LinkedIn is more than a place to post your CV, it can be used as a tool to stay relevant in your industry and to meet like minded people. When paired with a networking event, it can extend your impact massively. Here’s how to make the most of the platform before and after these events.
What is LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is a professional social media platform. It looks vaguely like Facebook, but is tailored for business and professional development. From job seekers to recruiters and hiring managers, if someone has a desire to progress their career in business, they most probably have a LinkedIn account.
Craft a Professional Profile
Before you do anything you have to look the part, make sure you have a clean, polished profile with a professional photo and about section. Also, listing most of your experience and skills here shows what you bring to the table.
After making a clean profile, announce that you are attending the given event to let others know you’re open to connect. You could also find out who’s attending and even have conversations with people going. It’s helpful to additionally engage with any event-related content as this will be a hotspot for attendees.
During the Event
During the Event, enjoy all of the in-person networking and mix with attendees. You could use the LinkedIn app to connect in real time with people you meet and could take pictures of the event to post later.
After the Event
Follow up to any new contacts with a message within a couple of days to stay relevant. Plus, post a recap, giving key takeaways and anything you’ve learnt, this will appeal to people that both didn’t go and went to the event. Tag people you meet and thank the organisers.
Engaging with any of your new connections is a good practice post-event as it shows you have a genuine connection / want to work together.
A helpful tip is to use LinkedIn’s “Notes” section to create a spreadsheet of all new contacts. Here you can say who you met, where you met, what was discussed and potential follow-up ideas. This would be an incredible help as it would rapidly remind you who someone is.
Final Thoughts
In-person networking isn’t going away, but is not a standalone activity anymore. LinkedIn can act as a bridge between moments and is a great help in the world of business. So next time you are part of a possible networking event, use LinkedIn to get ahead of the game.
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