LinkedIn is the go-to professional networking platform, but are you really making the most of it? Sure, you’ve optimised your profile and connected with colleagues and industry peers. But the platform offers several lesser-known features that can seriously up your LinkedIn game. Let’s take a look at them.
1. Hide your identity when viewing profiles
LinkedIn’s profile viewing notifications are both a blessing and a curse. If you scope out potential employers or connections often but don’t usually want them to know, LinkedIn’s private mode lets you view profiles anonymously.
To enable this stealth mode, head to your settings, select “Visibility,” and choose to view profiles in private mode.
2. Record your name’s pronunciation
First impressions matter, and nothing kills a solid introduction like butchering someone’s name. But with LinkedIn’s name pronunciation feature, you can avoid any awkward mispronunciations by recording your name.
Just head to your profile, hit “Edit,” and select “Add Name Pronunciation.” After recording your name (and maybe a friendly greeting), anyone can tap the speaker icon to hear you introduce yourself properly. It’s a small touch, but it shows you mean business.
3. Hide your connections
Your network is your net worth, as they say. If you’re not keen on competitors trying to poach your precious connections, you can choose to hide that info from prying eyes. This is especially important if you’re in the PR industry where your connections are your most valuable resource.
Under your settings, navigate to “Visibility” and then “Connections” to adjust who can view your list of links. You can make them visible only to yourself or to your existing connections – it’s your call.
4. Export your connections
On the flip side, maybe you want to upload your network elsewhere – perhaps a content management system. Or maybe you simply need them in a formatted list so that you can refer to them more easily. LinkedIn lets you export your connections into a neat little spreadsheet, complete with names, companies, and email addresses.
Just visit your “Connections” page, click “Manage” contacts, and select “Export contacts.” You can even filter the list before downloading, so you only grab the details you need.
5. Save your searches
If you are on a job hunt, you’re likely running the same searches daily. Typing those searches out manually and setting filters each time can be quite tedious though. Thankfully, LinkedIn offers a handy way to save your searches so that you can look the same stuff up quickly the next time.
After inputting your search criteria, simply hit “Save search” to bookmark those parameters. You can even opt for weekly or monthly email reminders if any new results match your saved inquiries.
6. Take advantage of advanced search
LinkedIn’s standard search is solid, but the advanced options are where the real magic happens. With advanced filters for companies, industries, locations, and more, you can zero in on exactly who (or what) you’re looking for.
Let’s say you want to see if you have any connections at a particular company. Type the business into the “Company” field, then filter the results by “Relationship” to surface any tenuous links. It’s an incredibly handy way to uncover new opportunities and exploit the hidden potential of your network.
7. LinkedIn alumni tool
The Alumni Tool lets you explore what your former classmates and colleagues are up to these days, making it a prime opportunity for reconnecting and expanding your connections.
It’s simple to use: Type your school’s name into the LinkedIn search bar and select “Alumni.” From there, you can filter the results by where they work, what they do, and even where they’re located now.
