Have you ever had someone reach out on LinkedIn and see they have 500+ connections? Does that really mean that person knows over 500 people? Does he interact with all of them? What’s the point of collecting connections like seashells or novelty matchbooks? What does it get you? Next time you want to reach out and add a contact, think about actually building a relationship with that person instead of simply adding a “recent status update” to your feed.
- Choose quality over quantity. When you add a contact, do it with the intention of connecting with that person in real life somehow, either in person or over the phone so you can create a relationship that goes beyond the typed word.
- Connect with others for the oldest of reasons. Let your potential connection know you want to know more about them and/or their industry, or that you’ve just read an article they were quoted in and you’d like to know more about what they had to say. Start following your favorite potential employer and make frequent, significant contributions to their online posts. Be genuine throughout.
- Ask them to meet. One of the best ways to reach out to a new connection is to ask how they got into their chosen industry, and offer to take her out for coffee to discuss it. It’s easy to talk about yourself, and when you show a genuine interest in learning more about someone and their work, you may find yourself having a true conversation rather than a superficial meet-and-greet.
- Reconnect. Out of sight — or out of email message contact — out of mind. Remember that person you connected with about a year ago who works at that company you like? Neither does she most likely. The best way to nurture a relationship is to keep it up. Watch your feed and congratulate her on her work anniversary, post articles of interest to her feed, and buy her another cup of coffee to catch up.
Making connections is about more than amassing names. Real connections may help you move up in business or even find a new job, or at the very least, strike up a relationship with a fellow colleague. Connect for depth, not breadth to make true links.
For help with your job search, reach out to the healthcare staffing professionals at Medical Professionals today.
Leave a Reply