How to Use Social Media for Career Networking

You want to use LinkedIn to find your next job? Here’s some atypical advice that's not your usual cookie-cutter career coach spiel. 🔴 Stop Being a Flattering, Needy Job Seeker: Everyone is out there 'liking' and complimenting every post by a big shot in their industry, hoping to get noticed. Guess what? You’re not the only one. It's a sea of sycophants. Instead, stand out. Be bold. Post strong, well-informed opinions about your industry. Disagree, respectfully, with big names. Spark real conversations. Thought leaders appreciate a good challenge more than a pat on the back. 🔴 Turn Your Profile Into a Story, Not a Resume: Everybody’s LinkedIn profile reads like a boring resume. Flip the script. Tell your story. How did your biggest failure teach you a lesson? What’s your unique approach to your work? Why are you the rebel or the unorthodox thinker in your field? People remember stories, not bullet points. 🔴 Hack the Algorithm with Smart Content: Stop posting generic industry news. Instead, create content that’s so unique and compelling that people can’t help but engage. Use video, infographics, or even provocative questions. LinkedIn’s algorithm loves engagement. The more unique your content, the more it stands out, the more it circulates. 🔴 Network Sideways: Everyone tries to network up, trying to rub elbows with the CEO or the industry guru. Here’s a twist: network sideways. Connect with peers, people at your level in other companies. Why? Because they are the ones who will move up the ladder and bring you along, or they’ll be the first to know of opportunities in their companies. 🔴 Be a Connector, Not a Moocher: Don’t just reach out to people when you need a job. Be the person who connects others, who offers help without expecting anything in return. Build genuine relationships. People remember kindness, and they’ll think of you when opportunities come up. 🔴 Use LinkedIn Learning as a Secret Weapon: Everyone has skills. Few continue to sharpen them. Dive into LinkedIn Learning. Talk about what you’re learning in your posts. Show that you’re a lifelong learner, constantly evolving. It’s attractive to employers who want people who can adapt and grow. 🔴 Kill the Template Message: If you’re reaching out to someone, for the love of god, don’t use a template. Write something that shows you’ve done your homework about them. Make it so personalized that they can’t help but respond. 🔴 Ride the Wave of Current Events: Tie your posts and professional narrative to current events or trends in your industry. It shows you’re in tune with what’s happening and can adapt your skills and perspective to current challenges. 🏁 Remember, LinkedIn is not just a job search tool, it’s a platform to build your brand, your network, and your career. Play the long game. Be different, be memorable, and above all, be relentlessly you. That’s how you’ll find not just a job, but the right job. #careeradvice #careers #hiring #bedifferent

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗗𝗠 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿. 𝗜 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸. That it was only for extroverts, salespeople, or those who knew the “right” people. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The truth? LinkedIn changed my career more than any job board ever could. From landing internships to publishing research and breaking into power & energy, the biggest opportunities in my career didn’t come from job boards—they came from building the right connections. Yet, so many professionals hesitate to network strategically because they: * Feel awkward reaching out to strangers * Don’t know what to say in a cold DM * Fear getting ignored or rejected I get it—I used to be the same way. But once I started using LinkedIn the right way, I landed mentors, internships, and research opportunities that shaped my entire career. Here’s How You Can Do It Today: ✅ 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 * Look for professionals in your target field (engineers, hiring managers, senior leaders). * Use LinkedIn’s “People Also Viewed” section to find similar profiles. * Join industry groups to see who’s actively sharing insights. ✅ 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲 Forget “Hi, can I pick your brain?” That doesn’t work. Instead, try this: 💡 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗠 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲: “Hi [Name], I came across your profile while learning about [topic]. I admire your work on [specific project]. I’d love to hear your thoughts on [question]. Would you be open to a quick chat?” ✅ 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗗𝗠 * Like and comment on their posts genuinely * Share their work and add your insights * Make your name familiar before sending a message ✅ 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 People respond better when you bring something to the table: * Share an article or resource relevant to their work * Offer a fresh perspective on one of their posts * Ask a specific, thoughtful question instead of just “Can you help me?” The Outcome: I’ve used this exact strategy to build meaningful relationships that led to: ✔ Internship opportunities before I even applied ✔ Research collaborations that boosted my career ✔ Insights from industry leaders that I couldn’t find anywhere else If you’re not leveraging LinkedIn for strategic networking, you’re leaving opportunities on the table. 💡 Try this today: Pick ONE person you admire, craft a thoughtful DM, and hit send

