Are you following companies on LinkedIn?
If you are, I have good news and bad news.
The Good News
LinkedIn surveyed people who follow companies. They found 70% of them do so because they’re interested in working at the companies they follow.
Ever the enterprising service provider, LinkedIn built a feature into LinkedIn Recruiter that lets subscribers find the people who follow their company.
Thus, to the extent companies you follow use Recruiter, you will be identified to them as a warm recruiting lead.
The Bad News
When you follow a company, anyone who can see your profile, which is everyone (aka your boss) if you have an open profile, can see which companies you follow.
Unlike groups, which LinkedIn lets you hide from your profile, you can’t hide information about which companies you follow.
What to Do?
Use your judgment:
- On the upside, you might get your dream company’s attention by following them.
- On the downside, if that would annoy your boss, you might create a problem for yourself.
If you think your boss might be bothered, try one of these options:
- Follow your dream companies and some random decoy companies. Make it hard to see a pattern.
- Feign ignorance if your boss asks you about any of your follows.
- Respond with a casual, straightforward approach. Simply say, “Oh yeah, I am.” Then shift the conversation.
Conclusion & More
If I had a company(s) I wanted to work for, I’d rather be a warm lead than an unknown any day. I’d think about a strategy for an inquisitive boss and get my following on!
Let’s Connect on LinkedIn
Please don’t hesitate to invite me to connect on LinkedIn here. The more I know about my readers, the better I can make my blog.
Updated August 2018
© 2015 – 2020, Donna Svei. All rights reserved.
Donna Svei, an executive resume writer and former C-level executive, retained search consultant, and CPA, authors all of AvidCareerist’s posts. She has written for and been quoted by 100+ business, general, and career media outlets, including Forbes, Mashable, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, the New York Times, USA Today, Time, CBS, the BBC, Lifehacker, Social Media Today, IT World, SmartBrief, Payscale, Business News Daily, and the Muse.
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