How to Grow Your Network Using LinkedIn

Tips and tricks on how to make your profile stand out.

575 million users. This staggering number is the amount of users registered with LinkedIn. The Silicon Valley company began in 2002 as a platform for business professionals to connect with others in their industry. Since then, LinkedIn has transformed itself into a major force within the job application site space taking on companies like Indeed and Monster.com. However, they did not stop there as they aimed to set up a multitude of platforms. They now have a labor market research hub highlighting average salaries for most industries, a recruiting center connecting employers to millions of candidates, and even an advertisement space for companies to post ads and positions. As LinkedIn has expanded, the benefits for its users have grown exponentially. The ability to network virtually and build out your profile is now more important than ever. As discussed in our last story, staying relevant in the infrastructure industry necessitates networking and Linkedln is a great tool for doing just that. In this story, we will highlight the tools needed to make your profile stand out and how it can be leveraged to network with others in the construction industry.

Building a Profile

Professional Photo and ‘About’ Section

While making a profile stand out among the millions of people in the infrastructure industry may sound daunting, we have identified a few tips to make your profile set you apart. It begins with the first impressions: a professional photo and a reflective headline. These two things are the first aspects that any person on Linkedln can see before viewing your profile so establishing these are key. A professional headshot paired with a headline that is brief yet informative is what has been seen as effective.

Traditionally, users have written their headline in one of two ways: stating the position at their current company such as ‘Project Engineer at JLM’ or an abstract approach stating a personality trait or goals like ‘Seeking to grow in the next major infrastructure project’. Although each approach works on its own, a combination of the two is optimal. Stating your current position at a company gives the profile viewer knowledge of what you are doing and if they have a similar position. Feel free specify if you are currently seeking a position as well, you never know who might have a need for someone with your skillset.

The second part of the headline is instrumental in making sure you stand out. Include a major accomplishment or something that sets you apart from others who are in the same position (Civil Engineer at JLM with transportation experience on projects valued over $100 million). This not only highlights where you have worked but your accomplishments and the potential value you will add to a team. Furthermore, the headline provides a conversation starter. Going with the example above, someone who views your profile can begin a discussion about the $100 million project experience. Make yourself more approachable by giving people something to talk about.

Profile Summary

The summary section is another pivotal point of your profile. Traditionally, people fill the summary with highlights from their past experience; however, it should instead be used to tell a story. Sprinkling in soft skills acquired or what was gained from previous jobs gives profile viewers a better understating of your journey. Rather than stating, “I spent 2 years at JLM as an assistant project manager” a better way to approach this would look something like this: “In my two years at JLM as an assistant project manager, I gained leadership skills when I was tasked with supervising employees on site.”

Furthermore, it is crucial to keep the summary brief as most people will list out all of their jobs which ultimately loses the reader’s interest. However, even with a 2,000 character limit, the focus should remain demonstrating what value you can bring to an employer or a possible connection. This value piece is a highlight of your individual strength that sets you apart from others. Continuing the example, the value piece from leadership could be“excited to bring different team members together and lead them to company success on a new project.” This highlights your individual contribution and gives further personal insight to the profile viewer. As a closing statement, you may write about something that highlights your passion for the industry.

Skills & Endorsements

There are over 500 hard and soft skills in the infrastructure industry alone, so determining which ones to pick is important and may require research. Although LinkedIn allows you to choose from a list of soft skills, focus on highlighting your hard skills. They give the profile viewer a better understanding of what you have learned and mastered within the industry. Take any relevant assessments as completing them with a proficient level or higher also gives an edge to your profile. Lastly, endorsements from co-workers, peers, or management solidify your credibility as it gives validation to the level of the skills you chose to display.

Interests

Another key part of your profile is building out a list of groups or companies to follow. Following reputable groups that relate directly to your position or companies that are industry leaders can be a good start. Users who view your profile can see who and what you follow; this can leverage yet another great conversation opener. However, keep in mind that it goes beyond just following as sharing, reacting, and commenting on shared content is just as vital. Your activity will show up on your connections’ feeds and can reflect the level of engagement within the industry. As you begin commenting on various posts and engaging with the community, you will ultimately have a greater chance of expanding your network.

Connecting with Others

Now that you have polished your profile, we want to provide several tips on how you can connect with individuals within your industry.

Research

Before you message someone, take a look at who they follow, the companies they have interest in, and any mutual connections you might share. Having a strong profile will aid in your connection as it will provide more opportunities to discover and link mutual interests.

Sending Notes

In addition to requesting a connection, our team has uncovered that sending a message to go along with it over InMail yields a higher response rate. You can use the research you conducted to your advantage and mention of your discoveries in the message. Not only does this show purpose in your connection request but it demonstrates a level of care that leads to a genuine connection. Keep in mind that the message must be direct and not too wordy as whoever you are connecting will always prefer to see the value proposition upfront.

Focus on the Recipient

Rather than explaining who you are and what you do, cater your message to the recipient’s needs. How can they benefit from connecting with you? What value do they gain from your network? If you answer these questions in your first point of outreach, they will be more inclined to view your profile and make a connection, ultimately growing your network and bringing you one step closer to your professional goals.

Keep in mind that LinkedIn is a vast platform and we are just scratching the surface when it comes to tips and tricks on how to expand your virtual reach. If you liked our story, feel free to share it and visit our LinkedIn page for more industry news and updates. If you would like to see more industry-driven content, please subscribe to our newsletter.