The Ultimate LinkedIn Etiquette Guide

Every social media network has unspoken rules. If you’re new to the club, you don’t want to mess up right off the bat. And if you’ve been using a certain network for a while, you don’t want to get too lazy. Here are a few mantras we follow for LinkedIn. What would you add?

1. Don’t connect with people you don’t know UNLESS you write them a personal message in your request. Be thoughtful. Explain why you want to connect and how you found them. Remember that you can’t include an email address or website link in this form.

2. Speaking of messages… ALWAYS write a personal message even when you’re connecting with someone you know. Don’t ever send along the generic auto message.

3. Interact with your LinkedIn connections OFF LinkedIn as well. Follow them on Twitter, check out their websites, shoot them a follow-up email and ask to set up a phone chat or an in-person meeting. Really try to form a connection especially if you blindly reached out to this person.

4. Don’t think that LinkedIn is only for job searching. It’s important to network and update your profile while you’re gainfully employed as well. There used to be a stigma that if you updated your LinkedIn profile, your current employer would think you were looking for a job. That’s not true anymore. LinkedIn has become a part of our every day lives more and more as a destination for interesting articles, conversations, and more.

5. Keep your profile updated and informative. No one wants to see a job title with no description. Fill out your summary and always — ALWAYS — include a profile photo.

P.S. Don’t miss our posts on 3 things you must know about LinkedIn and how to build up your network with LinkedIn.

Image via Mark Bult/Flickr.