A survey by LinkedIn found that 80% of members find networking important to career success and new opportunities, and 70% were hired by a company at which they had a connection, Michael Goldberg writes on ThinkAdvisor.
How to Make the Most of LinkedIn Connections
The online survey of 15,905 members across 17 countries ran from February 6 to March 18 and looked into networking, its impact and why and how frequently people engage in it, he writes. The survey found that while most respondents believe professional networking is important, many find it hard, with 38% reporting difficulty when trying to stay in contact with their network, according to Goldberg, a speaker, consultant and founder of Knock Out Networking. This was because of time restraints for 49% of respondents, and only 48% said that they stay in touch with their network when their career is going well, he writes.
Engaging in casual conversation is important, as shown by 35% reporting that doing so on LinkedIn messaging resulted in a new opportunity, Goldberg writes. These included deals, as 25% reported forming new business partnerships through LinkedIn messaging, he writes.
Of all the respondents, 61% reported that online interaction—sharing articles, reaching out if visiting a person's town or asking questions—can lead to new job opportunities, writes Goldberg. LinkedIn provides many icebreakers such as shared connections and notifications for promotions or a change in jobs, which can be used to start a conversation and lead to new opportunities, he writes.
Advisors should reach out to a manageable number of people every day, according to Goldberg. This can be done through email, texting, LinkedIn or on the phone and will ensure personal connections for business networking every day, he writes.
Advisors can write down questions in advance and use these to keep light conversation about work, vacations, family or any interests, writes Goldberg. This kind of personal networking is quick, fun and free, he writes. Furthermore, LinkedIn is a huge database of connections, and advisors can simply contact people from the top of their list to the bottom and then start again, according to Goldberg.
