interactions. Remember that the quality of your connections matters more than the quantity. Therefore, a well-thought-out approach to LinkedIn can set you apart in a crowded marketplace.

As with any tool, LinkedIn’s effectiveness lies in the hands of the user. So, employ LinkedIn with clarity and focus, and watch as it opens doors to a world of professional possibilities. Let it be your ally in the continuous career advancement journey, and never stop learning how to leverage LinkedIn’s evolving features effectively for your professional growth.