How to Start Networking on LinkedIn Without Being a Pushy Jerk
LinkedIn is cluttered.
Wannabe LinkedIn influencers share banal, obvious, and/or vague tips to shill courses about becoming LinkedIn influencers. Then there’s the noise of toxic positivity, dubious stories, and virtue signaling. Salespeople clog up inboxes with unwanted pitches.
Of course, not everything (or everyone) on LinkedIn is like this. But there’s enough. The clutter annoys and frustrates most users. They turn their profiles into online CVs, and let them collect dust. Then they tell others to do the same.
LinkedIn can be a valuable tool for building your network, if you engage with it regularly—without abusing it. Networking on LinkedIn doesn’t need to feel sleazy, smarmy, or schmoozy. It doesn’t need to be difficult. And it doesn’t need to take hours every day; 30 minutes to an hour 3-5 days per week should be plenty.
LinkedIn networking made simple
We’ll start with the philosophy, the basic principles.
Your goal is to help people know you, like you, and trust you
People do business with people they know, like, and trust. They hire people they know, like, and trust. They help coworkers they know, like, and trust. They pay attention to people they know, like, and trust. They maintain relationships with people they know, like, and trust.
Give, give, and give some more, before you ask
Most people feel obligated to help people who’ve helped them. We’re almost hardwired to respond. Even birds, fish, and other primates follow this reciprocity principle.
You don’t need to devote your whole day or spend a penny. Teach people, entertain people, make them think, inspire them, learn from them. Share online resources and interesting things. Empathise with them. Help them overcome their obstacles, solve their problems, or face their fears. Above all: give attention to get attention.
Fill up your emotional bank accounts
Author Stephen Covey introduced the concept of an “emotional bank account” in his book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
The emotional bank account is like a financial account. Instead of money it holds trust and good feelings. Positive interactions and giving value fill up the account as deposits. Negative interactions or onerous requests deplete it as withdrawals.
People who keep full accounts are known, liked, and trusted. Someone with a low account balance is ignored, disliked, and distrusted.
Aim for 5-20 deposits for every withdrawal.
Here are some ideas to get started:
Give compliments
Show gratitude
Notice people first (without hoping they’ll notice you first)
Respond positively to posts, comments, and feedback
Do nice things for them
Show interest in them
Support them (for example, cheer them on or give encouragement)
Apologise for mistakes or misunderstandings
Finding Potential Connections
Quality wins over quantity. Trying to build too many connections at once will exhaust and overwhelm you. Especially if your time is limited.
Most users ignore a giant opportunity. They only connect with people they already know— from school, university, previous workplaces, hobbies, or their house of worship. According to LinkedIn itself, the site has over 930 million users. Unlimited paths to expanding your circle of influence.
Sociologist Mark Granovetter explained why you should look beyond your immediate social scenes in a 1973 research paper titled “The Strength of Weak Ties”. His theory indicates that the best career opportunities come from “weak ties.” You’re more likely to find professional opportunities from acquaintances or mutual friends than direct friends or family.
In 2022, a team headed by LinkedIn research scientist Karthik Rajkumar shared evidence that supported the weak tie theory. Over 5 years they tweaked the LinkedIn algorithm. They assigned some LinkedIn users more recommendations to connect with weak ties. Other users were given more recommendations to connect with strong ties. (“strong ties” are people with whom you have frequent interactions, like close friends and family). More job opportunities were found when users’ were recommended more weak ties. If you’re interested in the details, the article is called “A causal test of the strength of weak ties”.
Who should you connect with? This depends on your goals. For example, are you looking for people who can help you directly get new positions in the future? Or do you want to boost your personal brand with collaborations?
Based on Mark Granovetter’s theory of “weak ties” and Karthik Rajkumar’s research, prioritise people with 10 mutual connections. Especially those with shared interests—similar industry, job role or expertise—or users who have complementary skills, experience, and knowledge. Think about people who would benefit from connecting with you. People you can help.
Don’t forget about people you simply find interesting. Even if they aren’t in your industry. For example, people who share cool projects, fascinating stories, or brilliant insights. The more variety you have, the more useful your network will be.
Commenting on Posts
Make your first emotional bank account deposits on content in your feed. Each post someone writes gives you a chance for a meaningful interaction. Sometimes the post writer will send you a connection request.
Many LinkedIn users share new jobs they’ve started. Most responses are some form of “congratulations!” or “congrats!” Grab their attention by saying something substantial or interesting. Ask them a question about the new job. Squeeze in a compliment. Be specific.
Comment on content as if you were writing your own post. Add some insight, ask a question, or respectfully disagree to invite further conversation. Comment on other comments, not just the main post. Don’t derail the conversation or share your own content.
You can also find creators and thought leaders in your industry. Look for people with 10-100k followers. Click the notification bell for alerts. More people will notice you if you’re one of the first five commenters. Again, respond to other comments. You can give readers a casual invitation to learn more about you.
Sending DMs
Keep it simple, friendly, and specific.
Many LinkedIn users eye their inboxes suspiciously. Salespeople pull bait-and-switches. Recruiters stuff their inboxes with irrelevant job openings. People beg for jobs (that either don’t exist or they have no influence over) or demand hand holding. Some men treat LinkedIn like a dating site. Most users will be hypervigilant, especially if they’ve collected a decently large number of connections or followers. Some users outline a contact policy. If so, respect it.
Here are some ideas for DMs:
Thank them (e.g. for a helpful tip, or a post you enjoyed)
Ask for quick advice—something that can be answered by one or two sentences, or even just yes or no. Indicate you’ve done your “homework,” that you’re not asking for them to do all your thinking for you. Come back later to tell them how the advice helped you
If you’ve followed advice they shared outside of LinkedIn you can tell them the outcome. A follow up question is okay as long as it doesn’t require paragraphs to answer
Introduce them to people who can help them
Offer to share online resources without asking for anything in return
Then keep a conversation going.
Bonus: Create your own content
Speed up your success by turning your profile into a show. In your featured section showcase your personal website or blog (if you choose to make one). You can also share knowledge with carousels, infographics, and native text posts. Don’t link to outside websites. Remember, LinkedIn wants to keep people on LinkedIn. Their algorithm reflects their goals, not yours.
Networking doesn’t need to be self-serving
Many people picture networking, both offline or online, as selfish and phoney. But when you focus on others instead of yourself, networking on LinkedIn becomes more like making online friends. More effective, more relaxed, and maybe even fun.
Consider collaborating with another LinkedIn user. You could write guest posts, interview each other, and/or introduce each other to your respective followers.
What you can do immediately
Kickstart your LinkedIn networking by:
Auditing and updating your LinkedIn profile
Do you have a professional and warm photo that fits your personal brand?
Is it clear what you can offer potential connections?
Does your “About” section reflect your personality? Is it more than a dry summary of your accomplishments, and achievements?
2. Finding at least 3 relevant sources for content and potential connections to engage with
Join a LinkedIn group in which you can start and participate in conversations
Follow three industry or industry-adjacent hashtags. One should have a large number of followers. The second should have a medium number, and the third only a small number.
Choose an interesting thought leader or creator in your industry. Click the notification bell for new post alerts
3. Create a simple system for sending personalised connection requests
Write a few templates for different message types
Come up with specific steps to efficiently research future connections
Sources and further reading
7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey