How Nurses Can Network on LinkedIn

Whether you’re a seasoned nurse or a new graduate, you can use LinkedIn to make connections and showcase your knowledge and experience on a global scale.

“LinkedIn is one big networking event,” says Zach Smith, BSN, RN, a healthcare entrepreneur who serves as an advisor to HealthStream, which develops software for the healthcare industry. Every connection is an additional seat in your audience.”

“The more people who know who you are and what your story is,” Smith says, “the more likely you’ll be connected with your next dream role.” 

Here are 10 tips for promoting your nursing experience and skills and networking on LinkedIn: 

Many job seekers on LinkedIn leave their summaries blank, but you’ll miss a huge opportunity if you skip this section on your profile. Use your summary to tell your story, not just as a nurse but as a compassionate, driven person. 

Many job seekers on LinkedIn leave their summaries blank, but you’ll miss a huge opportunity if you skip this section on your profile.

People remember and internalize stories over facts,” says Smith. “Think about your career, where you’ve been, what you’ve accomplished, where you’re going, and craft a story around that journey.”

“There’s no need to exaggerate,” Smith says, “but be selective about the pieces of information you share and consider whether those build upon your story in a meaningful way. When your story resonates with others, they’ll be more likely to remember you in the future when an opportunity comes calling.”

Since LinkedIn is a virtual networking site, having a clear, professional-looking photo of yourself is important. LinkedIn profiles with photos receive 21 times more engagement and 9 times as many connection requests as those that don’t, according to LinkedIn. 

You don’t necessarily need to hire a professional photographer, but make sure your image:

• Isn’t blurry, grainy, pixelated, or out of focus
• Shows your face looking directly into the camera
• Has a solid or non-white background if possible
• Captures you from the waist up

Your LinkedIn profile contains several sections, including:

• About
• Experience
• Education
• Volunteer Experience
• Endorsements

To give people the best snapshot of your career, skills, and interests, it’s best to fill out as many sections as you can. 

Once you’ve added a profile photo and a summary, add your past and current nursing positions, your licenses and certifications, any volunteering you’ve done, and up to 50 skills. You can also add honors or awards you’ve earned and publications you’ve written for or have been featured in to further burnish your credentials.

Your headline on LinkedIn can speak to more than just your job title. You can also add phrases that describe the depth of your experience such as RN leader or patient advocate. Not only can this paint a fuller picture of you for potential connections and employers but it may also help you appear in more search results. 

An endorsement is a vote of confidence in your skills and competence. Once you’ve added skills to your profile, ask your coworkers and supervisors to endorse them. You can choose to display your skills in a specific order so that your most important or most endorsed skills appear first. 

Recommendations are a strong way to showcase your trustworthiness and capabilities as a nurse to future employers. Reach out to any past colleagues or supervisors who you feel would give you a great recommendation. You can do this right from LinkedIn through the recommendation feature, or you can send a direct message or personalized email.

Recommendations are a strong way to showcase your trustworthiness and capabilities as a nurse to future employers.

Once you have a few recommendations, you can choose which ones you want to show on your profile page.  

LinkedIn can be a powerful way to stay in touch with people you’ve worked with and find new connections. Start by adding your past and present colleagues or classmates.

You can also send connection requests to acquaintances or people you’d like to network with. When sending connection requests, be sure to be courteous and respectful, never pushy or demanding. It’s a good practice to personalize a request and tell someone why you’d like to connect with them.

Remember that a bigger network doesn’t necessarily mean better. Your LinkedIn network should be substantial enough to provide meaningful advice, mentorship, friendship, and of course, jobs leads, but you should also curate and personalize it.

Comment on posts that resonate with you professionally, and post content yourself. You may want to write an article about an aspect of nursing you’re passionate about or share someone else’s article.

“Every comment is a handshake and you dropping off your business card,” says Smith. “Every like, share, and post is an impression you are making to those on the other side. Meet and chat with as many people as you can.”

Comment on posts that resonate with you professionally, and post content yourself. You may want to write an article about an aspect of nursing you’re passionate about or share someone else’s article.

Just like Facebook, LinkedIn includes nursing groups that you can join based on a career path or professional interest such as pediatric nursing or oncology nursing. These groups can be a great way to connect with like-minded professionals, find job opportunities, and get advice and insights. 

To find groups to join, use the search bar and type in a query. The query can be as general as “nursing” or as specific as “forensic nurse.” Once the page loads, select the “Groups” tab.

Giving endorsements and recommendations to colleagues you’ve worked with is just as important as receiving them. Not only will it strengthen your existing relationships, but your name will also appear on their profiles, giving you more visibility across the platform.