Sital Ruparelia

Most of you will have very good intentions when it comes to exercising and keeping fit.

Some of you will have good habits and may be regular runners, swimmers or gym goers.

But I suspect that everyone reading with this will, at some stage, have fallen out of their exercise routine or got sidetracked by competing activities.

A busy work schedule, an injury or simply feeling lazy leads to several weeks (or months) without working out or visiting to the gym. Very soon you’re caught in a rut whilst promising yourself that “I’ll get back to the gym from Monday”- but Monday never comes.

Sound familiar?

The same thing often happens in our working lives and careers too.

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Trying to reactivate a relationship with an old contact?

Ask yourself “how can I best help them? What would be of value to them right now?”

Trying to strengthen your relationship with a recruiter?

Ask yourself, “how can I help my recruiters?”

Trying to ‘sell’ an idea or opportunity to an individual or group of individuals?

Focus on what challenges they’re struggling with. What is it they want to achieve? Now think how you, your idea or solution will help them.

Trying to engage a de-motivated team?

Focus on what challenges they’re struggling with (individually and collectively). What is it they want to achieve as individuals? How can you and your organisation help them?

Trying to increase the number of connections on LinkedIn?

Stop focusing on the numbers, and instead ask yourself “how can I help and be of value to my network?”

Trying to engage an awkward / difficult client or stakeholder?

Ask yourself, “how can I make life easier for them? What can I do that would be of value to them?”

Trying to build a stronger relationship with your boss?

Ask yourself, “how can I help him/her? How can I make them look good?”

Regardless of what your objective is, when you come at it from the viewpoint of helping someone, being of service and being of value – the ideas, strategies and opportunities will open up.

But come at it from the angle of “what can I get from him?”or “how can I turn this to my advantage?” and you’ll invariably hit the same roadblocks you’ve been running into in the past.

How can I help?

“Focus on networking with your warm contacts first”

- hardly rocket science is it?!

Yet so many people (particularly job seekers and career changers), seem to think that networking is all about spending time with “the right contacts” (whatever that means) and connecting with “key players” (a terrible buzz word).

This ‘Person X’ is the holy grail apparently. And whilst this sounds logical and sensible in theory, in the real world it’s completely the wrong approach if you want get connected to with the right people and opportunities.

Here are 5 reasons why you should focus on networking with your warm contacts rather than “the right contacts” (Person X)

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During last week, I published 7 daily posts to answer 7 common questions I’m asked about using the professional networking site LinkedIn.com

In case you missed any of the posts, below is a quick summary. Just click through to read the post.

1.  The Number One Rule For LinkedIn Users

2.  Increasing The Number of Connections On LinkedIn

3.  How Well Must You Know Someone Before Connecting?

4.  Three Rules For Connecting With People You Don’t Know

5.  How To Get High Quality Recommendations On LinkedIn

6. Tips On What To Write In Your Status Updates

7.  What To Write In Your LinkedIn Profile When Job Searching

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A few months back I began working with a bright, talented lawyer shortly after he was made redundant. Like every client I work with in this market, from the outset I explained the importance of focussing his job search campaign via networking and contacts much more than targeting recruiters and jobsites.

Not because the other search channels were ineffective – but because in a tight job market a much larger proportion of roles are being filled by employee referral programmes and direct hiring from firms rather than recruiters and job sites. An abundance of candidates, smaller recruitment budgets and slimmed down HR teams (who manage and process applicants) being the main reasons.

Over the last few months he has made some progress – but hasn’t secured a job offer despite is impressive resume / CV. This is largely (in my opinion) due to the fact that he has been searching mainly via recruiters and job sites (i.e. the complete opposite to what I suggested) and so faces huge competition for a smaller pool of positions.

When we met 4 months into his search, I suggested he changed his approach to focus much more time and energy on networking and less time and energy applying to the same recruiters and job adverts that every other lawyer in town is applying to.

He told me that I was wrong.

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Questions: If I’m job searching, what should I put in my LinkedIn profile?

Answer: Here are 10 tips:

1. If you’ve been made redundant, don’t write “looking for a job.” Factually it may be true, but it smacks of desperation and isn’t the first impression you want to give to recruiters and contacts coming to your page.

Focus instead on telling the reader what you can do, what you can offer and who you can help by following the 9 tips below:

2. Don’t define yourself simply by your previous job titles (it limits the potential opportunities)

3. Define the target sectors, the kind of problems you can solve and the value and benefits you’ve a track record of delivering (it will open you up to different possibilities)

4. Make sure you state job titles (recruiters search using titles and so to come up on searches quote the type of key words and titles you think they’d put into search)

5. Notice how this list is full of contradictions (there’s no hard and fast rules. I’m simply sharing my experience and opinions – so make up your own rules and test them)

6. Test, try, edit, evaluate (now rinse and repeat)

7. Make the profile more than two lines please

8. But don’t tell me your life story

9. Make it slightly different or quirky from what everyone else writes on their profile (take a look at my own LinkedIn profile)

10. Be yourself. Don’t try and be different or clever by copying what everyone else writes.

Do you agree or have I got it all wrong? Feel free to share ideas or suggestions in the comments section below.

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Questions: Have you any tips on what to write in the status updates on LinkedIn?

1. Be Respectful of people’s attention

Just because your contacts agreed to connect with you on LinkedIn doesn’t mean you can spam their home page every day with irrelevant updates and self promotion.

