Chapter 5

Growing Your Network

IN THIS CHAPTER

check Discovering the keys to a meaningful network

check Using the best strategies for expanding your network

check Sending connection requests

check Weeding out connections

check Dealing with invitations

Maybe by now, you’ve signed on to LinkedIn, created your profile, searched through the network, and started inviting people to connect to you — and you’re wondering, what’s next? You certainly shouldn’t be sitting around on your hands, waiting for responses to your invitations. LinkedIn is designed to open doors to opportunities using the professional relationships you already have (and, with luck, by creating new ones). The best use of it, therefore, is to capture as much of your professional network as possible in the form of first-degree connections to your LinkedIn network so that you can discover inside leads as well as friends of friends who can help you.

In this chapter, I discuss how you can grow your LinkedIn network and offer guidelines to keep in mind ...

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