LinkedIn is by far my favorite social media platform.
I used to HATE it. Avoided it. Didn’t log in for months and months. Maybe only checked in twice a year.
What didn’t I like?
🛑 To start, I didn’t like the posts. They were impersonal. They were typically giving me bullet points about various business strategies or elements of business that I didn’t care about.
🛑 From a standpoint of “what can I post?” I didn’t feel I had anything of value, and wasn’t a “subject matter expert” about anything that would matter to my audience.
🛑 The whole idea of connecting felt… intrusive.
Why do I LOVE it now?
💡 I suppose my network is better curated, so the posts I now see are more relevant to my interests in advertising, marketing, eLearning, children’s media, and political campaign strategies (I know, a very diverse list, right?).
💡 I truly enjoy getting to know people! I read their profiles, learn about their education, work history, and get to see the path they took to get where they are today. People are amazing! Today, I read someone’s profile where they professed to enjoying the act of growing their collection of house plants. You know what? So do I!! (My husband laughs every time I go to Costco and bring home another plant. My favorite plant is my swiss cheese plant.)
💡 Connecting with people on LinkedIn gives me hope. Networking shouldn’t be self-serving. It should be ALL-SERVING, meaning, you’re approaching people because you genuinely have an interest in them, their work life, their successes, and their struggles, and how you can help them.
Seriously. Everyday, I get to read the profiles of truly incredible, motivated, genius, and creative humans, who have some of the coolest jobs and careers! If I’m lucky enough, they’ll connect and reply to my message and chat with me… because I am excited to get to know those people!
Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thehipchickvoice/
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