Blogger’s note: almost 5 years ago I ran this series of blog posts on LinkedIn and EI. Judging from recent events and behaviors, I, and you, can benefit from a refresher. One a day for the next 13 days will follow. Earlier, many of you commented positively. It’s worth repeating IMO.

Be authentic in everything you do and say

I evaluate potential contact with new people based on my pre-reading their LinkedIn profile. If I speak to them on the phone or exchange emails, I infer personality in either.

And they both must match.

I continually get the “disconnect” buzzer in my head: one or the other (profile or voice/email tone) do not match. I head for the hills, never to return again to that person via email or LinkedIn.

Harsh? I don’t think so. I want to know with whom I am dealing. Fact and shades of meaning are served up with a heavy dollop of personality, the cherry on top.

Use your own vocabulary. But recall LinkedIn is a professional community so use intelligent words and phrases, make complete sentences all over your profile, starting  with “I” as your narrative, just like you are speaking to the reader.

Imagine that you are reading your own profile from the POV of a casual prospect. Are you authentically attractive, or are you dull, factoid-y like the competition?

You know what to do.

Authenticity builds character and confidence. And business!