In the past, many folks have asked me “What’s your purpose for getting on LinkedIn?” That’s still the right question—but the answers have evolved. Today, LinkedIn isn’t just a place to find a job or build a contact list. It’s a platform for:
- Shaping professional narratives
- Building coalitions across disciplines
- Amplifying advocacy and thought leadership
- Creating visibility for systemic change
If you’re still using LinkedIn like a digital Rolodex, you’re missing its real power.
🧠 Building Your Network: Build with intentionality.
The old advice—invite people you know, scan their profile, send a welcome message—is fine for beginners. But for professionals driving change, it’s not enough.
- Use LinkedIn’s search filters to find people by role, location, or shared interests (e.g., “fire service psychologist,” “IAFF local president,” “trauma-informed clinician”).
- Send contextual connection requests: “I’m working on outreach for the FSPA conference and saw your work on firefighter peer support—would love to connect.”
- Track connections using relationship notes or external tools like Notion or Airtable if LinkedIn’s CRM features feel clunky.
This isn’t just networking—it’s coalition-building.
🏷️ Use external tools or LinkedIn’s search features.
- Create a spreadsheet or CRM-style database with categories like “Union Leaders,” “Clinician Trainers,” “Conference Speakers.”
- Use LinkedIn’s Saved Searches and Boolean search to find and re-engage specific segments.
- For messaging, consider LinkedIn Groups, Newsletter subscribers, or private message threads with curated cohorts.
If you’re serious about outreach, you need systems that scale.
🌐 Promoting Your Public Profile: Still Relevant, But Not Enough
Creating a custom URL and adding it to your email signature is table stakes. What matters more now is how your profile performs in search and how it converts visitors.
Modern tactics:
- Optimize your headline and About section with keywords relevant to your advocacy (e.g., “fire service mental health,” “culturally competent clinician training”).
- Use Featured Content to showcase blog posts, conference materials, or scenario-based visuals.
- Publish LinkedIn Newsletters to build a subscriber base around your work.
Your public profile should be a landing page for your mission—not just a résumé.
📡 Staying in Touch: Alternate approach: Build a rhythm.
- Use tools like Calendly or Loom to send personalized video updates to key contacts.
- Create a monthly outreach plan: one post, one comment, one direct message to each priority segment.
- When someone views your profile, don’t just say “Hi”—ask what drew them in, and offer something of value (e.g., “Would you like a copy of our latest training scenario?”).
Networking is not just about being remembered—it’s about being relevant.
🧭 Final Thought: LinkedIn Is a Platform, Not a Strategy
Back in the day–2013 to be exact–me and many others viewed LinkedIn as a tool to be mastered. But in 2025, it’s more like a stage. You’re not just connecting—you’re performing, publishing, and positioning.
So instead of asking “What can LinkedIn do for me?” ask:
- “What conversations do I want to lead?”
- “What visibility do I need to drive change?”
- “Who needs to hear my message—and how do I reach them?”
Join the conversation