Open Networking on Linked-In

A lot of people don't realize that your ability to search profiles on Linked-In is primarily limited by the size of your network. You may only view a full profile through the search tool if that person is connected to you at the third degree, or closer.

If your goal is to grow the number of profiles you may search, and to increase your own visibility in other people's searches, then you should consider becoming an open networker.

The most effective way to grow your third tier network is to connect yourself on the first tier level with individuals who have many connections. These super-connectors are not hard to find: Simply visit a resource like TopLinked and peruse the list of the most "connected" people on Linked-In. Take a few minutes to browse some of their profiles and determine whether and how they may be interested in linking with you.

Most of the top linked individuals on the network are open networkers and will gladly accept your invitation, but it's always good policy to review their profile and make sure before you fire one off.

Another excellent way to rapidly grow your network is to join an open networkers group such as the Linked-In Open Networkers, which you've likely seen in profiles as [LION]. By registering as a [LION] you'll get access to hundreds of other open networkers, and have the option to have your contact information included on distribution lists as well. In this way, you can rapidly expand your first tier network by hundreds of connections within 72 hours. Simply upload the document to Linked-In and send out invitations identifying yourself as a fellow [LION].

IMPORTANT: Do yourself a favor and change your Linked-In communications settings to limit the amount of email this will cause. You should also set up some inbox filters to properly route (read: delete) the confirmation messages of all the people who accept your request. Failure to do so will result in impressive amounts of spam.