Social Capital Mentor

I’m going to cut to the punch line. Remember the Golden Rule; help people with their career and they will help you.

LinkedIn is great

LinkedIn is the latest tool for business networking and it’s great. Really great. Of course, with anything that’s great, there’s no shortage of advice on how to use it well. Guy Kawasaki’s already classic post, “Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn to Find a Job” is just one. PC World came out with a story today: “Tips on Using LinkedIn for Job-Hunting”. Monica Flores posted “Using LinkedIn Effectively: 7 Tips to Make the Most of your Profile” here last month.

They’ll tell you that it’s a good idea to get recommendations, ask for advice, join a group, search for people by company, get to the hiring manager, find which companies people come from and go to, etc.

They’re right. Those are good things to do.

Most of those suggestions are networking fundamentals. However, for some reason, when talking about LinkedIn, there’s one fundamental that doesn’t get enough air time as it deserves. That’s the value of helping other people. Every time you help someone, you naturally move up on their list. Next time they hear of an opportunity that might suit you, you’re more likely to be thought of.

Kawasaki does hit upon this as part of one of his tips when he says “‘what can I do for this person?’”

Build your network before you need it. As a last tip, no matter how the economy or your career is doing, having a strong network is a good form of job security. Don’t wait until times are tough to nurture your network. The key to networking (or “schmozing”), however, is filled with counter-intuitiveness. First, it’s not who you know—it’s who knows of you. Second, Great schmoozers are not thinking “What can this person do for me?” To the contrary, they are thinking, “What can I do for this person?” For more on schmoozing, read “The Art of Schmoozing.”

(I happen to think that Guy’s advice of building your network before you need it is one of the most valuable pieces of advice in his entire article. I wrote about the same thing here a couple weeks ago where I argue that preparing for a job interview starts way earlier than they think.)

How can you help people through LinkedIn?

First, a caveat: don’t go overboard and start helping people like crazy the next time you log in to LinkeIn purely in hopes of being in their debt. Simply consider this a reminder of the value of helping people. Just keep your eyes open for opportunities to help when you’re on LinkedIn. Here are some suggestions for helping your connections:

1. See what they’re working on. Lots of people update their LinkedIn status with what they’re working on or looking for.

2. Connect them with others. When you find someone who’s looking for something in particular, scan your own contacts for people who might be helpful. Stick to connections that are likely going to be beneficial to both people, not just one.

3. Recommend them. I hope this goes without saying, but reserve this only for people that you genuinely and confidently recommend. There’s nothing worse than a forced recommendation.

4. Answer their questions. LinkedIn has an Answers section where people ask questions and others answer them. If you have expertise that can help, this is a simple and direct way. (I recently posted a question to a number of my connections through the Answers section. The response I got was terrific. Lots of great help.)

Remember the fundamentals

The specific details of these four suggestions are not what’s important. Things will change. LinkedIn will add more features that aren’t mentioned here. Plus, your own style will guide you.

What’s important is to remember that LinkedIn is just another tool; don’t loose sight of the fundamentals of networking, especially the Golden Rule. Not only is it good for your career, but it feels good, too.

Subscribe to Social Capital Mentor by Email