It’s no secret that LinkedIn is a great platform for networking and finding prospective jobs. With over 690 million users around the world, there are so many people to meet. There is a lot of advice on the top things to do on LinkedIn to gain the connections. I mean, is there a bigger brag than having 500+ connections?
However, there are a few small things you may be doing that are harming your profile. Here are five things to avoid doing on LinkedIn!
Don’t spam every post with hashtags.
While hashtags are extremely useful for gaining exposure to your posts and should be used on every post, it’s important to understand how LinkedIn uses them. Unlike Instagram where each post can have upwards of 20-30 hashtags, LinkedIn recommends 5 per post. This allows for better readability of your posts.
With this smaller number of hashtags, it’s important to make each one count. Look up what others in your industry are using. Follow the hashtags that are relevant to you and your posts. Rather than putting them all at the end, include them in the natural flow of the post. With the right hashtags, your posts can reach a wide audience without having an overwhelming feeling of too many hashtags.
Don’t get scared to use the platform because of imposters syndrome.
Your timelike can easily be filled with job announcements. It can be daunting to only see posts from peers announcing their internship securements for the upcoming semester. It seems like everyone you know has an amazing job and they want to broadcast it to the world. However, the more you interact with the platform, the clearer it becomes that LinkedIn is much more than a place to announce new jobs and promotions. Connections share what they are currently doing. Many people publish articles on what they’ve learned in their roles and companies will publish information about themselves. It’s a great way to learn about potential new roles and to get an understanding of company culture.
This isn’t a dating platform. Don’t shoot your shot.
This isn’t the time to comment about people’s appearance or to try to ask someone out. Nobody likes that. Save that for your other apps. Remember that LinkedIn is a professional platform and how you interact on this platform is a reflection of yourself. Keep that in mind that the posts you comment on can be seen by recruiters. So, focus on shooting your shot with jobs! For many employers and recruiters, LinkedIn is the first place that they will look you up, so be sure to maintain professionalism.
Don’t connect with people for the sole purpose of wanting something out of them.
Connect meaningfully. Everyone’s time is valuable, so before reaching out, make sure to do your research. Maybe you and your potential network both are from the same hometown or have similar interests or are part of the same organization at different universities. All of these things are great starts to a conversation.
Don’t sleep on the “add a note” feature for sending connection requests. Whenever you’re connecting with someone you don’t know, whether it’s a colleague, a hiring manager, or a potential investor, include a note with your request. Linkedin’s “add a note” feature is available and is a great way to drop a few lines about why you want to connect. Make sure to not just ask for something, actually take the time to know them.
Don’t overlook the learning opportunities LinkedIn has to offer.
LinkedIn offers an easy way to view job openings, lets you reach out to connections, and to update what you’re currently doing. They also have their learning platform, LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com), that has thousands of online courses taught by professionals. From learning new software to acquiring interpersonal skills, their courses cover it all. For each course that you complete, you receive a certificate and can display that skill on your profile. These certifications on your profile show that you’ve learned the skills and can offer opportunities in the future. And the best part? You can complete all of these courses from the comfort of your own home. Access to LinkedIn Learning is a premium paid subscription, but they offer a free month’s trial.
LinkedIn is a powerful tool but can be detrimental to your character if used incorrectly. Want to use LinkedIn to help build your brand? Check out this article about building your brand here.
Opinions expressed by AsianBlurb contributors are their own.
Francisca Li (born 9/15/2001) is a student at the University of Texas at Dallas studying Business with a concentration in IT and Finance. She is a freelance graphic designer and branding expert as well as a co-founder of Orenda Change.
