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LinkedIn tips

n1vux on 2009-03-05T00:44:35

I see Guy Kawasaki the Mac Marketing genius and original evangelist has updated his LinkedIn tips recently to include Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn to Find a Job.

My own Linked-In tips should be some place easy to reference and update instead of cut and paste, so -

  • A feature of LinkedIn is you can put all your email IDs on one account - anyone who knows any ONE of them can find and invite you to connect. One is primary, but even if you lose access to it, you can use password to reset another as primary. Vice versa, if you forget password, a reset url is mailed to primary. Just don't lose both at once :-) Do that NOW, and make a non-Work one primary.
  • Re home email, do you have a "permanent" email forwarder like the @alum.*.edu or @club.org variety?
  • You can upload your work Outlook (or whatever else if you're so lucky) address book without using the LinkedIn toolbar or exposing your password to their webservice by exporting contacts to CSV (File | Import+Export, CSV, Contacts) and uploading that file on the LinkedIn Contacts page.
  • Adding "inside" folks you like or respect from Outlook Inbox to Contacts first will maximize benefit.
  • After upload, it will tell you who is already on Linked In - quick invite to connect - and who isn't - proselytizing invite to join + connect.
  • While you're at it, email the CSV to your other email addresses too, as a back-up.
  • Same thing should work for your existing webmail or other personal email address books.
  • It used to be if one wanted to start a consultancy, one started a newsletter - now it seems one starts a blog. Or a F/LOSS project (or adopts one). And asks/answer Questions on LinkedIn etc.

Updates

When inviting people to link up:

jarich on 2009-03-05T01:17:38

Whether you're uploading your address book as a CSV or you're just inviting people you've met elsewhere - if there is any doubt that they'll remember you (for example if you're not related to them, and you don't hang out with them more often than once a month); tell them who you are. For example:

I hope you'll remember me. We met at <specific event> in <location>, <date or month, year as appropriate> and we spoke about <this> and <that>... One of my key projects is <this other thing>

Most certainly don't just use the default invite with no explanation of who you are; and don't say "we met at that conference" without saying which conference it is. Many people go to more than one conference a year; and sometimes more than one conference in the same month. They could have met you at any.

To make sure you make a worthwhile connection, tell the person who you are and why they should care.

When uploading all of your address book contacts, also make sure that you're not asking to link to people who you have no real connection with. All sorts of people end up in address books; but do you really want to add your friend's spouse's aunty just because she emailed you the recipe she used for the wedding cake and you replied to thank her?

Re:When inviting people to link up:

n1vux on 2009-03-16T15:44:06

Great points, gread follow-up!

Yes, I do not advocate inviting everyone you ever saw a CC: to! However, it's simpler to upload the whole list and see who's already there than sort through first. Unlike some services, LinkedIn doesn't invite everyone you upload automatically, inviting people to muce from your Imported Contacts tab to being a Connection is under your control.