When Beth was little, she spent an entire summer trying to catch frogs in a creek behind her house.
Every day, she’d run out with her net, only to come back soggy and empty-handed. Then her older cousin visited. He crouched by the water, totally still, and waited. Within minutes, he caught a frog with his bare hands.
“You can’t just splash around hoping they jump into your net,” he said.
“You’ve got to know where they hang out—and then listen.”
And that, my friends, is your job on LinkedIn.
Stop Trying to Talk to Everyone
One of job seekers’ biggest mistakes is blasting out content or connection requests without knowing who they’re trying to reach.
LinkedIn is not a billboard—it’s a room full of conversations. If you don’t know which ones you want to be in, you’ll waste time yelling into the void.
So, who do you want to talk to?
Your Target Audience = Your Future Allies
These are the people who can help move your career forward:
🎯 People at your dream companies (especially in your desired department)
🎯 Peers in similar roles (who can share insights or introduce you to others)
🎯 Industry thought leaders (who shape the conversations you want to join)
🎯 Potential mentors, collaborators, or even clients
💡 Hint: It’s not just recruiters! In fact, most opportunities come through referrals and internal recommendations. Think more broadly.
How to Identify Your People
Here’s a roadmap to building your audience:
1. Make a List of 10–20 Target Companies
Choose based on values, industry, location, mission—whatever matters to you.
Need help? Ask ChatGPT:
“Give me 30 companies similar to [X company] based on culture, mission, and industry.”
2. Use LinkedIn’s Search Filters
Search by company → filter by department or job title.
Look for:
- People who do what you want to do
- People who manage people like you
- Alums from your school or former workplaces
3. Follow Strategic Hashtags
Find active content creators in your field using hashtags like #MedTechSales, #EdTech, #InclusiveHiring, or #SaaSLeadership.
Follow them. See who engages. Follow them, too. Now you’re building a circle.
(Note: There has been fluff about LinkedIn hashtags being “dead,” but I tested it, and you can still search for hashtags.)
The “Map Your Network” Method
🧠 Step 1: Write down the top 3 types of people you want to connect with (e.g., senior engineers at fintech startups, recruiters in healthcare, sales leads at SaaS companies).
🧩 Step 2: For each category, list:
- Where they work
- What challenges they might be facing
- What conversations they’re probably having
🌐 Step 3: Ask: Where are they already hanging out?
- Are they active on LinkedIn?
- Are they in Slack groups? Discord servers? Facebook groups?
- Do they speak at webinars or post on Substack?
This research gives you a strategy. Now you’re not just networking—you’re targeting with intention.
What to Do Once You Find Them
Now that you’ve found your people, don’t send a canned message that starts with “I’d love to add you to my network.”
(They’d love to delete that message.)
Instead:
- Follow them
- Comment meaningfully on their posts
- Mention shared interests, challenges, or insights
- Use their content as a launchpad for conversation
Think: value first, relationship later.
Real-Life Example
One of my clients was a customer success manager looking to transition into EdTech. We found 10 companies with active teams on LinkedIn. She started engaging with their content, especially posts from product managers and customer enablement leaders.
She wasn’t asking for anything. Just contributing thoughts and sharing her experience.
Guess what?
She got into a DM conversation that turned into a Zoom chat that turned into a referral that led to a #jobinterview. (Now I understand the meaning of the old lady who swallowed the fly!)
No cold applying. No resume black hole. Just smart engagement with the right people.
Final Thoughts
Networking isn’t about luck. It’s about strategy.
Before you post, before you comment, before you send that connection request—ask yourself:
⏩ Who do I want to know me?
⏩ What problems do they care about?
⏩ How can I show up as a helpful voice in their world?
When you know who you’re talking to, LinkedIn starts to feel like a community—not a popularity contest.
Need help mapping out your audience and finding the best ways to connect?
That’s my jam. Let’s make LinkedIn a place where your name rings bells.
💬 Reach out at www.kyladuffy.com. I’ll help you pinpoint your audience and create a strategy that builds meaningful connections—without burning you out.
