Earlier this year I had my first networking call with a LinkedIn connection and I was really nervous. Am I crazy? What sort of questions should I ask? Well they think I'm boring? Why did they say yes to speaking with me? How did I get manage to get myself in this situation? What if my nerves get the best of me and I sound like fumbling fool by stuttering on my words? Whether it's in-person or virtual, it can definitely be nerve-racking meeting with a peer or colleague that you don't know well or at all.
Before the call, I buckled down, studied this person's LinkedIn profile, and tailored my thoughts with questions and topics. For months, I had slowly been building confidence by following like-minded creators and accounts I admired. I turned to these knowledgeable creators to calm my nerves and prepare for the call.
@dearfuturemarketer is managed by Isobel, a personal brand manager dedicated to helping you take control of your career through LinkedIn and personal branding
@prettylittlemarketer is an amazing community founded by Sophie to aid marketers, entrepreneurs, and freelancers who are trying to learn and survive in the world of social media marketing
@thefairyjobmother is your one stop shop for all things career and progression! Shoshanna founded the platform out of frustration with the lack of relevant career guidance and available to young people post-school and university.
The call gave me so much confidence and I'm ready to build more meaningful connections on LinkedIn. For the past 1-2 years, I’ve steadily gotten better at using LinkedIn to connect with passionate people in the marketing/communications and personalizing my invites—shout out to Sophie Miller of Pretty Little Marketer for help with that bit! Following accounts like the amazing ones above, joining Facebook groups, and subscribing to newsletters has inspired me to grow and be more confident navigating the industry.