My Medical Device Sales Career
LinkedIn 102; Easy Start to Building Your Immediate Contacts QUICKLY!
Once you have built out your complete Linkedin Profile (see LinkedIn 101), you are now ready to begin building your connections by requesting people to let you link to them! If you build a great Linkedin Profile, you may even have the right people routinely requesting that you link to them and that is the goal of the game; making it easy for you to build out your network with the minimal amount of work! See the entire Linkedin Training Series.
I often have early users ask me, "Do I really want all these people I don't know Linkedin with me?" My reply has always been, "You want the RIGHT, QUALIFIED people from your industry or related industry to link with you." Having the right people connected to you expands your career network for now and the future. Linkedin is also great for helping you not lose contact with friends that you cultivated from your lifetime of working in your career. Let's face it, that last group of people are usually your best advocates to finding a new job now and in the future.
Now a word of caution; DO NOT link with dubious characters or people outside your business profile of interest; for example a VP of Medical Device Sales from NY getting a link request from a plumber in Los Angeles (you may need a plumber one day, but one from Los Angeles?). A person who is not relevant to your world is just a wasted career link and they may start sending tons of information that you just don't care about that clog up your Linkedin news page. You can unlink from people after you accept at anytime, so if you decide you made a mistake, don't worry, dump them (they will not be notified).
Now to understand how to safely and easily use Linkedin to maximize your Free (or paid) Membership. Always remember you are only allowed to make so many moves (based on your Membership Level). At the time of this write, you can invite up to 5 people at a time to link with you in the Free version; as they accept, you will get the slot back to invite another person. For example, you invite 5 people and 3 accept right away, you now have 3 more slots to invite more people to link with you again and you hope the other 2 will hurry up and accept to get those slots back too!
If you want to shell out money for Linkedin, their Premium Service gives you more open slots to work with. Just be careful, if you invite people and they indicate they don't know you or see no reason to link with you...YOU ARE DEAD....or your account will be in quick order (yes, they FREEZE you out of ANY invite slots and you will not be able to invite people for quite awhile)! There is an art to getting people to accept your invite if you are expanding beyond the people you know in your industry, but we will save that for our more advanced instruction within this series!
So here are the first easy steps to building our your contacts safely when you are new to the game:
- You can import your current Webmail Contacts through this link HERE. You will see immediately who you know that are in your personal contact list, is also on Linkedin and you can pick through them to select those you would like to Linkedin with.
- You can upload your contacts file (Outlook, MAC and couple of other older formats for you die hards, like Lotus Notes) and bingo..you will see who else you know is on Linkedin!
- Remember that GREAT advice I gave in in LinkedIn 101 to build out a complete Profile of EVERY COMPANY you have worked; now you will be rewarded for your hard work! Click HERE and see all the people that are on Linkedin that you may know from each of your places of employ. Go ahead and invite them to link with you!
- How about college classmates? Click HERE and you will see the people that attended your school during the years you were there too! Invite them! Remember to add your Sorority or Fraternity if you had one...yes, you can connect to those former brothers and sisters of the past. Even the Animal House variety may have cleaned themselves up enough to have a high level job and actually be able help you in your career (If you promise to keep quiet about their past....or is that called blackmail?)! I digress....Linkedin can be boring ro write about.
So you now have enough information to do an easy start for building your career insurance plan of contacts. You are going to begin inviting people who you really do know and it reduces the fear of them hitting the Bong Button, "I don't know them". Big hint, don't invite former girlfriends or boyfriends that may hit the bong button...again. One last note on this, the people you really know will be the foundation of your Linkedin Account in the begining and give your account credibility. Would you rather link with a person who has 5 contacts or one who have 300? Your friends won't care....they will connect and help you build your account to a respectable level...more on that later.