He wasn’t convinced that being active on LinkedIn would be helpful. 30 days later? Strategic LinkedIn networking brought in 2 new clients (estimated to be worth more than $100k in legal fees). The backstory: ⇒ Litigation partner in a mid-sized law firm. ⇒ Skeptical that LinkedIn could be used to network for business. ⇒ No time for writing or doing traditional “thought leadership”. Despite his doubts, he was willing to give LinkedIn a try. We put a simple strategic LI networking plan together that felt doable for him. Here it is: 1️⃣Identify (& then connect with/follow) 6-10 relevant people. These folks must: ✓ Be active on LinkedIn. ✓ Post about issues relevant to your ideal clients. And no, they don’t need to be competitors or attorneys (but they CAN be - don’t be afraid to follow and engage with those folks!). 2️⃣Set aside 15 minutes per day to review their posts and strategically comment (on any that are relevant to your audience). When commenting, don’t say “great post” or “thanks for sharing”. Instead, add value by: >>> Validating their point with specifics. >>> Adding a new perspective or insight. >>> Asking a question to deepen the discussion. 3️⃣Connect with people you engage with. LinkedIn is a networking tool. Use it that way! Any time someone you aren’t already connected to likes one of your comments or (even better) engages with it, reach out to them to connect. And then, DM them to say “hello” and take the discussion (already started in the comments) further. Yes, that's it. Here’s why this simple formula is so effective: ⏩ It's an easy way to showcase your point of view (and way of lawyering/thinking), which attracts better-fit people into your LI universe. ⏩ It shows your credibility and expertise (in a service-based, non-salesy way). By doing something that takes little time. ⏩ It builds authentic relationships. With people you probably wouldn’t meet in person. Stop thinking of LinkedIn purely as social media. Use it as the networking tool (it actually is). Now, the elephant in the room…Posting your own content. Yes, this will help. But it’s not necessary. If you don’t have the time right now (or are a bit shy about putting your own posts/articles out there), this is a great strategy to lead with. Ready to get started (now)? Do this: 1. Find 1 thought leader in your niche. 2. Make a thoughtful, strategic comment to one of their recent posts. 3. Connect with anyone who likes or engages with your comment. XO, Heather ~~~ P.S. Season 5 of Life & Law podcast is BACK. And this is exactly what we’re covering today. Dive deeper into how to use LinkedIn for networking by listening to Episode 204 (see my Featured Section at Heather Moulder to go directly to the podcast).

Please STOP relying solely on job boards to advance your clinical research career. I see too many clinical researchers applying to dozens of roles online without networking, which often leads to frustration and missed opportunities. Yet, they’re still repeating the cycle of applying and waiting for a response. If you’re already actively seeking new opportunities, try this instead: 1️⃣ Engage with clinical research professionals on LinkedIn. Comment on their posts, share insights, and start meaningful conversations. 2️⃣ Join structured networking groups like the Clinical Research Referral Club to connect with peers and mentors who can refer you to opportunities. 3️⃣ Attend industry webinars and events to meet people and stay updated on trends. 4️⃣ Optimize your LinkedIn profile to highlight your unique skills and experiences, making it easier for recruiters and peers to find you. For example, instead of sending 20 generic job applications, spend an hour building relationships with employees at companies you're interested in. A personal connection often opens doors that job boards can't. You’ll achieve career growth much faster by focusing on building relationships and visibility rather than relying solely on online applications. Try this approach for the next 30 days and see the difference it makes. What’s your biggest challenge with networking in clinical research? Let’s talk in the comments!

