LinkedIn Etiquette

LinkedIn is the most professional of the social platforms and as a result, your expected behaviour is unlike that of Twitter or Facebook. Consider this advice from The School of Etiquette for minding your manners on LinkedIn.

1. 1. Personalize Connection Requests.

It’s important to personalize all connection requests and avoid sending the default message like it’s the black plague. Perhaps you should send a personalised message with the request as people may mistake your request for another company trying to spam you with sales pitches (Don’t do this!).

On LinkedIn you should avoid sending random requests without a personal message. The recipients of these random requests are likely to hit the “Report Spam” or “I Don’t Know This Person” button.

1. 1. Do Not Send Complimentary Messages

LinkedIn is a professional network. Do not send a message (particularly) to a woman stating that you think she is beautiful or some other flirtatious comment, it is as though you are hitting on her in a professional setting. You immediately destroy all professional rapport and the potential for a business relationship. This type of behaviour is completely unacceptable.

1. 1. Accept invitations immediately.

The LinkedIn community values prompt responses.

If you are one of those people that check their profile once a year, then you’re probably unaware that a prompt acceptance of LinkedIn invitations makes it clear that you’re on top of things. Often, after an in-person meeting, you may receive a LinkedIn invitation. It always pays to be ready for that. It reflects your efficiency and your professional calibre.

1. 1. Don’t go dark, be active.

LinkedIn rewards those who are active.

Active LinkedIn members usually get more invitation requests, more opportunities, more leads, and more of all the good things in social media life.

However as you should keep posting pictures and liking relevant statuses from the right people, don’t be the person that goes overboard.

1. 1. Turn Off Notifications When Updating Your Profile.

Profile updates can get a bit annoying for your connections if you decide to make a lot of changes to your profile in one day.

It is possible to disable notifications in the setting menu. This is definitely a great option for people that make a lot of changes on their profile. You do not not want to irritate your followers.

1. 1. 5. Maintain A Professional Image

LinkedIn is not Facebook. Post updates and photos based on your job or profession.

Ensure you choose a professional picture, this may be the first visual image that connections have of you, we suggest a professionally taken photograph.

1. 1. Update your information

Facebook is are a reflection of who you are socially- you carefully choose the pictures, statuses and information you update so that people can see the type of person you choose to be on the virtual social environment. LinkedIn requires the very same effort, you should ensure you have a decent CV reflected on your profile with up to date information. This is a professional reflection of who you are, put the time in to it to ensure you reflected in the correct light.

If you are looking for a job, attempting to build a powerful and useful network of connections or planning to achieve greater success. Linkedin is a powerful platform to begin making connections that can be very beneficial. It isn’t just for finding jobs, it’s for growing your business relationships and joining interesting groups that you can learn from, grow with and share your ideas with.