TOG Solutions

In recent years, the creation of a complete profile on LinkedIn is a lesson in Business Networking 101. And with that, there are a wide array of resources and recommendations on how to get the most out of your profile and your connections.

So, with everything out there on what’s the best practices for using LinkedIn, ever wonder what’s not a good idea to do on the site? Here are a couple of items that some users, perhaps even you, have been guilty of doing on LinkedIn.

You talk about politics and religion…and it’s not your primary industry.
It’s true that these days, there are numerous politicians, including both Presidential candidates, that have an active LinkedIn presence, as well as members of various religions. However, if you’re not clergy and you’re not running for or holding political office, you will probably run the risk of offending some of your connections. And that may result in you having less connection.

On top of that, you may find yourself subject to some unnecessary bias if a prospective employer happens to come across  your profile. Like it or not, your political or religious affiliation could come into play during the job search. Your best bet is to seek another avenue for your views besides LinkedIn.

You create a LinkedIn Group…then disappear
Being an active member of a LinkedIn Group can be a great way to network with people in your area and your field of expertise, especially if you are in the job market. Taking the initiative to create a LinkedIn Group for a particular area or discipline can also give you the ability to raise your stature.

But you have to maintain that group, and certainly keep it from turning into a breeding ground for spammers. Once that has happened, the praise you received for creating the group will mutate into resentment for letting it fall into a state of neglect.

You assume an accepted LinkedIn connection is permission for e-mail marketing
It seems like an innocent practice. You get a LinkedIn connection, complete with their e-mail address, and you have a product or service you want to tell them about. So, you shoot out an intro e-mail about who you are and what you do. There’s no doubt that your LinkedIn connection can be a resource to connect you with potential new leads, so an introduction e-mail is pretty standard practice.

However, that does not mean that sending one message to your connection is equal to them giving you permission to send out regular e-mails about your services and products like they’re a part of your mailing list. While your connection might let the first e-mail slide, they may be much less understanding after that.