How to Network on LinkedIn

Erik Andersen
4 min readJul 22, 2022
Photo by Michael & Diane Weidner on Unsplash

Many people join LinkedIn with a specific, immediate goal in mind.

Find a job
Sell a service
Hire employees

But the power in LinkedIn can’t be fully unleashed if your immediate concern is to tactically accomplish a goal. Your outreach will seem disingenuous and your interactions will turn stale.

So how does one start?

As the saying goes, “the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now”. And like a tree, you’ll need to plant some seeds first before anything comes to fruition.

Build a Following Before Asking for Anything

Set a Foundation

The goal in this step is to NOT immediately jump in and push your narrative, but to instead find a community that resonates with your goals.

You simply need to:

  • Add people you already know on LinkedIn
  • Add companies & groups you’re interested in joining
  • Follow topics related to your field of interest

Start by simply liking posts that speak to you. LinkedIn’s algorithm will further curate your feed and start introducing you to other voices, typically 2nd and 3rd level…

--

--

Erik Andersen
Erik Andersen

Written by Erik Andersen

Senior Software Engineer with 10+ years of experience. Also an independent coach, teacher, and public speaker. My opinions are my own

Responses (3)