LinkedIn Tips for Sharing Your Work and Building Connections

LinkedIn Tips for Sharing Your Work and Building Connections

LinkedIn can sometimes feel a little intimidating. It can seem like a place where everyone is perfectly polished, constantly posting, and always saying exactly the right thing. If that has ever made you hesitate to post, or left you wondering what is even worth sharing, you are definitely not alone.

That is one reason NACCU’s recent webinar on LinkedIn best practices was so helpful. Julie Bannister from the University of Pittsburgh shared practical tips to help NACCU members use LinkedIn in a way that actually feels useful.

One of the biggest takeaways was that LinkedIn does not have to be all or nothing. You do not need to post every day. You do not need a perfectly crafted personal brand. And importantly, you do not need to sound like everyone else. What matters most is having a presence that feels genuine.

It starts with your profile. Keeping your photo, headline, summary, and experience up to date helps people understand who you are and what you do. It also makes it easier for others in the industry to find you, especially if your work touches areas like campus credentials, dining, housing, mobility, access, or auxiliary services more broadly.

LinkedIn is not just for job searching. It can also be a place to share work you are proud of, celebrate your team, stay connected, and learn from others across higher education and the campus card industry.

A lot of people overthink LinkedIn, but it doesn't have to be complicated. Some of the best content is simple and clear, such as:

• A short reflection after a conference or meeting
• A team achievement or a brag about a co-worker
• A new project or an update on an ongoing project
• A campus improvement or campus news that affects your area 
• A photo from an event
• A post recognizing other departments or corporate partners.

These kinds of updates help tell the story of the work happening behind the scenes, and your posts make our entire industry more visible.

It's especially relevant for NACCU members, because so much important work happens every day that is never seen or understood outside your office. LinkedIn can be one way to change that. It gives you a chance to connect your work to larger conversations happening across the field and higher education.

Something that often gets overlooked is engagement. Liking, commenting on, and sharing posts from colleagues helps build relationships and creates a stronger sense of community. 

Another consideration is analytics. While numbers are not everything, they can help you understand what kinds of posts are resonating and who is seeing them. That can be useful if you are trying to learn what others care about or what kinds of updates are worth sharing more often. 

Here are a few of the practical tips from the webinar:

• Keep your profile current. Make sure your photo, headline, summary, and experience reflect the work you are doing now.

• Use language that matches your role and expertise. Keywords matter, especially if you want others in your field to find you.

• Post with purpose. You do not need to post all the time, but when you do, share something meaningful.

• Keep it simple. A short, clear post often works better than something long and overworked.

• Think about who you want to see your post. Small changes in wording, tags, and hashtags can help the right people see your post.

• Engage with others. Commenting on and sharing colleagues’ posts is just as important as publishing your own.

• Use analytics as a guide. Pay attention to what is getting traction so you can better understand what resonates.

• Protect your access. If you use a work email on LinkedIn, it is smart to add a personal email too.

LinkedIn can simply be a space to stay connected, share good work, and support the people and ideas that matter to you. That may be the best way to think about it... It's yet another way to participate in your professional community.

Watch the webinar here: