Connecting for success: The power of LinkedIn

Allergic to Networking? The ability to curate connections is a powerful leadership skill, and pollination works better in networks than noses (#DadJoke). There’s mountains of research to prove it, but one stat sums it up perfectly: almost three-quarters of professionals get hired by organisations they have an existing connection with.

And where’s everyone networking these days?

LinkedIn. 

Aaah…we had you, and then we lost you again. 

Hear us out. LinkedIn is actually a fast and effective way to build relationships with fabulous people. Think of it as a giant, continuous networking event; you can connect with any of the 900 million members from the comfort of your lounge home office anytime. Emails change, but LinkedIn follows people through every job and organisation, which means you can too.

Enter the gender wealth pay confidence network gap

You won’t be shocked to learn that women are under-represented on LinkedIn. The network gap means women miss opportunities simply because we don’t have the right connections. Here’s the kicker: despite having shallower networks, women are a third more likely to take a course on improving them. 

LinkedIn might be celebrating the effort, but Powrsuit isn’t. Women default to learning and believe we need to know everything before we start. Our belief? The best way to learn is by doing. 

Take your space

If the idea of LinkedIn influencers sets your *BS* radar off, think again. If we want to change the face of leadership, we need to take up space where other leaders are. Building a network means putting yourself out there in a way that brings attention to your personal brand – and when we actually do it, women get outsized results. Yes, you could take a course on LinkedIn, but why not instead cover off some quick dos and don’ts, then just get started?

Do: be yourself when sharing achievements, news and asks

New job? Learned something interesting? Need a hand? Don’t be afraid to share. Your authentic voice doesn’t have to mean bringing the personal into the professional – and no, you don’t need an inspiring story. Be genuine, and keep it simple, informative and factual. Think about how you’d share an update with a workmate in real life, and write it like that. An easy shortcut? If someone has already posted about you, simply reshare it with an intro at the top.

See Kristen’s example.

Do: share event takeaways

If you’ve attended an event, you’ve learned something that could benefit others – so post about it. Summarise your highlights and @ the speakers and hosts – they may amplify your voice by resharing. While you’re at it, don’t forget to hit the “connect” button on the profiles of anyone you want to keep in touch with.

See Nat’s example

Do: repost with commentary or comment 

Women are finding their voices by demanding change, giving fresh perspectives and being unapologetically themselves. Like a post or article? Reshare it with your thoughts. If that feel’s intimidating, start by leaving a comment on someone else’s post; they’ll appreciate you joining the conversation.

See Powrsuiter Stephanie’s example

Don’t: humblebrag

The humblebrag. It goes like this: You want everyone to know about the awesome thing you did. Bragging is frowned upon, so we take the middle ground, celebrating in a self-deprecating way that highlights our flaws while attributing Lady Luck. 🤦‍♀️ Remember, simple and genuine works – and it’s ok to explicitly say how proud you are of yourself. Tag us, and we’ll be proud of you too!

For the lols: How to avoid the Humblebrag cringe factor

Don’t: do nothing

Women worry (for good reason) about coming across as over-confident and pushy, so we downplay our achievements or don’t mention them at all. There’s no need to overthink it. If you find something interesting or valuable, your network will too. In fact, they’ll thank you for handing it to them on a silver platter. Don’t wait for a perfect profile to start sharing (but if it’s gathering dust, here are some quick fixes).