CHAPTER 20

What to Say When You’re Reaching Out to Someone on LinkedIn

by Kristi DePaul

Sure, LinkedIn may lack the lighthearted user experience of other social platforms, but it’s an essential tool for expanding your network. It offers the opportunity to track trends, make meaningful connections, and maintain a curated digital résumé that recruiters and potential employers can easily access and review.

If you’ve been hesitant to reach out to people on LinkedIn, or if you’ve been reaching out and not hearing back, there are strategies you can use to increase your chances. But first, let’s look at some common mistakes you might be making:

  • You don’t know what you want. Have you thought about why you’re reaching out to someone? Are you seeking ...

Get HBR Guide to Smarter Networking (HBR Guide Series) now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.