Remember, to invite me to your Linkedin Profile and I will accept (unless you look like a nut!...long story on that one). So let's get started and invite only the people you really know...for now! Let's save the art of growing your contacts OUTSIDE your immediate contacts to the upcoming Linkedin 104 (If you still aren't sure if you need a Linkedin Account...then check my "back-track" blog that is Linkedin 103)!
By Linda Hertz why not invite me to Linkedin with you today?
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Comment by Linda Hertz on April 18, 2011 at 2:46pm
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Whitson Morgan • Kathleen, I didn't say the only use for LinkedIn is how I use it. I just said that's where I've positioned it in my situation. For you, it may simply be a social networking site, or perhaps it allows you to connect across the country with people doing what you do. Or maybe it's truly not useful for your line of work.
One thing I can say is that when I was laid off, I did not have a strong network. And I paid for that mistake dearly. So, another of my goals is to always have a strong network in place, to help discover and capitalize on opportunity should I ever find myself in that position again. Perhaps that is the primary redeeming value of LinkedIn - that it allows one to keep a finger on the pulse of your network in a broad sense, with a lower overall effort.
To your point, though, nothing beats professional face to face contact.
http://www.linkedin.com/miniprofile?vieweeID=46679019&context=a...">
Nila Johnson • @Whiston: I'm in total agreement with you that LinkedIn should be only one "tool" in the network/job search arsenal. However, I would add that success (in whatever the goal) using the service is contingent upon the cooperation of one's network and beyond. Example, if a contact does not follow through on endorsing or making an introduction (to someone in their network on your behalf), then how strong is the network? It seems that the ideal is to have a small network of people who collectively help one another than have 500+ who are not responsive. "We are only as strong as our weakest link" ~Proverb
http://www.linkedin.com/miniprofile?vieweeID=5546643&context=an...">
Jamie Laliberte • What is the point of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter??? I believe that these are part of the way we stay connected to the world. It use to be one would go into the village to get information or to meet people; today we go to vitual villages. Good or bad...neither and both.
http://www.linkedin.com/miniprofile?vieweeID=12788236&context=a...">
Grant Beardsley • Whitson...Great observation..."So, Grant, I think I'm somewhat in agreement with you, except I might say, there is no $64,000 question where LinkedIn is concerned...only a series of $64 questions!"...I couldn't agree with you more.
http://www.linkedin.com/miniprofile?vieweeID=24206546&context=a...">I notice you're in healthcare IT, and in Nashville. If you're ever...
Whitson Morgan • @Nila - You are absolutely right! To extend the concept, a personal network is the very same animal. If I "know" 500 people in my city, but they don't return my calls and they won't introduce me to other folks, I don't have much of a network, just like on LinkedIn. You'll notice I am not an "open networker" nor do I have 500+ contacts. But I do have roughly 200 carefully cultivated contacts, 95% of whom would respond within a few days to a request on LinkedIn, and generally sooner to a call or direct email. It's this network that I'm cultivating - but with the added benefit of being able to "bump into" folks like you, Kathleen, Linda, and Grant here (because I wanted to see Julie's comment, since she's already in my network). Like walking up to her at a party, and getting introduced to the friends she's with. Except here, the party is potentially worldwide!
I notice you're in healthcare IT, and in Nashville. If you're ever down near Huntsville, AL, let me know and we can have a cup of coffee or something. Take care!
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http://www.linkedin.com/miniprofile?vieweeID=24206546&context=anet&view">
I don't think it's a standalone job finding apparatus, nor do I th...http://www.linkedin.com/miniprofile?vieweeID=24206546&context=a...">
I don't think it's a standalone job finding apparatus, nor do I th...
Whitson Morgan • LinkedIn is much like any kind of networking activity - online or "live." If you don't have a goal in mind when you go into it, you won't know when you've accomplished what you set out to. I come to LinkedIn looking to connect with people across my network, and then also looking to connect to folks in person in concert with using LinkedIn. What I'm finding is that I've been able to build a stronger network, faster, and wider, using the online tools available. It's allowing me to try to help a number of people find work (my personal mission having been out for about 18mo a few years ago), and it's allowing me to nurture contacts across my network through better communication.
