LinkedIn groups are like portals to a professional community where there are columns, connections, and conversations where you can find knowledge, suggestions, and guidance- all at your fingertips. Here are some helpful tips to utilize LinkedIn groups to develop your professional brand and profile:
- Sign up for notifications– Get notified whenever someone posts a discussion or article in the group. This will help you stay up to date on what is happening in the group that you can jump in on. Participating in conversations helps build both your credibility and your connections – and helps you learn new things, too!
- Actually read the articles– Each piece of information that is posted in these professional groups is posted for a reason, offering helpful information to the target audience, i.e. you. The information shared could be very helpful for career. For example, Susan, an organist at a small church that has connections in a nearby metropolitan city, posts an article about how to better develop your personal sound in large cities. This will help you better yourself and your personal brand. Then, you have an excuse to reach out to Susan and utilize her connections. It’s all about the network!
- Reach out to the other members– You are all connected through this group for a reason, a common interest, or just general passion of organs. Feel free to explore other profiles, see how they communicate their skills and receive ideas for how you can improve your LinkedIn profile. In addition, if you have questions, reach out to the other members and start building your professional connections. People are very willing to help!
Those were just a few tips on how you can utilize LinkedIn groups to stay informed about the industry, improve your personal brand, and build your connections. Go forth and network!