Engaging in Professional Groups for Industry Insights

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

How to leverage LinkedIn for market research. 🚀 Social media platforms have soon evolved into powerful search engines. LinkedIn, often seen as just a networking platform, is a goldmine for market data! Here’s how you can use LinkedIn features to gain competitive insights and stay ahead of the curve: 1. Leverage LinkedIn Sales Navigator This premium tool allows you to perform advanced searches to identify potential clients and understand their needs. You can track key trends and shifts in the industry, helping you tailor your offerings accordingly. 2. Tap into LinkedIn groups Join industry-specific groups where your target audience hangs out. Engage in discussions, ask questions, and observe the trends. These groups are perfect for gathering unfiltered opinions and identifying emerging needs. 3. Follow competitors and industry leaders Stay updated by following your competitors and industry influencers. Analyze their content (and engage with using SKOOP video), engagement levels, and the responses they get. This can reveal gaps in the market that you can fill and areas where you can innovate. 4. Use LinkedIn polls Create polls to get direct feedback from your network. Ask about their challenges, preferences, and what they wish existed in the market. Polls are a quick and effective way to gather data directly from your audience. 5. Analyze content performance Post content related to your industry and monitor its performance. What gets the most engagement? What are people commenting on? Use this feedback to understand what resonates with your audience and where there are growth opportunities. 6. Network with industry experts Connect with and message industry experts. Ask for their insights and opinions on market trends. This helps you gather valuable information and expands your professional network. Market research helps you uncover what your customers truly want, identify gaps in the market, and innovate effectively. No longer just for networking, LinkedIn offers a wealth of data and real-time feedback that can guide your business decisions. Start exploring LinkedIn’s features and unlock new growth opportunities! #marketresearch #skoop #partnership

Think LinkedIn groups are just for lurking? Think again. 👀 If you’re just joining and scrolling, you’re missing out on some serious networking gold. Grab these 6 tips to make the most of the LinkedIn groups you belong to: 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗹: Polls aren't just for collecting data. They're a great way to engage with fellow members. People love to share their opinions! 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Ask for input on a project, initiate a healthy (civil) debate, or ask other industry pros for their perspective on current or trending topics. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀’ 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀: Make it thoughtful, not just “great post” or “interesting”. The goal is to initiate a dialogue. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀: Whether it’s a new tool, an upcoming conference, or a learning opportunity, your fellow group members will appreciate you looking out for them. 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝘁: Set aside 15-30 minutes every day to make sure it happens. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝘁: Finally, note your results. Do more of what works and none of what doesn’t. It’s never too late to make LinkedIn groups work for you! ➡ Have a tip of your own? Share it in the comments! ♻ Share to support your network. 🔔 Follow for more proactive tips job search.