The Secret to Networking on LinkedIn for Health Information Management Professionals

In process, a Health Information Management professional must be able to establish a strong networking presence. Networking is selling who you are to potential clients, businesses, and your customer base. Long behind us are the days where we had to go door to door to network and “sell” ourselves. With the rise in social media platforms, LinkedIn has become the number one platform for professionals to connect with other professionals. If you are not familiar with this platform strictly created for the professional in you and by professionals like you, then in this article I will give you the secret to networking on this platform with strategy and intentionality. These tips will help get you into the right spaces with fortune 500 companies, recruiters, HR managers, Alumni, etc. Here you can connect with old friends and build new professional friendships. If you desire to excel in being or becoming an H.I.M professional, you must utilize and maximize all of the resources around that will help you to succeed. Keep reading and we will let you in on how to work within LinkedIn to help you maximize YOU!

What is Networking on LinkedIn

If you are just starting and trying to build your professional resume along with clientele as a Health Information Management professional, LinkedIn is the number one place to go. It is a platform for business professionals that can be accessed online or through their mobile app to help you manage your professional identity, previous work history. You can build new skill sets and increase your working portfolio. LinkedIn allows you to track and update your resume, work experience, and accomplishments. It is where you can go to establish yourself as an expert Health Information Management professional. You will be able to align your strengths and knowledge as an H.I.M professional to help build upon your current abilities while engaging with your peers to help you improve your opportunities to be interviewed or hired.

How does LinkedIn help with Networking?

The platform allows you to connect with and reach out to former employers or colleagues with whom you had a strong relationship while working for their companies. You can utilize your resume along with your personality to interact with present and future employers as well – build upon what you already know. Being authentic, simple, and honest with those you desire to connect with. This allows you to showcase who you are and what you bring to the table for recruiters or HR managers looking for an H.I.M professional for their businesses. You can also get access to internships or even courses and apprenticeships that can help you excel in your current role or improve your role to larger responsibilities. Sending messages and introducing yourself to recruiters, CEOs, HR managers, or business owners can help you build a strong clientele list or find you a lucrative position within the industry you are looking to work in. You can also freelance your skills and knowledge by setting your rates and attracting the clientele you desire. 

Should you Network through LinkedIn or email?

Connecting with people is one of the most important secrets in building a successful career in any industry. Networking should be an experience that helps you build upon the interpersonal strengths you already possess. Truthfully, it can be a tad overwhelming and even challenging at first to put yourself out there to strangers, but remember there is no one like you and there is no one that can do what you do to improve these businesses and their customer base.  

Your profile bio must jump off the page for potential employers, HR managers, and recruiters. With LinkedIn, you can establish new relationships and strengthen older ones. Staying connected with people you know allows them to introduce you to someone that can potentially be your next client or employer. Engaging with CEOs, recruiters, business owners, or Alumni can boost your confidence and clientele as a Health Information Management Professional. 

Another secret to becoming and staying successful is having an email list. Networking through email is one of the best-used practices by any major company, business, or entrepreneur. If you’ve already made connections with people then you already have an email list. As you grow, your email list should grow as well. The people that you have on your email list are your ride or dies. They have journeyed with you from day one and will continue to support you throughout your professional journey. Your email list will always invest into you, respond to your CTA’s (call to action), and connect you with new clientele and job references as long as what you are giving them aligns with what they are experiencing. Having a strong networking email list allows you to create strong engagement copies that increase your business and role as a Health Information Management professional.

Sample networking on LinkedIn message

There are some dos and don’ts of contacting professionals on the LinkedIn platform. Some don’ts would be, “Hi, my name is ____, I’m interested in your job posting. I’ve submitted my resume. When can we set up a time to meet for an interview? Or, “I noticed that you posted a job for an Insurance Claims Clerk. That fits my portfolio and I would love to work with your company.” These are all just bad ways to get a recruiter or HR manager remotely interested in you. Try these sample messages from thejub.com instead, and know that these are just to guide you. Your messages should be unique to you and tailored to who you are contacting. 

Hi (Recruiter). My name is (Name) and I’m a (Title). If you have a second, I would love the chance to discuss how my (Specific Skill) and experiences might match the (Job Title) I’ve applied for (If You Already Applied). Thanks for connecting and I hope you have a great day! 

 Hi (Recruiter). My name is (Name) and I’m a (Title). Just looking to connect and share with others in the industry at this time. I hope you have a great day! Thanks. 

