Grow Your Professional Network on LinkedIn

LinkedIn may not be the only social networking platforms available to businesses and professionals, but it is the most popular, making it a must-have tool for professionals to network and connect with others.

As a place to showcase your resume, build your network and discover jobs that suit your skill sets, LinkedIn is a valuable resource for anyone about to start their career, particularly when it comes to growing your online network.

Use LinkedIn to make relevant connections and to stay engaged with your professional network. In your career, who you know is often just as important as what you know. So you should invest time to stay connected with your network of contacts. You never know where your next opportunity may come from!

Connect with like-minded professionals

Do not fall into the trap of adding as many people as you know to bulk up your connection list. It is not about how many connections you have on LinkedIn, but how well you know them. When you build a quality network by keeping in touch with your connections and engaging with them, that is when you can add value to each other’s professional journey.

1) Add people you have worked with

This is a good way to keep in touch with your former internship superior and colleagues. Engage with them through LinkedIn posts, wish them congratulations when they have reached a milestone (LinkedIn will automatically alert you about such things) and keep them in the loop about the career opportunities you are looking for. If they know of a relevant opportunity, chances are you will be on their mind.

Do not ask your contacts for favours in your initial invite though. That is just rude. Remember, the focus here is on building a genuine network, not using people to get a job.

2) Add people you have met

The next tier of people you can add are those whom you have met at career fairs and networking events. Do your best to attend all such events hosted by your Career Development Centre. Not only are they a great source of information on potential job opportunities, but they are also a fantastic way to grow your professional network!

If you met a person of interest at a physical event, get their business card and add them to your LinkedIn network as soon as you can. If you met them at a virtual event, they would most likely have their LinkedIn profiles ready to connect with you, so find them and add them.

3) Add people that you would like to know

The great thing about adding the people you have worked with and the people you have met is they are likely already in the industry you are trying to break in. From there, you will be able to see their connections and expand your network. You can add people from your contacts’ connections whom you wish to get to know, or whom you think could be a good inside source on job opportunities.

However, do not forget that these people are all functionally strangers. So be extra polite when engaging with them!

How to write an invite

With only 300 characters to work with, your invite needs to be concise and interesting enough. So, what are some types of invites you can send?

1) Describe to them how you know them

Unless you have just met them recently, it is best not to assume that they remember who you are. For example, if you worked with them in the past, then indicate when. Or if you met them at an event, be sure to mention which one it was.

Dear Raj,

It was such a pleasure working with you last year at CX. I still remember the company fundraising event we were a part of and how much fun we had. It was a blast! Let us catch up and talk more soon!

Best, Cherry

2) Use a reference in your invite

If you wish to add someone through a secondhand (or thirdhand) connection, you are more likely to succeed by mentioning a reference in your invite – a common connection between yourself and the person whom you wish to connect with. But before sending over the invite, remember to ask your reference first for their permission!

Hi Matt,

I am a new graduate looking to work in architecture. I worked with Lucas Tan during my internship at Lee & Woo and would like to connect with a professional in the field. If it is all right, I would love to talk about our local industry and the skills I would need to succeed.

Best, Wei Li

3) Stand out from the crowd

If you just met a recruiter or an employer from a job fair, you have to assume they will likely be swamped with connection invites. So be sure to distinguish yourself from the crowd.

Start with an informative but concise message outlining relevant experiences or skill sets that you may have for the positions they were searching for at the event. Adding a personal note about something you previously spoke about them with may also raise your chances of getting through to the recruiter.

Dear Mark,

It was great speaking to you at yesterday’s SUTD Career and Internship Fair. I have always had a keen interest in your company and I believe my summer stint at Blackwaters has given me some experience in the field. Happy to connect and continue our conversation.

Thank you, Lindsey