When your LinkedIn connections change jobs, that’s the perfect time to reconnect.
But you might not always be aware of the fact that a guy you know left one company and joined another, or that a former co-worker was laid off from her job in corporate and started her own business.
That’s why I love the helpful photo chart that LinkedIn emailed me this morning with the subject line, “Joan, 245 connections changed jobs in 2010. Did you reconnect?”
Here are nine ways to reconnect:
- Send one of your connections a personal email on LinkedIn acknowledging their job change and wishing them well in their new position this year.
- Write a recommendation for one or more people whose work you admire. But before you write it, email them, tell them what you want to do and ask if there’s a particular aspect of their work they’d like you to comment on. A keynote speaker, for example, might want you to comment on his excellent platform skills and his value to audiences and meeting planners.
- Reconnect by asking about their favorite LinkedIn groups.
- If you see that they use the Amazon reading app on their profile, ask a question about one of the books they’re reading, or a book they want to read.
- Offer to help them—for free. Everybody’s sick to death of being blasted by free commercials. So encourage your connections to call on you if they need help with (fill in the blank). Offering free advice positiions you as helpful, approachable and smart.
- Comment on something you see in her profile and ask her a question about it.
When I received this email from Linkedin I thought it was a good tool to reach out and have a talking point.
ReplyDeleteAlso I have heard of some people writing recommendations without permission...so I am glad you provided us tips on how to deal with that.