Networking on LinkedIn for a job

LinkedIn has an Open to Work feature that allows you to connect with managers, recruiters, or HR publicly or privately. It lets them know that you are open and available for work. Other features such as live videos or even tutorials that you can do to offer your products and/or services can assist you with finding the work you want. Some newsletters and articles offer the latest information and facts that help you stay current about what is going on in your industry that can give you an advantage on what and how you can improve. Another secret to networking on LinkedIn would require you to be solutions-driven but also focused on the quality of what you bring and not the quantity of your work. People value quality over quantity. So, when you are interacting with potential employers through HR, recruiters, or even the CEOs themselves, here are a couple of things you absolutely should not do. 

Asking them to help you find work. That is not an HR manager’s or recruiter's job. Their job is to put you in touch with resources and job leads. It is up to you and only you to get hired. Or, having them to review your resume and help you improve that resume to get a job. That is not a sign of professional etiquette. If you need help with resume building, get in touch with a resume writer. Placing this request upon HR managers or others within the company would take up too much of their time and focus from their duties. 

Some other huge no-no's would be inquiring if they know the owners of the company. Although recruiters and HR managers can work closely with the CEOs and Supervisors, they are not obligated to put you in touch with them. Don’t pester them for jobs, interviews, or important emails and numbers of people within the company. It is very off-putting and will not move you up the hiring list- it will get your application and interview denied. You shouldn’t have to flatter, manipulate or conspire to get hired at your dream job. Your resume, personality, skill set, and integrity should be more than enough to get you hired. 

How to network on LinkedIn with Alumni 

If you want to network with former Alumni then the first thing you should do is join your alumni's network. You can do this by going to the group's directory on LinkedIn and search for your former high school or even college. Once you have joined, then you can search for members you may know, join their discussions and even see if they have job posts that may interest you. If there is a group manager you may want to introduce yourself to them so they know who you are and will welcome you with any questions you need answers to and even introduce you to other members in the group. After you have done this, you will want to join LinkedIn’s Alumni. This tool allows you to see where your fellow alumni live, work, and what they do. This tool will allow you to engage on a smaller or larger scale with fellow classmates. It also will give you the ability to narrow your search and tailor them to your goals as far as where you want to live and/or work. Finally, reach out to your Alumni – but do it with good intent. Alumni prefer to make contact with people they know or went to school with rather than a stranger. So introduce yourself, let them know that you have a particular university in common, and just ask for some advice or strategies. You don’t want to sound desperate. Your aim is to establish rapport and build on that relationship. 

How to network on LinkedIn for students

We’ve talked about how to utilize LinkedIn when you are already an established professional or looking to improve your professional portfolio, but what if you are a college student? According to forbes.com here are some simple ways you can network if you are a student and wanting to establish those connections that can help you gain an internship or future job. 

1. Your profile must be AMAZING, to say the least. Don’t gas yourself up to be all of these awesome things and you’re not able to deliver. Be authentic and utilize your creative writing skills to be truthful yet colorful at the same time. 
2. Utilize your contacts list and the people you may know feature on LinkedIn to connect with as many people as possible. If you truly do not know them or haven’t spoken to them in a while, I wouldn’t use them as a connection. Only engage with people you have a strong connection and rapport with. 
3. Once you have made a few connections a month, you can now target business professionals, industries, and companies that you are interested in working and partnering with. Make sure you are following advice on LinkedIn, such as using the “How You Connected” tool before you connect with anyone specifically. 
4. You can reach out to buffers or people who can connect you directly to the person or company you are desiring. For you, it would be best to connect with them offline and in their email because typically they are checking that more frequently or have an assistant who checks their emails for them. Make sure that you are not just emailing them to say hi, have a pretense in mind of why you sent the email and what you are hopefully wanting to happen after the connection is made. 
5. Repeat. Do it all over again until you have built your desired networking space and made the specific connections you want to make. The goal is to set yourself up for success once you have graduated college and are ready to move into your respective field as a Health Information Management Professional. 

I know putting yourself out there may be a scary place or experience, but how will you know if you don’t try. “Nobody ever excelled by putting themselves out there,” said no one ever! Not everyone you interact with will be responsive or receptive, but just keep being your authentic self. You can rest, but don’t quit! Everything else will come organically and in divine timing. Never rush your process and remain open to being teachable at all times, even in networking.

While you're at it, check out 5 Overlooked Industries for H.I.M. professionals to expand your network!

If you want to learn more about how to boost your visibility with networking, check out The Ultimate H.I.M. Job Search Strategy + LinkedIn Masterclass. In this self-paced masterclass, you will learn my secrets to increasing and leveraging your network on LinkedIn!

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Which networking strategy will you be using ? Let me know in the comments section below!