In the professional realm, expressing gratitude and thanks is a powerful tool for building meaningful connections and fostering a positive network. LinkedIn, the leading platform for professional networking, provides a unique space to showcase your skills and achievements and connect with others personally. Here’s a guide on effectively expressing gratitude and thanks on LinkedIn.
1. Support a Nonprofit:
If a nonprofit has a LinkedIn company page, volunteer with them and engage on their content. Repost their posts and especially support them financially on #GivingTuesday . As a 501(c)3, you can get a tax-deductible donation and appreciation if you invest your time, talent, and treasure, otherwise known as work, wisdom, and wealth.
2. Personalize Connection Requests:
When sending connection requests, take a moment to add a personalized message. Click Connect (or More and Connect if you see a Follow button) and Add Note. Express your appreciation for the contact’s work or content you liked, or mention a specific accomplishment of theirs or what caught your attention and why you reached out. This gesture sets the tone for a positive and warm connection right from the start.
3. Thoughtful Endorsements:
Endorsements on LinkedIn are a way to acknowledge and validate your connections’ skills. Take the time to endorse others for skills you genuinely believe they possess. A thoughtful endorsement serves as an action showing gratitude and also helps strengthen your professional relationship.
4. Engage with Content:
Be active in your network by engaging with the content shared by others. Like, comment, and share posts that resonate with you. A simple comment expressing your gratitude for the insights shared or the value of the content can go a long way in building a positive rapport. Your commenting strategy may be as important as your posting strategy for visibility, discoverability, and credibility.
5. Recommendations and Testimonials:
Providing a recommendation (a written testimonial) to a first-level connection is a direct way to express gratitude on LinkedIn. If you have worked with someone or experienced their expertise from speaking, writing, volunteering, or working with them, take the initiative to write a recommendation. Highlight specific achievements and qualities that make them stand out.
6. Public Appreciation Posts:
Create posts expressing gratitude for colleagues, mentors, or anyone who has positively impacted your professional journey. Use this opportunity to acknowledge their contributions and the value they bring publicly. Tagging them in the post ensures they receive a notification and strengthens the connection. If they have a LinkedIn company page relevant to the post, tag that also.
7. Celebrate Milestones:
LinkedIn notifies users when their connections celebrate work anniversaries, achieve career milestones, or earn certifications. Please take a moment to congratulate them on these occasions. It shows that you are actively engaged in their professional journey and genuinely care about their success. If you like to have an attaboy or attagirl and receive recognition, so do others.
8. Private Messages of Thanks:
While public acknowledgments are impactful, sending a private message can be equally meaningful. Take the time to craft a personalized message or send a voice or video direct message expressing your gratitude for a recent collaboration, advice, or support. Be specific about how their actions made a difference for you.
9. Participate in LinkedIn Groups:
Joining and actively participating in relevant LinkedIn groups allows you to connect with professionals in your industry. Engage in discussions, offer insights, and express appreciation for the contributions of others. This engagement helps you build a positive reputation and also opens the door for more personalized connections.
10. Gratitude in Job Recommendations:
If you have been able to recommend someone for a job, express your gratitude for their contributions within the recommendation. Highlight specific examples of their skills and qualities that impressed you. This testimonial benefits the individual and reflects on your ability to recognize talent.
11. Be Genuine and Sincere:
Authenticity is vital when expressing gratitude on LinkedIn. Be genuine in your interactions, and avoid generic or automated messages. People appreciate sincerity, and a heartfelt expression of thanks is more likely to be well-received.
Leveraging LinkedIn to express gratitude and thanks is courteous and contributes to the development of a robust professional network. These gestures, whether public or private, help build a positive online presence and contribute to the overall success of your professional relationships.
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AUTHOR BIO
Lynne M. Williams is the Executive Director of the Great Careers Network, a volunteer-run 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides career development and networking connections for 1) job seekers in career transition, including veterans, and 2) employed and self-employed for career management.
Aside from writing keyword-focused content for ATS resumes and LinkedIn™ profiles, Lynne is currently writing her doctoral dissertation on LinkedIn™ for Job Seekers. She is a contributing author on “Applying to Positions” in Find Your Fit: A Practical Guide to Landing the Job You Love, along with the late Dick Bolles, the author of What Color is Your Parachute?, and is also a speaker on career topics.
This article is also published on: vista.today, montco.today, delco.today, bucksco.today, philadelphia.today and in the author’s LinkedIn newsletter. A list of articles can also be found in a Google doc.
