LinkedIn and Your CRE Career

In general, the CRE industry is slow to pick up on social trends. That doesn’t mean you have to fall behind.

You probably already know the basics of what LinkedIn is; however, did you know that 433 million people in the world use it? 433 million people with an interest in business are located on this platform, and you should be one of those people. Below are five major reasons CRE professionals should invest time into building a strong LinkedIn presence.

1. Stay Top-of-Mind. LinkedIn profiles give you exposure to the business world, and the more active you are, the more your name will be displayed. This doesn’t mean you should post constantly or connect with every name that comes across your screen; however, being active on LinkedIn is a great way to make sure your name is kept top-of-mind with your peers and potential clients.

2. Show Off. Your LinkedIn profile showcases everything that’s great about you as a professional. Listing your skills, experience, and scoring recommendations and endorsements will make you stand out on LinkedIn; this way, when a potential client or employer looks you up, they’ll see only the best about you.

3. Be Trustworthy. Your LinkedIn profile should show potential clients that you are a trustworthy individual who can guide them through the complex world of CRE. Recommendations are perhaps the greatest way to build trust. For example, consider a potential office tenant who wants to know more about a property manager at a certain location. This tenant can Google that manager and then be led to his or her LinkedIn profile. If the tenant sees that the manager has several positive recommendations from former tenants who are willing to vouch for the manager’s expertise, then the potential tenant will know this manager is an individual worth trusting and be more likely to move into that manager’s particular property.

4. Find the Right People. LinkedIn offers more than profile browsing; the site also boasts a job search platform. If you are looking to hire for a certain position, having individuals apply through LinkedIn makes it easy to view their profiles and see if they’re equipped for the position you need filled.

5. Position Yourself as a Thought Leader. If you’ve never heard the term “thought leadership,” it simply means being the individual that other professionals view as an expert, or thought leader. People achieve thought leader status by sharing information that others read or hear. LinkedIn’s Pulse platform allows you to post articles that others are able to read, like, and share. Sharing content via LinkedIn Pulse will further your position as a thought leader in your industry, much like writing a blog or hosting a podcast.

Though this article focuses on reasons to join LinkedIn, joining in itself does not make you a star. Joining LinkedIn is easy; creating a stellar profile takes a bit of time. Joining LinkedIn means putting yourself on display. Be sure that you’re displayed as a professional who knows the ins and outs of your industry.