I was talking with a college-age friend of the family yesterday about the hiring process for graduates in finance in 2024. One thing that was immediately clear is that the traditional model of replying to job postings is laughable broken. Then again, it always has been. I once called a New York bank to verify that they had received my resume and the HR representative acidly replied, “Well, we got about 25,000 of them. What color paper was yours on, again?” That was in 1993. A 2019 CNBC article claimed that “70% of all jobs are not published publicly on jobs sites and as much as 80% of jobs are filled through personal and professional connections.” The best resources to any job search candidate are the social media platforms they are already using daily. The critical distinction is to understand the need to change from a passive consumer of content to an active participant in trending topics within your areas of interest and, whenever possible, relevant content creation. I know people who have gotten trading jobs because of their subject matter expertise on Twitter. I have personally gotten several professional opportunities at institutions who had seen one of my LinkedIn posts. The process is relatively straightforward: 1. Research the thought leaders in your area of interest and follow them. 2. Note who the thought leaders follow and engage with and follow them. 3. Start to respond to recent posts on areas where you have something relevant to contribute. An insightful early response to a post by an account with 200k followers may be seen by a few thousand people, some of whom will like your reply and follow your account. 4. Post and re-post interesting industry-relevant content with your thoughts attached. 5. Engage with anyone who comments on your posts, if they are contributing to productive discussion. 6. If you have original content, share it, but be prepared for opposing viewpoints and criticism. The goal is to slowly build up a productive online presence within your area of interest. It takes time, but leveraging a social network is one of the easiest ways a student or recent graduate can demonstrate to an audience of potential hiring managers subject-matter expertise and real interest in a career in finance.

I don't know about you, but the apply-wait-get ghosted cycle of job searching is getting old. Here are some tips to help you get out of that discouraging cycle: 1️⃣ Create a Target Employer List Craft a list of 40 companies you'd love to work for. Start with well-known names, then consider companies where alumni from your school work. Add more from LinkedIn or Indeed, and finally, explore competitors of the companies already on your list. This will give you a solid foundation for research and networking. **Hack** Go to each company's LinkedIn page and click the "I'm interested" button. This signals to the recruiter on the back end you're interested and spotlights your profile. 2️⃣ Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile Your LinkedIn profile is a powerful tool to showcase your brand and achievements. Update your profile to reflect your goals, optimize it for search, and engage with your network by posting and interacting regularly. This will make you more visible to recruiters and potential employers. **Hack** Use the "build a resume feature" to locate keywords/skills to add to your profile to increase your views and searchability. (Link to accessing this feature in the comments below). 3️⃣ Network, Network, Network Networking is essential in today's job market. Aim for at least three networking conversations per week. Engage with LinkedIn connections, alumni groups, or past colleagues. Schedule informational interviews with employees at your target companies to gain insights and build relationships. **Hack** Comment on Company page posts. This spotlights your profile as someone engaged with the brand and more likely to respond if they contact you about an opening. Remember, a successful job search is about being active, intentional, and leveraging the power of your network. #LinkedInTopVoices #JobSearch #Careers #Networking

In the last 3 years, I helped 49 clients find the job they love. The common networking advice job seekers get: Step 1: Send generic connection requests. Step 2: Wait (and hope) for responses. Step 3: Share your resume immediately. Step 4: Repeat until success. I found a better approach: 1. Research the right people: Focus on recruiters, hiring managers, and practitioners in your target field. 2. Personalize every message: Mention shared interests, their work, or the company in your outreach. 3. Start with value: Ask thoughtful questions or express genuine admiration for their expertise. 4. Build a relationship: Engage with their posts or provide insights before asking for help. 5. Follow up strategically: Stay polite and persistent without overwhelming them. If you follow this process, you'll build meaningful connections that can help you find the place where you enjoy working.

Think of LinkedIn like a cocktail party or BBQ. You wouldn’t walk into a gathering, hand out your resume, and walk away. You’d join conversations, share insights, and build relationships. LinkedIn works the same way. For executive job seekers, engagement isn’t optional—it’s a strategic advantage. Commenting and interacting on posts helps you: 🍹 Build Thought Leadership – Just like at a networking event, thoughtful contributions help people see your expertise. A well-placed comment can spark meaningful dialogue. 🔥 Stay Top of Mind – The more people see you in their LinkedIn feed, the more likely they are to remember you when opportunities arise. 🤝 Expand Your Network Authentically – Instead of sending cold connection requests, start by engaging. People are more likely to connect with someone who adds value to their conversations. 🎤 Boost Your Visibility – LinkedIn’s algorithm rewards engagement. The more you comment, the more people see your profile—leading to unexpected opportunities. 👉 Challenge for you today: Treat LinkedIn like a networking event. Find three relevant posts and leave a thoughtful comment—just as you would at a cocktail party or BBQ. Engagement isn’t just about being seen—it’s about being remembered. Who’s ready to join the conversation? 👇 #Careers #ExecutiveCareers #JobSearch #Networking #LinkedIn