Making LinkedIn work for you: lessons from Socially Mobile’s Winter alumni lecture

Phil Szomszor’s Winter Socially Mobile alumni lecture made a compelling case for using LinkedIn with purpose.

LinkedIn is a tool many people use every day, but few are using it well. That was the starting point for Socially Mobile’s Winter alumni lecture, delivered by Phil Szomszor, strategist, trainer and co-founder of Brightside Digital.

Phil’s session - Making LinkedIn work for you (not the other way around) - cut through the noise that surrounds LinkedIn advice. Rather than focusing on hacks, growth tactics or posting formulas, he took a step back and asked a more fundamental question: what do you actually want LinkedIn to do for you?

Purpose before activity

A consistent theme throughout the session was the importance of being clear about purpose. LinkedIn is not a single-use platform. It can support job seeking, learning, networking, reputation building, leadership visibility and business development, often at different points in a career.

Phil encouraged alumni to stop treating LinkedIn as something they should be doing and instead treat it as a tool they choose to use in service of a specific goal.

“That goal and clarity of intent should shape everything else: how a profile is written, who you connect with, where you engage, and how much time you invest,” said Phil.

“Careers are not static, and neither is the way people use LinkedIn. Goals evolve, and LinkedIn activity should evolve with them,” he added.

Practical guidance, grounded in experience

Phil brought more than 25 years’ experience in communications to the session, including senior agency leadership roles and consultancy work with executives and sales teams. His advice reflected that background: practical, realistic and grounded in how people actually work.

Key themes included:

• Your profile matters - LinkedIn profiles are often the first reference point for recruiters, employers and peers. Phil encouraged alumni to see their profile as a working document that clearly communicates who they are, what they do and what they are interested in.

• Value beats visibility - The goal is not to post more content, but to contribute meaningfully. Sharing experiences, lessons learned and informed perspectives is far more effective than broadcasting achievements.

• Engagement is underrated - Commenting thoughtfully on other people’s posts is one of the most effective and least intimidating ways to build visibility, signal interests and develop professional relationships.

Phil also addressed common concerns about LinkedIn: that it feels performative, time-consuming or uncomfortable. His message was clear: LinkedIn should fit around your career, not become a burden alongside it.

Q&A highlights

Q. Do I need to post regularly on LinkedIn to benefit from it?
A. No. Posting is only one way of using LinkedIn. Commenting and engaging with other people’s content can be just as effective and often more sustainable.

Q. What’s the most important part of a LinkedIn profile to get right?
A. The headline and About section. These give people and LinkedIn an immediate context about who you are and what you’re interested in.

Q. Is LinkedIn only useful if you’re actively job hunting?
A. No. LinkedIn supports long-term career development: learning, networking, staying visible and building confidence, whether or not you are looking for a new role.

Q. How should I approach networking on LinkedIn without it feeling awkward?
A. Engage first. Comment on posts, contribute to discussions and show genuine interest. Connections formed through interaction are more meaningful than cold requests.

Q. Can I slide into your DMs?
A. Yes, but carefully. Phil advised avoiding generic or transactional messages. Reference shared interests, previous engagement or something specific that prompted the conversation. Good DMs feel human, relevant and respectful.

Phil’s session reminded alumni that effective professional communication is rarely about doing more. It is about being clearer, more intentional and more thoughtful.

We are grateful to Phil for sharing his experience and insight with the Socially Mobile alumni community, and for offering a grounded perspective on how LinkedIn can support career development.

You can connect with Phil on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philszomszor/.