Linking In with The Worthy Whisperer

Words possess a latent power. Our main mode of communication involves the intelligent arrangement and expression of words.

There is an article worth exploring on FORTUNE magazine. In Fire Up Your Career! Jessi Hempel claims that millions of people are using LinkedIn to find jobs and get ahead. Essentially, tweets have a short shelf life; Facebook is for fun.

What you post up on your LinkedIn profile is important. On today’s digital scene, content is still king. How you project your brand to the world determines how your multi-level network responds to your requests and questions. So far, most social forums advocate what not to do, instead of what to do. So, it is about not posting your photographs of yourself in a state of inebriation, and openly bragging about playing truant at work. You need to be transparent, and project yourself like a professional would.

In effect, your content needs to cleverly obey the requirements of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) so that you will stand a better chance of being detected by prospective clients, hirers and customers. Since people Google us from time to time, isn’t it relevant to ensure that you control as much of the content you offer willingly online? It is estimated that there are 60 million profiles on LinkedIn – so, how do you make yours stand out strongly?

Is your profile up on LinkedIn? Are your tribes of friends, associates and ex-colleagues helping you spread your online reputation according to your specifications? Your profile contains seven key elements of opportunity: groups, status bar, resumes, advertisements, shared connections, recommendations and answers. Build your profile well, and they my come! Represent yourself as strongly as you can, yet stay transparent. Your core values reflect your character, so stay true and consistent.

Yet, in spite of its raved impact on successful, recently hired executives and experts you will still need to go beyond the initial online contact. Social networking is just an efficient way of working through your connections. You will still need to reply to that request, from e-mail to an actual phone call/Skype, and meet for coffee if you are geographically near. Recall not too long ago, that we still connected by the low-tech, high-touch way? We met face-to-face; we had conversations; we argued; we made group decisions. The best way to influence as a leader is still: face-to-face.

You got to work it out, work it well, before you can get the work you want.