๐ฟ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ, s๐๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐ฅ๐ค๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉย ๐๐๐๐๐จ๐ข. ๐๐ฉ’๐จ ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐, ๐๐ช๐ฉ ๐ ๐๐ข ๐ข๐ค๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐ง๐ฌ๐๐ง๐. ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ค๐จ๐ฉ. ๐๐ก๐๐๐จ๐ ๐๐ค๐๐ฃ ๐ข๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ .
That’s the kind of LinkedIn invitation I accept without hesitation. By referring to one of my posts, this person made an instant connection with me. He did not use LinkedIn’s default invitation to ask me to join his network. Neither did he use the invitation to ask for a favour, because I have received many like those. These are the individuals who so ‘me-centred’, focusing on themselves, that they forget to develop a relationship before asking for favours. This is one of the main reasons invitations are being ignored or outrightly rejected on LinkedIn.
How about you? Have you fallen into such a trap? Are your LinkedIn invitations being ignored? Whether you are an executive in the C-Suite, a manager or mid-career professional, you cannot afford to be ignored on LinkedIn. You need to be on the radar of recruiters, decision makers, and influential contacts who can help with your career trajectory. Below are five points that could be contributing to your invitations being ignored on LinkedIn:
๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐จ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ. Who are you? Without a professional head-shot, hiring managers, recruiters and potential contacts assume you are invisible, you have a fake account, or that you donโt exist. People are more inclined to accept your invitation if they can associate a name with a photograph, so add a bit of personality to your profile. When you do upload a photo, make sure it is a professional one, and only includes you!
๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ค๐๐๐๐งโ๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ง๐๐๐ญ.ย Too many people opt for the easy route when sending LinkedIn invitations. Instead of crafting a customized message, they rely on the default, or generic invitation,ย โHi, I would like to join your LinkedIn networkโ. Give the person a reason to connect with you. Remind them of how you met. Do you share membership in the same alumni group? Have you been following their insightful discussions on LinkedIn? If those strategies donโt apply, say something that indicates you value them, and are not just looking to add numbers to your network, or ask them to do business with you.
๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐.ย When you first signed up for a LinkedIn account, you were assigned a URL (Universal Resource Locator) that includes your name and some numbers and letters. The link doesn’t have any meaning until you create a clean, personally-branded URL with your name. If someone with your name has already grabbed that URL, use a middle initial or something that will differentiate you from others with the same name.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐.ย One of the first things many people do after they sign up for a LinkedIn account is to begin sending invitations. Big mistake! Spend time adding content to your profile, beginning with an attention-grabbing headline. Use theย Aboutย section to engage Before asking people to join your network, let them know who you are by completing theย Aboutย section. Take advantage of the 2,000 character spaces that LinkedIn allows for this area. Tell the reader what you have done and what you are capable of. Highlight your accomplishments; indicate what skills you have, and what you are good at. Give them a good reason for wanting to connect with you.
๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐จ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ.ย This is like going on a blind date and asking your date to marry you. Never ask your new contact to help you find a job or for any other favours so early in the relationship. Build the relationship first. Give them a chance to get to know you. Participate in LinkedIn discussions and group forums to demonstrate your expertise. Someone could be taking notice behind the scenes, and one day reach out to you.
If you review your profile with the above points in mind, it will be harder for you to be ignored on LinkedIn. Keep in mind that your profile is working behind the scenes on your behalf every minute of the day. It’s available on LinkedIn 24/7/365 (24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 (or 366) days year. You owe it to yourself to have a professional profile that offers a glimpse of who you are, and why someone should reach out to you.
You might not be in a job search at the moment, but if you have a profile that’s professionally developed, you will attract new opportunities even when you are not looking for them.
How does your LinkedIn profile measure up? Let me know.
