Westray Recruitment View more

A guide to Linkedin Etiquette

With over 450 million members, Linkedin connects the world's professionals and is the largest online network of its kind. As the go-to platform for expert networking, it’s no secret that when used correctly,LinkedIn can be an incredibly powerful tool for marketing yourself, extending your reach and growing your network of industry contacts. However, if you wish to maintain a positive professional reputation with your online network, it’s important to be aware of the commonly accepted etiquette rules associated with the platform.

Not sure what’s simply friendly and what’s a LinkedIn faux pas? Bear these tips in mind.

Have an up to date profile

Over the past decade, LinkedIn has become an essential personal branding tool, and it has never been more important to build and maintain a stellar profile.With an up to date profile making you 18 times more likely to be found in searches, the need to remain up to date is paramount. Upon receiving an application from a candidate, we like to use Linkedin to validate their statements and see if their stated previous employment and skills match up to those listed on the CV. Having an up to date profile can also catch the attention of recruiters looking for your experience and skills set in passing.

Have a profile picture

Leading on from an up to date profile picture is the importance of a profile picture. Though this may seem obvious, the style of photo maybe not so much. We’ve lost count of the amount of pouty, night out snapshots, bikini-clad holiday pictures and grainy candid Instagram-style pictures we’ve come across in our searches and our opinion remains the same. Keep it professional. A nice, clean (sober) headshot is your next step in becoming a Linkedin pro.

Avoid over posting

Yes, Linkedin is a social platform, though it is important to remember it's geared towards professionals and the content in which is posted isn’t necessarily on par with the likes of Facebook and Instagram. Be assertive on the amount of updates you post, keep them relevant and don’t by any means spam your audience. The typical user logs in to their LinkedIn accounts to see what their contacts are up to, whether their connections have changed jobs or posted a status update recently. Posting multiple times on LinkedIn will slowly grate on people’s nerves and show that you spend more time online than actually getting on with your job.

Personalise your connection requests

It’s great that you’re willing to connect with people on Linkedin, but it is important to personalise all connection requests, and again not spam. Those 300 characters are a great opportunity to remove the generic ‘“I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn” like every other request and allow you to make an impact. Connecting with someone you don’t know? Then this is your chance to convince them to accept. Or if you’re connecting with someone you’ve met through say, a networking event, then this is your chance to remind them and further cement the relationship. While LinkedIn does often pre-fill the message fields, your networking contacts will appreciate the personalised correspondence.

Don’t ignore recruiters when you’re not looking for a job

Linkedin is a breeding ground for recruiters and it’s likely you will have come across them at some point over your time on the platform. What is important is to remember, however, is that whether you’re happy in your role, or are looking for something new, recruiters are always great allies to have as you never know what great opportunities they may have. Whether it’s now or in a years’ time, your circumstances can change, and a go to connection is vital to ensure you stay ahead of the game.

Do you have any examples of good or bad LinkedIn etiquette?

More blog posts

Upload your CV

Thank you for uploading your cv!

A representative from Westray will be in touch with you shortly.