How can i leverage linkedin to practice outreach?

why linkedin feels less scary than email

Email is a blank, white void. LinkedIn has faces, job titles, mutual friends, and a gentle “👏” emoji cheering you on. That tiny bit of context matters when your pulse is already in overdrive. You can see if someone likes the same podcasts, went to the same college, or is two hops away from your roommate’s cousin. Suddenly you’re not shouting into the abyss - you’re tapping a person on the virtual shoulder at a party that’s already happening.

Quick win: scroll your own feed for five minutes. Notice how many people post half-baked thoughts, typo-ridden status updates, or humblebrag career news. They’re clearly not perfect. Good. That’s your permission slip to be imperfect too.

fix your vibe before you slide into dms

First, tidy up your own profile so new connections don’t wonder, “Who is this rando?”

• Photo: use anything where your face is clear and you look vaguely awake. No need for a studio shoot.

• Headline: write a short, human sentence like “UX designer who turns confusing apps into chill ones.”
• About section: two short paragraphs. What you do, why you care, something fun (I once coded a Tamagotchi clone - yes, it still yells for food).

  Doing this does two things. One, it signals you’re not a bot. Two - and this is the sneaky benefit - it warms you up. Editing your own story is the easiest form of outreach because the only person judging is you.

  send messages that don’t scream “sales pitch”

  Keep it to three lines:

  1. Say how you found them.

2. Mention one specific thing you liked or learned.

3. Ask a tiny, concrete question that can be answered in under a minute.

Example:

“Hey Maya, saw your post on ethical AI and had an ‘oh duh’ moment about model bias. Curious - did your team use any public audit checklist or build your own?”

Notice what’s missing: no resume dump, no request for a 60-minute call, no awkward flattery. You’re treating them like a person, not a vending machine for favors.

If the thought of even that makes your stomach flip, write the message in Notes first, leave it overnight, then send it the next morning before your brain has time to catastrophize.

deal with the sweaty-palms moment

You’ve written the message. The blue “Send” button is staring back. Heart rate spikes. Totally normal. Here’s the mini-ritual that keeps me from bailing:

• Exhale once, long.

• Count “3-2-1” out loud.
• Click. Close the tab. Stand up, grab water.

  The physical reset breaks the endless loop of “what if they hate me.” Nine times out of ten the reply is either “Sure thing!” or radio silence - neither is fatal. Remember, you’re practicing, not proposing marriage.

  keep the convo alive without being clingy

  If they reply:

Say thanks, answer their question, or share a quick win from their advice. No essays.

If they ghost:

Wait a week. Send one follow-up: “Hey, just floating this back to the top of your inbox in case the algorithm buried it.” If they still don’t answer, let it go. People are busy; your worth is not on trial.

Keep a simple spreadsheet or Notion board. Columns: Name, Date Sent, Topic, Status. This turns outreach into a low-stakes game - like collecting Pokémon cards, but for connections.

wrap-up

Practicing outreach on LinkedIn is basically exposure therapy with training wheels. The stakes are small, the environment is social, and you get immediate feedback. Start by making your profile a soft place to land, send tiny, specific messages, and give yourself permission to be anxious and brave at the same time. Every “Send” builds the muscle. Next week you’ll laugh at how scary it felt today - and yes, that first contact could turn into your next mentor, job, or at the very least, a solid meme exchange. Hit the button. See what happens.