Happy Friday!

This past couple of weeks quite a few of you have reached out to me on LinkedIn with a bunch of questions on CVs, interviews and LinkedIn tips. This is one of my favourite parts: being able to actually help real human beings! I don't ask for anything in return... well, apart from suggestions on what topics to cover in my newsletter and my videos :)

Need some advice or have some questions? You can reply to this email and I'll respond to you directly.

In this issue:

My top 3 biggest "NO!"s of LinkedIn
a preview of the next video coming on @ukeycoach Youtube channel
a free pdf that will help you write your CV
how to answer a crucial interview question, "Why do you want to work here?"

3 things you shouldn't be doing on LinkedIn

1. Sending connection requests without a note

Unless you really know the person you are adding, they might not know or remember you. Without a note to accompany your LinkedIn connection request, the person does not really have an incentive to accept. They might have forgotten that you met at a recruitment event last month, or might not know that you have something in common like a connection or an interest.

You are just some random person wanting to add them to contacts without a good reason. You know why you want their help and connection, they don't.

The chances of your connection request being accepted are significantly lower. I do sometimes accept such requests because I do check the profile of the requestor and try to work out the reason for the connection, like common employer or mutual connections. But not always, it really depends on the mood. Most people just ignore them if they don't recognise the name.

Instead...

If LinkedIn gives you the option to send the note with the connection request, take it.

If you don't see the option to add a note, usually you need to go on that person's profile and click on the three dots (...) next to the connection button, this is where the note option usually hides.

In your brief note, outline the reason for connection: common university or degree, mutual connections or interests, or just plainly saying they have a similar path to you and you want to learn from them.

The note makes it personal. It makes the person reading it feel seen and needed. It also applies a bit of pressure: "They made an effort, it would be rude not to".

This also works with people who are quite senior or well-known, so they already have 1,000s of connections and followers. Most connection requests they receive don't come with a note, so they end up as followers. Send a note and you may end up a connection instead.

Connections = you follow each other, see each other's posts in their feed
Followers = you follow them, they don't see your posts in their feed

Is it 100% guaranteed? No. But it's definitely more effective than doing something that the vast majority is doing.

2. Using AI to write your posts

I mean, this one is obvious. LinkedIn these days is full of unimaginate, copy-paste, no value-add posts. They are cringe to read, and we can all tell that you just used ChatGPT to write something "insightful".

Whatever the impression you want to make on your connections and other people who come across your LinkedIn profile, AI slop is not the right way to do it.

You want to impress the recruiter? They have probably seen a dozen of similar AI generated posts today alone. You will not stand out.

And that's the best case scenario. Worst case, people will make fun of you. Seriously. There is a place on the internet that collects cringy LinkedIn posts. Just google "reddit linkedin lunatics", that's pretty much textbook of what not to do when posting :)

Instead...

Just share your own actual thoughts and opinions!

What have you recently learned about your target industry that surprised you?
What are your views on the current big news story?
What is your biggest achievement or progress this month?

People connect with other people, not AI. If we wanted AI content, we could have asked ChatGPT or Gemini ourselves.

3. Not engaging with your network

What is the point of LinkedIn? Building your network.

Yes, some may argue it's your "online CV", some way for recruiters to find you because you are the perfect fit for the job.

But let me ask you this:

When was the last time a recruiter reached out to you on LinkedIn?

And if they did reach out, was it for a job you would actually consider?

For most people, the answers would be either "Never" or "At some point, and no".

LinkedIn is a social network, it's designed for you to interact with others. So if you just scroll through the feed, not comment, not react, you are missing the point.

Instead...

Even a like or a brief comment on their post can remind someone that you exist. And they might then think "oh, we haven't spoken in a while", which can then turn into anything between a lovely chat to a mentorship opportunity to a referral.

And if your connection doesn't know you that well, interacting with their content creates a sense of familiarity.

Say you are a UK university student and some Big 4 Director accepted your connection request (because you followed my advice from point 1). Over the next couple of months, you comment on some of their posts (don't go full stalker and interact with everything). Maybe it was an article they published on some industry trends, and you commented about it being insightful and you learning a lot from it. After a while, they will recognise your name as it appeared in their notifications every time you liked and commented.

You can then send them a DM saying how much you learned from them and how they solidified your interest in [insert industry]. Would they be open to a 15 minute chat with you to share some advice on how to get into the type of work they do?

If you did the interaction work and phrased the DM the right way, they are unlikely to say no.

If you want to learn more about my tips for networking, watch this guide.

How much £££ to do an MBA at a UK university?

And I don't mean just the tuition fees, I mean the whole experience: accommodation, living expenses, the hidden FOMO tax...

I ran the numbers. And it was SHOCKING.

This upcoming video is Part 1 of my UK MBA series, which will be interesting not

only to experienced professionals, but also to the current undergraduates and master's students who might have wondered in the past if an MBA is worth it.

I did my MBA at the University of Oxford almost 5 years ago, and I always wanted to share everything I wish I knew before starting.

You can subscribe to the my YouTube channel here so you don’t miss my upcoming UK MBA series: @ukeycoach on YouTube

...and don't worry, I will still be doing my usual career advice content as well: interviews, CVs, assessment centres and more!

UK CV writing help free pdf

As you might have seen, last week I released "How to write UK CV bullet points" video that covers my CV CRISP framework I mentioned in the previous newsletter.

As always, my newsletter subscribers don't have to watch the video or fill in any forms to get the free download - although I should warn you: the free pdf might not make much sense without the context given in the video ;)

Download the UK CV action verbs pdf here

The most commonly asked interview question

This week's video breaks down the question you are likely to be asked in some way, shape or form in your next interview:

"Why do you want to work in this company?"

I heard so many generic answers over the years...

But in reality, if you nail the answer to this question in the beginning of the interview, you make the right impression that sticks with the interviewer for the rest of the meeting.

Click on the picture above to watch the video on Youtube. This is the first installment of my Interview Level Up series, where every episode breaks down one common interview question and covers: