Tips to Avoid Selfish Behavior on LinkedIn

Most people don’t realize this: Poor LinkedIn etiquette damages your reputation silently. No one calls it out. You just stop getting replies. You stop getting noticed. And slowly, your credibility fades. Here’s what actually works and what every professional should keep in mind: 1. Keep your posts focused on value → Share industry insights → Offer actionable tips → Celebrate others' wins → Skip the personal drama 2. Master the art of commenting → Read posts thoroughly before responding → Add meaningful insights → Avoid self-promotion in comments → Stay respectful, even in disagreements 3. Handle connection requests properly → Include personalized notes → Don't connect just to sell → Respond to messages within 48 hours → Be selective with who you connect with 4. Message with purpose → No copy-paste outreach → Keep messages concise → Follow up respectfully → Accept "no" gracefully 5. Maintain content standards → Check grammar and spelling → Use professional photos only → Credit others' work → Post consistently, not constantly LinkedIn isn’t just a platform. It’s your digital business card. And every post, comment, and message adds up to your professional brand. Treat it that way. What’s your #1 LinkedIn etiquette rule? Drop it below. #LinkedInTips  #LinkedInEtiquette #Networking #PersonalBranding

LinkedIn should not be treated like a prospecting database. It is a community of real people who have no obligation to give you their time, their trust, or their attention. The moment you treat it like a numbers game, you have already lost. And while I know that AI is amazing, just don’t let it replace human connection. Don’t let AI pretend it’s you. That starts off every engagement with a lie. And it’s very hard to come back. What you do with this community, how you show up, what you offer before you ask for anything, that is what determines whether you ever get the conversation at all. 1. You have to earn the right to get the conversation. It is not given to you because you have a LinkedIn account or a quota to hit. 2. Trust-based conversations cannot happen with engineered empathy. When you let AI pretend to be human, you start every conversation with a lie, and it is very hard to recover from that. 3. Detach from what the prospect is worth to you and attach to what you are worth to the prospect. 4. Before you tell someone how you can help them, actually help them. 5. Show up as a trusted advisor and thought leader, not as someone who is looking for their next deal. 6. Trust and credibility are earned, not manipulated. 7. Treat the person on the other side of the message the same way you would if they were sitting across the table from you. Treat this community of humans as a place where you can bring value, have meanirinteractions and have an opportunity to impact.

I receive a lot of cold emails and DMs, and most of them are genuinely thoughtful. But some patterns keep showing up that make it very hard to respond. Here are a few simple reminders for anyone reaching out for guidance. 1. Please spell the person’s name correctly: Sometimes I get messages addressed to a completely different name. It immediately signals that the message was copied and pasted without reading. 2. Check the company before you mention it: I have received messages asking about roles at companies I do not work at. This shows zero context and makes it impossible to help. 3. Do basic research first: If you are asking me about open roles at the company where I work, the career page is always the first source. If you already looked, then you know what is open. If you did not look, then I cannot answer that question for you. I am not a recruiter or a hiring manager. 4. Personalize your message: Tell me why you are reaching out, what exactly you are curious about, and how I can help. A genuine, thoughtful note stands out immediately. 5. Cold messaging is not a transaction: It is about connection. Read the profile, understand the background, and ask something meaningful. The goal is to build a relationship, not to extract quick information. I genuinely enjoy helping and making meaningful connections, but a bit of effort goes a long way. Let’s make our professional communication more respectful, intentional, and human. #CareerTips #ColdEmailing #ProfessionalEtiquette #NetworkingTips #StudentSuccess #CareerAdvice #EarlyCareer #JobSearchTips #Networking101 #LinkedInCommunity

You would be forgiven for feeling like networking on LinkedIn is a little… icky. But if you think about it as an exercise in relationship building, and approach it with authenticity and engagement, and play a long game rather than expecting immediate favors, you’ll end up with a strategic, fruitful network. Here are 6 ways to level up your LinkedIn networking game: 1. Personalize Your Approach Avoid generic messages when reaching out. Mention a common interest, mutual connection, or something specific about their work that genuinely interests you. This shows that your intent goes beyond using them as a stepping stone for your own goals. ✨ Pro tip: Use the search feature to find your 2nd degree connections, then see what you have in common with them (alumni, former employer, a former teacher or neighbor). When you send a connection message, mention what you have in common. 2. Offer Value Before Asking for Help Think about how you can provide value before making a request. Comment thoughtfully on posts, share articles, offer useful insights. This builds rapport and shows that you are invested in a relationship rather than just using them for opportunities. ✨ Pro tip: If someone shares an article or post on a topic you know about, repost it to your network, tag the author, and add your perspective or share a resource that complements their content. 3. Engage Consistently, Not Just When You Need Something   Make networking a habit, not a one-time action! Engage with people regularly: check in, congratulate them on career milestones, comment on their updates. This creates a foundation of familiarity and trust, so it doesn’t feel awkward or transactional when you reach out with a request later. 4. Be Genuine and Curious Ask questions about their experiences and challenges rather than just focusing on how they can help you. People appreciate those who show a real interest in their work and expertise. 5. Play the Long Game Networking is about building long-term relationships that may lead to opportunities naturally over time. Don’t immediately ask for favors or referrals—let those emerge as the relationship develops. Think of your network as a community you contribute to, not just a resource to tap into when needed. ✨ Pro tip: Ask a connection for a 15-minute chat to learn about their journey. Almost everyone will be happy to talk about themselves. 6. Follow Up and Show Gratitude If someone offers you advice or connects you with someone else, always follow up with thanks. Let them know how their advice or referral benefited you, even if it didn’t directly result in a job. Gratitude helps solidify relationships and shows that you value their time and input. 💡 By focusing on authenticity, providing value, and building genuine relationships, you can make networking feel natural and mutually beneficial, rather than purely transactional. #networking #relationshipbuilding #jobsearchadvice #careeradvice

