How do you handle Invitations to Connect?

When you are committed to using LinkedIn to build your career, you need to connect strategically.

When someone invites me to connect, I follow a pretty standard routine.

First, I view their profile. If they are not in the Telecoms industry, I’ll probably ignore their invitation straight away.

Second, if they are in Telecoms, I see how many connections they have. I get many invitations from people with single-digit or low double-digit connections.

I view these suspiciously because it just seems unlikely that someone with so little LinkedIn activity would ever find me.

Often the profile reveals inconsistencies which support this unlikelihood. I ignore these invitations.

Lastly, if their profile otherwise matches my objectives, I accept.

What’s your template for reviewing connection requests?

I’ve written a book to help Telecom Pros have a better LinkedIn Profile. It’s called Create An Awesome LinkedIn Profile.

download a free chapter.

👉 #TelecomTribe: Follow me on LinkedIn, Russell Lundberg, for more updates, insights, tips, tricks, and tactics to love a career in Telecoms.

Do you ever want an easy win?

Some of the things #TelecomPros like us do is hard. Like learning 5G, NFV, MIMO, MEC.

But not this. So take it easy.

You LinkedIn feed is mostly comprised of the articles, updates, and shares from your LinkedIn connections.

That means you have control over what appears in your feed. If your feed is not adding value for you, the thing to do is curate.

Warning, some people reject the idea of screening content from their feed. If that troubles you, read no further.

But if you are committed to using LinkedIn to advance your career, and you don’t mind silencing folks who pollute your feed with things which disinterest you, shut them down.

You’ll still remain connections. But their content will no longer appear in your feed.

The quality of your feed should improve immediately.

I’ve written a book to help Telecom Pros have a better LinkedIn Profile. It’s called Create An Awesome LinkedIn Profile.

Click to download a free chapter.

👉 #TelecomTribe: Follow me on LinkedIn, Russell Lundberg, for more updates, insights, tips, tricks, and tactics to love a career in Telecoms.

What does it take to recommit?

With January already gone I reviewed my progress towards my goals.

I chose a hiking trail in the beautiful Hawaiian Islands to clear my head and consider.

Although my results are mixed, anytime is a good time to refocus and recommit to achieving the important goals.

Making resolutions and goals are important for Telecom Pros to continually improve and achieve directed progress.

How are you doing on the resolutions you made for 2019?

Don’t be afraid to stop and refocus. Give yourself time and space to stay on your plan.

No one else will achieve your goals for you. It’s completely up to you.

How do you sharpen a saw?

Stephen Covey said that learning was like sharpening a saw.

How do Telecom Pros learn new technologies? Yesterday I said LinkedIn Groups. https://lnkd.in/fR9qiyP

To learn and to build your reputation, try this checklist:

  1. Apply to join Groups which share your interests. The group should be active and closely aligned with your interests.
  2. Allocate time each day to engage. Consistency is important to establish yourself.
  3. Scan for updates. If the group does not generate at least one new update daily, consider adding more groups.
  4. Start slow, to get to know the Group’s rules and etiquette.
  5. “LIKE” updates, answer questions, ask one, or tell your own experience.
  6. Tag the person. This puts your comment in the feed of their connections.
  7. Always be courteous and respectful. Nobody likes a jerk or bully or wise-guy.
  8. Share the articles you’ve read. Always add your own insights or questions.
  9. After you’ve exchanged comments with someone, consider inviting them to connect.

Practice this approach daily and your skills, your reputation, and your network will all grow.

How do you sharpen your saw?

👉 #TelecomTribe: Follow me on LinkedIn, Russell Lundberg, for more updates insights, tips, tricks, and tactics to love a career in Telecoms.

Can you build your career with Groups?

Yesterday I wrote about growing the number of people who view your profile.

This is about how you use LinkedIn every day because having a great profile is useless if no one sees it.

So you need to develop good LinkedIn usage habits. There are so many ways to do this.

LinkedIn Groups are one great way for Telecom Pros to do this.

Using Groups helps in many ways:

✅Gain exposure in key technical areas.
✅improve your knowledge by reading shares and comments of others.
✅Build your own reputation by commenting
✅Establish your credibility by writing your own articles
✅Grow your personal network

Becoming a consistent contributor to the right groups allows all this to happen with your target audience.

The way to start is first, join Groups in your interest.

Then, begin reading, liking, commenting, and sharing.

Lastly, connect with or follow other consistent Group contributors.

What Groups will you join?

👉 I’d love to read your comments. Please share with your colleagues.

I’ve written a book to help Telecom Pros have a better LinkedIn Profile. It’s called Create An Awesome LinkedIn Profile.

Click to download a free chapter of my book.

👉Follow me on LinkedIn, Russell Lundberg, for more updates, insights, tips, tricks, and tactics to love a career in Telecoms.

I’ve written an article about LinkedIn Groups.