Reaching Out on LinkedIn

Optimizing your LinkedIn Profile is important for showcasing yourself to any recruiter or employer. However, you can do more than passively wait for someone else to reach out.

After improving your LinkedIn Professional Profile, connect with other industry professionals via LinkedIn to set up an informational interview, learn about a position, or build new professional relationships.

Example LinkedIn Conversation

Platforms like LinkedIn make it easy for people to find and connect with each other. When you connect with someone, make sure to write a note in the request. You only have 300 characters in a connection request to make a first great impression. Below is an example of how you might request an informational interview.

Your invitation should always be polite, professional, and friendly!

Once they've accepted your invitation to connect, you can move forward with sending your request to meet for an informational interview.

Connection established! Now it's up to you to schedule a time to meet.

Don't forget: It's expected that one will receive connection requests through LinkedIn. There's no reason to think you're inconveniencing the other person. Like you, other people are interested in improving professionally, which can revolve around sharing their own experiences and knowledge or discussing current topics of interest in the industry.

Not sure how to start making connections? Review our advice in the Career Resource Center on how to successfully request and conduct an informational interview.

You may feel nervous or unsure at first, but with practice and frequent networking interactions, you will soon become a networking pro.