Do you have an active network of LinkedIn connections? Do you know that you have a “legacy of goodwill” with them?
Most importantly, by learning how to network on LinkedIn, your “legacy of goodwill” can help boost your career!
What Is a “Legacy of Goodwill”?
A “legacy of goodwill” is the positive reputation you build through meaningful interactions and mutual support over time. It’s the foundation of trust that encourages others to advocate for you, recommend you, or offer opportunities.
Learning how to network on LinkedIn is a powerful way to nurture this legacy by maintaining connections, celebrating shared achievements, and showing genuine interest in others’ success.
Whether it’s a former colleague reaching out with a new opportunity or a team member vouching for your expertise, your “legacy of goodwill” can open doors and boost your career in unexpected ways.
During a coaching session with a client, we talked about how most jobs get filled by someone helping someone else network in. Two years later she wrote me and said:
“You put a name to something that I was not ever able to articulate. You told me that I had established a ‘legacy of goodwill,’ which I had always dismissed and devalued as people just giving me jobs because they liked me.
Thank you for validating a ‘legacy of goodwill’ as something that should be valued and appreciated, and as an actual trait that others might be seeking in the workplace.”
Why is a “Legacy of Goodwill” Important?
A legacy of goodwill is important because it reflects the trust, respect, and positive relationships you’ve cultivated over time. This goodwill often leads to opportunities, such as referrals, recommendations, or collaborations, that can propel your career forward. By consistently showing integrity and supporting others, you build a reputation that opens doors and strengthens your professional network.
How to network on LinkedIn by leveraging this “Legacy of Goodwill”?
- Study your LinkedIn connections, person by person. Think about how and why you know each other. It will take you some time. Did you work on a project together two years ago? Was that person your boss? Learning how to network on LinkedIn can help you on your career path in more ways than one.
- Think about how that person might perceive you and how you perceive them. There should be goodwill between you or there would not be a LinkedIn connection.
- Over time, you have built a “legacy of goodwill” that you want to nurture and value. It will become the foundation of your effective use of networking to find a new job.
Over my time as a career and interview coach, I have seen examples of this over and over again.
One of my clients was part of a group of people who were laid off from a startup company. She stayed in touch with them through networking on LinkedIn. Three of them networked together and were being considered by a different startup company. She became the 4th person.
So the company had the opportunity to hire a small group of employees who already knew how to work as a team. There was a legacy of goodwill built up over time that made networking successful.
Also, you might have worked well with someone at one company. When that person went to a different company, they might have then recruited you to follow them because it would be a smart career move. This is another example of how to network on LinkedIn because you can stay up to date on career moves your connections are making.
That person could vouch for you with other people involved in the hiring process. You also could have an advantage of receiving inside information on why it would be a good opportunity for you.
When I write someone’s resume, I always ask how the person got each new job. It is always much stronger to write: “RECRUITED to fill xxxx job” rather than “HIRED to fill xxxx job”.
It is proof that there is a legacy of goodwill between former colleagues and that networking on LinkedIn with the people you already know can help you in your career. That is what drives effective networking between people. That is a good way for people to get new jobs!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to network on LinkedIn, your job search or career transition, I’d love to help! Schedule a free consultation with me.