Leveraging LinkedIn for Creative 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

Ever feel like finding the right connections or opportunities on LinkedIn is like trying to solve a giant puzzle blindfolded? 🧩 What if I told you there’s a smarter way to crack it? Enter advanced keyword searches, the secret weapon most people aren’t using yet. 🕵️♀️ Whether you’re an entrepreneur seeking clients, a job seeker eyeing your next move, or a sales professional hunting leads, mastering advanced search tools can help you unlock LinkedIn’s full power. Here’s how to make your searches more precise and effective:   1.) Master Boolean Searches Think of Boolean operators as your search superpower. 💪 Use them to run smarter queries: ·  Quotes for exact phrases (e.g., "digital marketing specialist"). ·  AND to include multiple criteria (e.g., “marketing manager” AND “content strategy”). ·  OR to broaden the search (e.g., “SEO” OR “social media strategy”). ·  NOT to exclude terms (e.g., “leadership” NOT “entry-level”).   2.) Leverage Filters Filters are your shortcut to relevant results. You can refine by location, industry, company, and even connection level. For example, looking for SaaS founders in New York? Combine a location filter with the keyword "founder" for laser-sharp results. 🎯   3.) Don’t Skip ‘All Filters’ LinkedIn’s 'All Filters' option is a treasure trove for setting up detailed title searches. If you’re targeting senior executives, you can filter by job title (“CEO OR CMO”) and years of experience. Precision is everything.   4.) Search Posts, Not Just Profiles Here’s a pro move many overlook: switch your search to ‘Posts.’ This helps you uncover trending discussions and key voices in your industry. For example, searching “AI in business” in posts can lead you to relevant conversations and thought leaders. 💡   5.) Save Your Searches Did you know LinkedIn Premium users can save up to 15 search queries? 🔔 Anytime your saved criteria match new profiles, you’ll receive notifications. It’s like LinkedIn works for you while you sleep. Why does this matter? Because success on LinkedIn isn’t about having a massive network—it’s about having the rightnetwork. These techniques can help you focus on high-impact connections instead of wasting time wading through irrelevant results. ✨ Have you tried advanced LinkedIn search tools before? Got strategies of your own? Share your tips in the comments below—your input could help someone else level up! ⬇️ Want more insights like this? Connect with me here on LinkedIn, and let’s take your LinkedIn strategy from ordinary to extraordinary. 🚀 #BuzzPro #LinkedInSearches #SEO

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).