In this report:

In order to understand what TO do, let's first consider what you should NOT do. 

When writing up your summary statement for your profile, you do NOT want to re-write your resume and post it.  You must consider your profile as one of the most important advertisements or marketing pieces for yourself that you'll ever create. 

Thus, what you DO want to do is emphasize your powers.  What differences occur as a direct result from your contribution.  What magic do you make possible?  What are the significant differences between you and the other recruiters in your space?

We could spend a great deal of time on this, but let's just focus on one other element.  Speak to me.  That's right, make it personal, even one-to-one.  When you write your summary of what you've done and what your powers are, simply tell me who you are, straight, clear, direct and again, personally.  I want to feel the reality of you yourself when I read your summary.  Make me know you.  You can do it.  Just put your heart in and speak the truth, emphasizing your power and your spectacular achievements.  Impress me.

The basic idea that "more is better" surely dictates your goals here, no question. 

Still, you really don't just want large numbers.  Rather, you want connections to others that matter, and you want those people to see that you're connected to important people in their world, people that they want to be connected to as well. 

We'll work on this more as we develop our strategy, but tactically, simply think in terms of the hiring managers you serve and the candidates you place.  With every single serious conversation you have, it should be standard practice to send an invite and build your network.

One key tactic I can't recommend too strongly is the small amount of additional effort it takes to send a personalized message along with your invitation.  Sure, standard practice is to just send the pre-formatted invite that LinkedIn provides.  There's nothing "wrong" with that, per se.  But, admit it, its just so BORING. 

The smallest amount of personality and care will improve your results and build your reputation. 

Consider it this way.  Every single interaction, no matter how small, is actually a marketing moment.  Think how much money people pay to advertise at the Super Bowl; millions and millions.  Sure, LinkedIn is completely free.  But, the person you're communicating with has a precious commodity worth more than money they're investing, and that is time. 

You want to make every moment of time they spend with you, exposed to your micro-marketing messages, as jam packed with value as you can.  Even when sending an invite then, personalize it, and make them smile.

There is an ultimate rule here, and it is the same as drives success in any practice, and that is the rule of daily practice.  Do some, no matter how little, every day, no matter what. 

Do some what?  Well, in building your network, start sending out a few invitations to people, every single day. Open up your LinkedIn profile and look at it every single day.  Begin to learn what is going on at your Home page, as compared with your Profile.  There's a micro-blogging function at LinkedIn that holds gigantic power and potential for you.  Even if you don't know what that means, yet, look for the box that asks what you're working on right now, and begin imagining how you might answer that question. 

Oh, and by all means, study other peoples' profiles and network connections!  Get it?  Just do a little bit every single day and you'll be amazed at how rapidly and how deeply your learning kicks in.

There are seemingly infinite sources coaching basic social networking strategies, but a couple really do bear repeating, no matter how many times you might have seen this counsel. 

Perhaps the most basic of all is the Know, Like, Trust rule. 

People do business with others whom they comfortably know, personally like and actually trust.  So, if you don't know someone, you have to cross that bridge, before you hope they'll like or trust you.  You have to help them get to know you.  As you do, you have to find your social strengths and give them compelling reasons to like you.

This merits a bit of depth.  The best way to make people like you is to actually give them something of value.  When you encounter them, look at them as actual human beings.  This is the gift of recognition and respect.  When you find they need help, by all means offer them that help. 

But more, go the extra mile.  Be creative.  Invest the thought and effort to provide them with help that makes you memorable.  The more you truly give - and don't miss this part - and the less you expect in return, the more people will like you. 

What makes people hate you?  It is that icky, gooey feeling that you're always looking for an angle, never forgetting for a moment "what's in this for me?"!  Give it a rest.  It's old and boring and everyone hates it.  Go the other way.  Stop angling for yourself in everything you do.  Lighten up.  Have some fun.  Most of all, be clear that your objective is to really and actually help others. 

This giving without expectation of return is also how you build trust.  But the problem with that trust is that it tends to be personal and not professional. The reason is simple.  Professional trust is something we give to experts, not to nice guys. 

So, when you build trust, you have to keep in mind that the "like-factor" you're building will only get you so far, and then, professional trust has to be built before you can expect people to pave a path to your door.

Here, you have to gently slip from normal conversation into showing off your bells and whistles and amazing powers with, well, a bit of showmanship on the one hand, and a bit of assumptive confidence, even as you act a bit more humble than you really are, on the other. 

When it comes to professional conversation, humility is good, but it is not as good as confidence.  If you can pull off the balancing act of both, then you'll soon find business flowing your way.  But, don't worry about anything too complicated.  What you're looking for are opportunities to spotlight your skills, abilities and know-how.

In a future report, we'll dig into the kinds of discussion groups where the competitive shove and pull of winning the coveted status of "domain expert" is fought over most fiercely.  For now though, in building your LinkedIn strategy, you really have to find that moment where you can show the world precisely what your real strengths, powers and special knowledge are.  Meditate on that, and you'll soon find ample opportunities to demonstrate your many assets.