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When It Comes To LinkedIn, It's About What You Know

Forbes Coaches Council
POST WRITTEN BY
Michelle Weathersby

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According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, the definition of power is “the ability to do something or act in a particular way, especially as a faculty or quality.” It can also mean “to supply (a device) with mechanical or electrical energy."

When I think of how we can apply power to our careers, I think of LinkedIn. Using this tool in a particular way can help you connect and supply the energy you need to reach your professional goals.

We often hear, "It's not what you know but who you know." I beg to differ slightly on that. When using LinkedIn, we usually connect based on what a person has stated on their profile — what they are capable of doing or what they have done. We view their information to see how we can benefit them or their organization, or in some cases, how they can benefit us to get to the next level.

Listing as much of your experience as you're comfortable with helps more people to connect with you. When a person knows your skill set and abilities, they are more likely to reach out to you.

Don’t miss the opportunity to list what your professional self is all about on this platform. Here are a few key things to remember.

Stay relevant.

Staying informed is critical in this fast-paced world. It's important to keep your information up to date. Acronyms and professional jargon are always changing with the times. If you are not a weekly user of LinkedIn, that's OK. Just check up every so often to ensure your information is relevant and consistent.

And as different systems change throughout the year, make sure your information displays that you are working on the most current systems and platforms. This will allow investors, recruiters and future employers to pull up and review your profile for a potential opportunity. This may take some research, but it could be the difference between you getting a job versus just interviewing for that job.

Have energy.

When you are posting articles, status updates, pictures or videos to your personal or business page, present positive energy. This will only help attract others to it. People are social beings, and we have the tendency to gravitate toward things and events that move us. That's why we attend most conferences and motivational events: We want to be inspired.

Mind what you say.

Profanity and controversy aren't the best start if you are trying to get others to connect or even follow you. Again, keep it professional and positive. According to Oxford, there are 171,476 words currently used in the English language and 9,500 derivative words – making the words used over a quarter of million. You have other options.

Know your bull’s-eye.

Who or what is your target? Knowing who you want to connect with helps give you a better understanding of how you would like to present your profile. For example, if you are an educational speaker who travels to different institutions to inform them about a particular subject, all that information should be clearly stated and displayed on your profile, and nothing you post or like should contradict that brand.

So go and power up your profile, and make those needed connections to help take you to the next level of your goals and success.

Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?