LinkedIn Community Offers Advice to Current Students

Last week, I was scheduled to speak with current law students about the power of LinkedIn.  I've seen the value LinkedIn provides but I needed more "proof" that LinkedIn worked.  So, I set out to see what advice others, who are using LinkedIn, had for current students.  


I posted a question on the Answers section, "What Important Advice Should I Share with Students About LinkedIn?"  And, here's what I found.

• Invitations to Connect:  LinkedIn provides you with a standard introduction but it's almost universally agreed upon that sending a personalized invitation is key.  Personalized invitations allow you to provide a reason someone should connect with you -- it starts a conversation.
• Update Your Status: Exactly how you update your status is debatable but telling your network what you're up to, what you're working on, asking a question or other personalized update is a great way to stay in front of your network.  It also can appear in the weekly LinkedIn network update e-mail.  What is debatable about updating your status is whether you use it like your Twitter feed and cross-post everything to your LinkedIn account.  I think it's helpful to add value but shouldn't share everything on LinkedIn that you would on Twitter.
• Connect with Classmates: And, the keyword, now.  Your classmates will be the connections you can call upon later.  Connect now, develop relationships now.  Adding a classmate later could signal you want something now but didn't want them when you were classmates.
• Build Up Your Network: If you're new to LinkedIn, you can start by adding Facebook friends first.  These are usually your strong connections and more personal in nature.  Facebook friends are likely to accept your invitation to connect.  Take advantage of allowing LinkedIn "access" to your Gmail, Hotmail, etc. account to show you your contacts that are already on LinkedIn.  This is an easy way to build your network and as others join LinkedIn they will appear in your "people you might know" box.
• Converting New Contacts to LinkedIn Connections: Each event you attend, grab a business card or look for a way to connect with them later on LinkedIn. Follow up with a personalized invitation to connect. iPhone users can "bump" their phones together and swap contact information.
• Look to Give Back: Be engaged with your network and respond to questions for help or advice when you can.  Answer questions posted on the Answers section.  Find a helpful article?  Forward it to a contact who you think would enjoy receiving it.
• Join Groups: There are many types of groups to join on LinkedIn: personal interests, businesses, alumni associations, and more.  Join groups of interest and engage on the discussion section or ask a question.  This is a great way to connect with interest groups, especially alumni groups.
• Complete Your Profile: Go beyond your resume and thoroughly complete your profile. Add Web sites, blogs, your Twitter account.  Allow your network to connect with you across many platforms.  Not only can this help your network learn more about you, it can provide opportunities for you such as turning up in search results.
• Recommendations: Ask for and give recommendations.  Recommendations on your profile provide immediate credibility.  Ask professors, employers and committee/group members to provide you a recommendation.  Recommendations also show up in searches and are a great way to stand out.

Add to your knowledge by visiting the Learning Center on LinkedIn.  There are many helpful topics and tips available.

Did I miss something?  How do you add value and connect on LinkedIn?