You know how I feel about LinkedIn: It’s a crucial tool in your job search. If you want to advance your career, it’s pretty much nonnegotiable to be there. But it’s so much more than just establishing a profile and waiting for people to show up (but if you need the basics, I just wrote about it). I mean, this isn’t Field of Dreams; it’s about your LinkedIn network.
If you don’t have a strong network on LinkedIn, you’re basically at a networking event where all the cool kids are hanging out and you’re in the corner by yourself. That’s not going to help you get any value out of the platform, so let’s get out on the floor and meet some people!
Numbers Count: Why You Need 500+ Connections
When I grew up, three was the magic number (and still is, in most things), but on LinkedIn, that number is 500. Having at least 500 connections here signals to others that you’re not a LinkedIn newbie and are actively engaged with your network. I didn’t choose 500, but according to the algorithms on the platform, you’re seen as more influential once you cross that line, and that means you’ll start showing up in more search results. The more connections you have, the broader your reach, so if you’re sitting there with 50, or even 200, it’s time to get serious.
Why More Connections Matter
It’s a weird math problem that I can’t really explain, but if you understand compound interest—at least a little bit—you’re on the path to understanding why more connections lead to a more robust network. In short, each new connection gives you a gateway to their connections, meaning that with each connection you add, your network grows exponentially. Imagine having 500 connections, each of whom is connected to 500 more people; that’s 250,000 professionals at your fingertips!
The more connections you have, the easier it is for people to find you as well as for you to find people. Because you are served up information from not only first- but second- and third-level connections, you’ll have many more opportunities to connect, collaborate, and find opportunities. The initial goal here is to reach 500, but don’t stop there. On LinkedIn, bigger is always better.
Open Networker vs. Strategic Connector: Which One Are You?
Back in the day, open networkers were called LinkedIn Open Networkers, or LIONs for short. The title began as a signal that you would readily accept anyone’s connection request. But then it got creepy. LIONs gained a reputation as only wanting to sell you something. The worst of the bunch had some cheesy pick-up lines most of us would rather never hear on a professional platform.
These days, there are still open networkers, those who are apt to accept any decent connection request. There are also those who are a bit more strategic. You get to choose which side of the fence you’d rather be on, and even if you want to jump back and forth from time to time.
Here’s the breakdown:
Open Networkers
These folks accept every connection request that comes their way. It doesn’t matter if they’ve never heard of you or if you’re in a completely unrelated industry; if you send them a connection request, they’ll accept it. The upside? They have a huge network. The downside? It’s not always a high-quality network. Accepting everyone dilutes your connections and can make it harder to focus on the people who truly matter to your career.
Strategic Connector
These are the choosy ones who only let valuable people into their network. They focus on connecting with people who are relevant to their industry, goals, or professional interests. This approach builds a higher-quality network, but it might mean a slower road to reaching 500+ connections.
Choose Your Poison
Should you be open or strategic about connecting? Honestly, a healthy mix is probably the best approach. I started as a LION and amassed a network of more than 11,000 connections, but I know about 200 and have a relationship with fewer than that. Still, that number allows me access to almost anyone on the platform. And now, I only connect with people who have complete profiles—in English—and seem to be active on the site. If there is nothing of value in connecting, it’s okay to not accept the request.
How to Add People to Your LinkedIn Network
If you think of LinkedIn as an online version of a networking event, it’s not hard to meet new people. But you don’t have to start with strangers either. Here are a few ways to add people and build your network:
Friends and Family
Start with the people you already know: friends, family, classmates, colleagues, clients, and vendors. These can be current or past connections.
Industry Groups
If you belong to a professional group, start sending members invitations. These groups can be face-to-face or virtual. The same goes with your alma mater. Even if you don’t personally know the people you’re inviting, you already have something in common by the fact that you belong to the same group.
LinkedIn Groups
Peruse the membership in your online groups and see who’s active. Those are probably the people you want to have in your network.
Events and Webinars
Did you collect cards at a recent event? Invite them to join your network. How about a webinar? In many, the speaker will invite attendees to share their LinkedIn URL in the comments, so go ahead and reach out. There’s also the presenter at events. Don’t be afraid to ask them to join your network as well.
The Best Way to Connect
There are two simple ways to connect with people on LinkedIn if you are sending the request:
- Without a note.
- With a note.
Unfortunately for those of you not paying for LinkedIn Premium, the site recently put a limit on how many connections you can send with a note: four a month. But for those who pay, you will reach no such barriers. No matter if you pay or not, if you’re sending a connection request to someone who doesn’t know you, you should always send a note.
- On the computer, this is simple. Go to the person’s profile and click on “connect.” On some profiles, this is a bit hidden, so click on “more” to find it. You’ll then see a pop-up box that says, “add a note” or “send without a note.”
- On the LinkedIn app, you’ll go to the person’s profile and click on the three dots (…) and click on “personalize invite.” If you click on “connect” immediately, you will not have the option to send a note.
Make People Want to Send YOU Connection Requests
When you create great content, people will naturally reach out to you and want to connect. Posting thoughtful insights, sharing industry news, writing articles or a newsletter, asking questions (hello, polls!), and commenting in groups or on others’ posts all help to get you noticed. Leverage the power of hashtags when relevant. One area you may not have thought about is contributions, which allow you to add to an AI-generated article with your 700-character thoughts on the topic. Everyone sees these, and they will quickly expand your voice.
Just spending a few minutes at a time on LinkedIn to like, comment, share, and post will help others find you and lead to more invitations.
You Have the Power!
While I certainly feel that being on LinkedIn is integral to more quickly securing job opportunities, the way you choose to move forward—if at all—is up to you. You have the power to determine how your job search will unfold. But I will tell you that most of my clients who have great results are leveraging their networks, and they’ve built their networks on LinkedIn. And by following my suggestions here, you’ll be well on your way to building a great network.
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