I want to help everyone have a better experience on LinkedIn! Consider this is a public service message to improve everyone's content and connections by removing the annoying things that drive people away. Here are 13 LinkedIn no-no’s 1. Selling in your first DM If you connect with someone and start selling your product before you have ever talked you will their business. 2. Don’t post the following Stock photos or meme’s without content Text only posts Article links without your original thoughts 3. Attacking content creators for their thoughts.  It’s okay to disagree and have civilized discussion but to outright attack a content creator’s experience, background, or content without having substantial facts is unprofessional and disrespectful. 4. Multiple paragraphs DMs. Sending long multiple paragraphs about your product or services should be saved for a phone call or email IF you’ve earned the relationship. 5. Sending DM’s that say “bump”  If someone doesn't respond to your first message, they are either not interested or too busy to respond. Sending a new DM each day with bump is annoying and will lead to you getting blocked. 6. Tag Spamming Most people know this but don’t tag 50 other active people to get your post viral. LinkedIn Algorithms know this and make them less visible. 7. Use Hastags in moderation In the past 3-5 hashtags were ideal. In today’s formula 1-2 are the max. Putting in 10+ hashtags is not only ineffective but looks desperate. 8. LinkedIn is not a dating platform This should be self-explanatory but this is a business platform and no place for romantic relationship advances. Professional relationships and business networking, yes. 9. Posting infrequently and expecting results Don’t expect to get a lot of tractions on your content if you only post once or twice a month. You must build your authority and audience over time. 10. LinkedIn is not just for your online resume and job hunting You can gain a ton of opportunities, knowledge, and professional referrals from this platform. It’s astonishing that people still think this is just for job hunting. 11. Hijack a thread One of the most annoying things is when you have a thought provoking post that is going viral and then you have someone hijack your thread. These are people that never communicate with you, and they decide to fight, argue, or take over your thread by commenting with everyone in your post, the only option is to block them and then that kills the post going viral.  12. Politics and Religion  Discussing these on this platform can be a no-no but is fine as long as it relates to business or professional development. Outright political hate speech or agenda pushing is not okay but explaining how a policy affects your business is great educational content. 13. Sales only posts If all your posts are about buying from me, listen to this, or your next sale, you will not get any traction or attention on LinkedIn. What other #LinkedInTips do you have?

Don't be the type of "professional" who drops links to your products or services - or other self-promotional items - on someone else's LinkedIn post. Engaging in this behavior is akin to walking on stage and taking the mic out of someone's hand during their keynote address. It's never appropriate, unless someone's post explicity invites you to share this kind of information about yourself. You might think it's a good way to get the word out about your products or services, but it speaks volumes about your lack of professional ethics.

𝐀 𝐃𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞: 𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐮𝐭 It is so surprising the number of messages I receive by someone who clearly hasn’t taken the time to look at my profile further than seeing my job title. As a “Director” for a company called THOMAS Freight I am always likely to receive a few messages asking where I need my freight moved. But this could quite easily be avoided by reading some of my posts, looking at my experience or even my tag line “Freight Forwarding Recruitment Expert”. It’s such an easy way to lose all credibility before the conversation even starts. I’ve never continued a conversation past these messages. Before you reach out to someone take 5 minutes to research the person you’re speaking with. This also is such an easy thing to do prior to a sales call or even a job interview! A few points which I recommend to candidates who are interviewing which could also work in your business development or pitch calls are; ✅ - Check their LinkedIn profile – What’s their current role? What’s their background? Any mutual connections? ✅ - Read their recent posts – What are they talking about? What do they care about? ✅ - Look at their company page – What’s happening in their business? Any major news or trends? ✅ - Find common ground – Shared interests, past experiences, or even a simple "I saw your recent post on LinkedIn" can go a long way. Doing this sets you apart. It shows respect, builds rapport, and increases the chances of a conversation lasting more than one message! In a world where people are constantly bombarded with cold outreach, a little research goes a long way. See a photo of a message I received today where someone is very impressed with the work I’ve been doing as a Lawyer…. 🤣 📖 #LinkedIn #outreach #recruitment