I don't think it's a standalone job finding apparatus, nor do I think it's a great marketing tool - though I see people vigorously trying to do both on here. I'm not sure what results they're getting, but if they're gaining business or finding a job, more power to them. I do think it can be a valuable tool in terms of visualizing the reach of your network, searching for people at a company you're interested in contacting into, or where there's a position with good fit, but as a standalone? I don't think it works.
Mark Twain said, "If the only tool in your box is a hammer, all your problems will begin to look like nails." I tend to view LinkedIn as a single tool in the box, useful for some tasks, but not universally so. So, Grant, I think I'm somewhat in agreement with you, except I might say, there is no $64,000 question where LinkedIn is concerned...only a series of $64 questions!
Kathleen Davis • Thank you Whitson, I am very blessed to be in a field that has such a need and a severe shortage. LinkedIn then will not help me in anyway. I have told others that are looking for a job to use it. Many people I know that need jobs do not have the level of professionalism that others on LinkedIn do so it won't help those individuals. It probably will help me if I plan to relocate. You have helped immensely. Many people that are LinkedIn have asked me the same question....What is LinkedIn?, Now what? Since we joined what happens now? Nothing has happened but that I keep getting invitations to connect and request for recommendations, even from people that have never worked with me!. I think the company or writers of the social network, need to make the purpose clearer because these are all intelligent people, and if they don't know then you can just keep talking about it, people's questions need to be addressed in a productive manner to improve LikedIn services. Thanks
Kathleen Davis • Nila...I agree
http://www.linkedin.com/miniprofile?vieweeID=24206546&context=anet&view">I don't think it's a standalone job finding apparatus, nor do I th...http://www.linkedin.com/miniprofile?vieweeID=24206546&context=a...">
One thing I can say is that when I was laid off, I did not have a ...
Whitson Morgan • Kathleen, I didn't say the only use for LinkedIn is how I use it. I just said that's where I've positioned it in my situation. For you, it may simply be a social networking site, or perhaps it allows you to connect across the country with people doing what you do. Or maybe it's truly not useful for your line of work.
One thing I can say is that when I was laid off, I did not have a strong network. And I paid for that mistake dearly. So, another of my goals is to always have a strong network in place, to help discover and capitalize on opportunity should I ever find myself in that position again. Perhaps that is the primary redeeming value of LinkedIn - that it allows one to keep a finger on the pulse of your network in a broad sense, with a lower overall effort.
To your point, though, nothing beats professional face to face contact.
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5 comments
Grant Beardsley • Linda I agree with you...Linkedin is not rocket science but many people turn it into something way bigger then it is. If people would take 5 minutes to just navigate around and see what is available on linkedin they could probably handle the most basic stuff...than again, maybe not.
Kathleen Davis • Its not Rocket Science I bet but come on.....people are busy and they need some information. There has to be a way to make it useful. I don't want to have to take lessons to use something that takes so long to load all your information and then what. Link up with recruiters or somebody selling something. No thank you. What is the purpose of LinkedIn?
Grant Beardsley • Kathleen, I agree with you on many of your points...actually all of them. The $64,000 question is "What is the purpose of Linkedin"?
Nila Johnson • This is a great discussion. The challenge that I am having is getting people with whom I network with professionally (but may not know well) to accept my LinkedIn invitation. For an example, I would like to keep in touch with HR Reps I meet during interviews. I have also sent messages to business acquaintances in my network about their job and have not received responses. Another interesting nuance is getting professionals several levels above me (Directors, VP's, etc.) who I meet at industry events to accept my invite. I suspect that part of the issue is that not all LinkedIn members utilize the service in the same way, nor do they see the value until they are actively seeking to change positions or recruit. I would like to see more quid-pro-quo among LinkedIn members - otherwise, I don't see the point in the service.
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