Wondering About LinkedIn? Here Are 4 Common Questions Answered

The idea of networking can intimidate anyone, especially fresh college graduates looking to kickstart their careers. Whether it’s through LinkedIn or face-to-face interaction, connecting with total strangers who could propel you forward professionally can be an unnerving prospect. It takes serious communication skills and professionalism to develop high-quality contacts, but the career benefits are incredible.

If you’re seriously looking for a job, LinkedIn can help you greatly with networking as long as you dedicate enough time to developing your profile. If you put together a superior profile and make the effort to update it regularly, LinkedIn can open up opportunities to connect with people in your industry, land new jobs, and climb up the career ladder. Of course, you’ll need a top-notch resume to accompany any job applications that result from your LinkedIn networking, but that shouldn’t be a problem—all you have to do is reach out to our resume-writing experts.

All of this sounds great, but there are some common concerns and questions that can keep professionals from making the most of this platform. Let’s address them so you can move confidently ahead. 

1. Does LinkedIn put my privacy at risk?

With any social media platform, privacy is often the number one concern. Having random people view your profile can be a little unsettling. While that’s a valid concern, LinkedIn allows users to decide how much information they share with the public, so you can determine what people see. You can designate certain pieces of information for public viewing while making other data accessible only to your connections. Knowing that your privacy is in your hands can help you overcome this common fear.

Of course, this raises additional privacy concerns when connecting with people you don’t know. At some point, someone unfamiliar will view your profile and request to connect with you. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing personal information with a stranger, don’t accept their request—just trust your gut. Is rejecting a connection request rude? The other person could think so, but it doesn’t matter—it’s your profile, and you’re never obliged to share your personal information with people you’re not comfortable with. You’re in control of your own privacy! 

2. Do I need to update my profile frequently?

One common question relates to the amount of time you should spend on your LinkedIn profile. A widespread misconception is that once you set it up, you don’t have to revisit it, but that’s definitely not true.

Just as you should periodically update your resume, you should keep your LinkedIn profile current, adding new skills, work experience, and more as it accrues. If you’re serious about finding a job, you should frequently look at your profile and find ways to improve it. If you don’t spend time on it, recruiters won’t pay any attention to you. In fact, they may see your profile, assume it’s inactive, and never visit it again.

3. How many connections do I need?

Another common question pertains to the number of connections you should make on LinkedIn. At its core, this platform isn’t a job search site—it’s primarily a networking venue. It’s not about how many connections you have but their quality. In other words, forget about the number and focus on matching your qualifications with companies that might actually hire you. If you highlight your passion and skills to the right people, your connections will be more meaningful. After all, it doesn’t matter how many you have if they don’t offer any value.

4. Will my profile get me in trouble with my current employer?

What if your current employer finds out that you have a LinkedIn profile? This is a major concern that can keep people from reaping the immense benefits of LinkedIn. However, remember that LinkedIn is not a job search site! It is simply a platform for professionals to share their work history, skills, and other information. 

You can connect with others in your industry, discover trade events, and seize opportunities to improve your skills and knowledge, so your boss may even be pleased you have an active profile. At the end of 2022, LinkedIn had about 875 million registered users, which means your supervisors most likely have profiles as well! Don’t let that scare you off, either—you can adjust your settings to ensure your boss can’t access your profile or see that you’re trying to land a new job.

Joining such a large social networking platform as LinkedIn inevitably raises questions and concerns. Whether that’s your privacy, the amount of time you should dedicate to your profile, the number of connections you should make, or the impact it could have on your current job, you can deal with any uncertainties by taking charge of your profile and setting boundaries. Your successful use of LinkedIn may result in a stream of new job opportunities, so make sure you’re ready—contact our experts to get a professionally written resume ready to submit.