Up to 70% of jobs in India are filled through networking and referrals — many roles are never posted on public job boards. LinkedIn networking is about building genuine professional relationships that naturally create career opportunities over time.
Connection strategy: Don't randomly connect with everyone. Target: 1) Professionals in your target role/company, 2) Recruiters specializing in your industry, 3) Alumni from your college, 4) Speakers and thought leaders in your domain, and 5) Former colleagues. Send personalized connection requests — a note explaining why you want to connect gets 3x higher acceptance rates. Aim for 5-10 quality connections per week.
Engagement strategy: Daily, spend 10-15 minutes on LinkedIn: like 3-5 relevant posts, leave 1-2 thoughtful comments (not just 'Great post!'), and share/repost content with your perspective. Weekly, publish 1-2 posts of your own: project learnings, industry observations, or career insights. This consistent engagement makes your name familiar to your network before you ever need to ask for help.
Conversion strategy: Once you've built rapport through engagement (2-4 weeks of interaction), you can reach out naturally. Instead of 'I need a job,' try: 'I've been following your insights on cloud architecture. I'm exploring senior cloud roles — would you be open to a 15-minute chat about the landscape at [Company]?' This consultative approach is far more effective than transactional requests.
The hidden job market: When you're well-networked, opportunities come to you. Managers often ask their network 'Know anyone good for this role?' before posting publicly. Being active and visible on LinkedIn ensures your name comes up in those conversations.