3 How to Use LinkedIn to Stay Informed and Connect With Professionals in Your Industry
In today's digital age, LinkedIn has become an indispensable tool for professionals seeking to expand their network and stay ahead in their industry. This article, drawing on insights from field experts, explores how to leverage LinkedIn effectively for career growth and information gathering. Discover practical strategies for engaging in industry discussions, creating authentic posts that attract opportunities, and actively participating to remain well-informed in your professional sphere.
- Network Up Through Industry Discussions
- Post Authentically to Attract Opportunities
- Engage Actively to Stay Informed
Network Up Through Industry Discussions
LinkedIn is an ideal conduit for open and direct discussion of industry trends and the changes we perceive. Since no one knows everything about their field, I suggest adding your insights to existing colleagues' posts or starting new relationships with others around these hot industry topics.
I call that "networking up," which I define as creating new opportunities to meet others via discussion forums, to combine viewpoints with experienced thought leaders and renowned authorities in your field, with the goal of combining their knowledge with yours and vice versa.
Some strategies:
1) Research the "movers and shakers" in your business sphere, which is rather easy on LinkedIn: do your homework on their names on LinkedIn to see who they know that you also know, then ask the person in the middle to e-introduce you two.
2) Kick off the new contact via LinkedIn messaging, or better, offer to arrange a Zoom session for true eye-to-eye conversation.
3) Know that everyone loves to be approached for their expertise; when asking for some of their time, invoke the name of the common friend, and always be sincere and professional by providing thumbnail information about you and your firm. Better context is your investment to improve the quality of communication when you two eventually meet.
4) If you see a post in your industry LinkedIn Groups or on your connections' feeds where you can offer your experienced perspective, do so professionally. Be consistently reliable as a source and referable as a subject expert.
5) Comment on other comments in the conversation subsequent to yours, whenever you can add even more value.
6) Ask others you know to join in by invoking their names with an @ in front of theirs, with a call to action like "What else in your 25 years' experience can you add to this @MarcHalpert?" I'd then be notified via my LinkedIn feed, feel invited to opine, and be more interested to get involved.
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by advocating for industry inclusiveness. Draw on the right professionals' sincere desires to add to the industry's common knowledge base, using LinkedIn as the equalizing fulcrum. Network up.
Post Authentically to Attract Opportunities
I've never really optimized my LinkedIn to attract recruiters, but I've done one thing consistently that's helped me attract opportunities:
I posted as if I wasn't looking for a job.
Sounds counterintuitive, but hear me out.
Most people treat LinkedIn like a resume museum.
Polished. Passive. Boring.
You show up when you need something, then ghost for 6 months.
Instead, I started treating it like a place to think out loud.
I wrote about stuff I was building, mistakes I was making, things that annoyed me in meetings, and even bad ideas that never went anywhere.
No "value creation framework."
No forced thought leadership.
Just real thoughts, in my real tone.
That one shift - showing how I think, not just what I've done - changed everything.
It brought:
75K followers. Millions of dollars in revenue.
Inbound interest from founders who wanted to collaborate.
Recruiters who saw the fit, not just the function.
Clients who already felt like they knew me before the first call.
If I had to give actual profile tips (besides posting):
Write your headline like a human, not a job title.
Your 'About' section should sound like you, not ChatGPT.
Pin posts that show how you think or solve problems.
Don't treat LinkedIn like an obituary of past roles. Show what excites you now.
And most importantly - don't post only when you need something.
That's the fastest way to make people scroll past.
Post like the job will come because of who you are - not in spite of it.
Worked for me.
Engage Actively to Stay Informed
Staying updated on industry trends and connecting with fellow professionals has become second nature to me, thanks to LinkedIn. I make it a point to follow thought leaders, industry groups, and companies that align with my interests. This way, my feed is always filled with the latest insights and updates.
Engagement is key. I regularly comment on posts that catch my eye and share content that I find valuable. This not only keeps me informed but also sparks conversations with others in my field. I've also taken advantage of LinkedIn's advanced search filters to connect with professionals who share similar interests and expertise. It's a great way to expand my network with like-minded individuals.
Being part of LinkedIn groups has been another game-changer. These groups are treasure troves of knowledge, where members share experiences, ask questions, and offer advice. It's like having a virtual roundtable discussion with peers from around the world.
By actively engaging with these features, I've managed to stay ahead of industry trends and build a network that's both supportive and informative. It's all about making LinkedIn work for you.