2. Be Transparent

I often see people write a status update encouraging you to click on a link which then takes you through to some random product that they’re earning affiliate income from.

I’ve no objection to people promoting and earning affiliate income – but, like most people, don’t appreciate being misled. So be transparent.

3. Be of Value

Before you post a status update, ask yourself: “Will my status update be of value to my network? Will it be interesting, useful, entertaining or beneficial in some way?

If the answer is “no” or “I’m not sure”, don’t post it.

4. Be personable

Whilst LinkedIn is a professional networking site, it also allows people to see what you’re doing and feel more connected to you, without having to exchange emails or phone calls.

So share what you’re up to occasionally. But again, just ensure it’s something that would be of interest or value to others.

It’s useful if you’re telling me that you’re preparing a presentation on xyz subject, doing some charity work, just leaving town for a business trip, just started reading a great book or have just found a new job.

It helps me get a snippet of what you’re doing and feel more connected to you.

But saying “I’ve just had coffee” isn’t particularly of interest to many people – so maybe leave that for Facebook status updates rather than LinkedIn.

5. Promote with caution

If you’re going to self promote or make requests for help via the LinkedIn status updates, then do it sparingly.

If the only time people ever see your status updates is when you want something or are trying to promote something, then many contacts will view you as one of those people that only calls when they want something (..you know the type of people I mean).

But if you’re regularly sharing valuable, useful, interesting updates – then when you do want something or are promoting something, most people will have no issues with it. And in fact, are more likely to try and help you because you’re someone that shares openly.

6. Protect and enhance your Personal Brand

Remember, everything you write on LinkedIn is searchable via Google and other search engines. So any client, recruiter or employer will be able to see what you’re writing. And as every time you update your status, it’s an opportunity to enhance (or indeed damage) your personal brand.

So be clear about what you want to be known for, how you want people to perceive you and ensure that your status updates enhance your personal brand rather than damaging or diluting it.

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Question: How do you get genuine, personalised recommendations on LinkedIn?

Answer: Here are 4 tips to follow:

1. Make personal requests for a recommendation via phone or face to face before sending the LinkedIn request for recommendation

2. Request results and benefits driven recommendations

3. Ask people to include comments on what they feel makes you different or unique

4. Get into the habit of giving your contacts personalised recommendations (without wanting anything back)

Have you any more tips or suggestions…? Feel free to add them in the comments box below.

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Question: ”Are there any guidelines on connecting with people you don’t know?”

Answer:

Here are 3 rules to follow:

1. Be respectful of what type of networker they are:

There are 3 types of people on LinkedIn:

a) ‘Open Networkers’

People who are open to connect with anyone who approaches them

b) People who will only connect with people they have a relationship with

I know some people who will absolutely never connect with people they don’t have a face to face relationship with. That’s their choice and their prerogative.

c) People who are somewhere in between

I’m one of the ‘in between’ types.

I’m not an open networker that says “anyone, come and connect with me”, but at same time on my website I openly invite people that read my blog and newsletter to connect with me. Similarly on my Facebook page, I have link backs to my LinkedIn page too. So what I’m saying is that I’m open to connecting with people on LinkedIn who have some type of relationship with me (even though we may not know each other personally). That’s my choice.

Everyone is different so take a few moments to read people’s profiles, website, blog (if they have one) to look for clues to what they prefer and be respectful in following their preferences and choices in how they use LinkedIn.

2. Where possible, always go via a mutual contact

In the offline world, if you want to connect with someone you don’t know, it’s always best to go via a warm introduction rather than making a cold approach. The same applies on LinkedIn.

So mention the mutual contact within your invitation note and you’re more likely to get a positive response and begin the relationship on a good footing. Hardly rocket science, but many people don’t think to do this and simply try and make a cold approach or don’t bother at all.

3. Personalize and ‘be nice’

I hate the standardized LinkedIn invites. I know it’s a small thing, but taking 30 seconds to personalize a message makes so much difference. It tells me you want to connect with me rather than simply clock up the number of connections you have.

So if I receive a LinkedIn invite from someone I don’t know but they’ve personalized the note I’m generally fine with it.

E.g. “Hi Sital, I read your blog and really enjoy it. I hope you don’t mind me adding you to my LinkedIn network”

or “Hi Sital, I heard you speak at xyz and really found what you had to say about abc interesting. Would it be ok for us to connect on LinkedIn..?”

I’m totally fine with connecting with these types of people – because they’re being polite, respectful and have taken a few seconds to personalize their note.

In summary

If someone doesn’t know you, is not an ‘open networker’, has no mutual contacts with you and sees that you haven’t bothered to spend 30 seconds writing a personalized note in the invite – why should they be bothered to join your LinkedIn network?

Be respectful, be personable and be nice – it works (most) of the time…

Question: ‘How well do I need to know someone before inviting them to connect on LinkedIn?”

Answer: Use the same common sense you’d use in the offline world

If you met someone at a networking event or conference, you’d usually exchange business cards and details once you’ve developed some kind of rapport or interaction with them. Sometimes it takes 20 minutes of conversation, sometimes it takes just 2 minutes – there are no hard and fast rules.

The same principle applies on LinkedIn – so use your common sense.

Consider how much rapport you have with them, how recently you interacted with them, how you came into contact with them (complete new contact or via a warm introduction) – and then, if you feel appropriate, invite them to connect by sending a personalized note (ie not using the standard LinkedIn invite).

“And what about connecting with people I don’t know? Is that a complete no no?”

I’ll answer that in tomorrow’s post.