Fire & EMS Leader Pro The job of old firefighters is to teach young firefighters how to become old firefighters!
By: Robert Avsec, Executive Fire Officer
In the past, many folks have asked me “What’s your purpose for getting on LinkedIn?” That’s still the right question—but the answers have evolved. Today, LinkedIn isn’t just a place to find a job or build a contact list. It’s a platform for:
- Shaping professional narratives
- Building coalitions across disciplines
- Amplifying advocacy and thought leadership
- Creating visibility for systemic change
If you’re still using LinkedIn like a digital Rolodex, you’re missing its real power.
🧠 Building Your Network: Build with intentionality.
The old advice—invite people you know, scan their profile, send a welcome message—is fine for beginners. But for professionals driving change, it’s not enough.
- Use LinkedIn’s search filters to find people by role, location, or shared interests (e.g., “fire service psychologist,” “IAFF local president,” “trauma-informed clinician”).
- Send contextual connection requests: “I’m working on outreach for the FSPA conference and saw your work on firefighter peer support—would love to connect.”
- Track connections using relationship notes or external tools like Notion or Airtable if LinkedIn’s CRM features feel clunky.
This isn’t just networking—it’s coalition-building.
🏷️ Use external tools or LinkedIn’s search features.
- Create a spreadsheet or CRM-style database with categories like “Union Leaders,” “Clinician Trainers,” “Conference Speakers.”
- Use LinkedIn’s Saved Searches and Boolean search to find and re-engage specific segments.
- For messaging, consider LinkedIn Groups, Newsletter subscribers, or private message threads with curated cohorts.
If you’re serious about outreach, you need systems that scale.
🌐 Promoting Your Public Profile: Still Relevant, But Not Enough
Creating a custom URL and adding it to your email signature is table stakes. What matters more now is how your profile performs in search and how it converts visitors.
Modern tactics:
- Optimize your headline and About section with keywords relevant to your advocacy (e.g., “fire service mental health,” “culturally competent clinician training”).
- Use Featured Content to showcase blog posts, conference materials, or scenario-based visuals.
- Publish LinkedIn Newsletters to build a subscriber base around your work.
Your public profile should be a landing page for your mission—not just a résumé.
📡 Staying in Touch: Alternate approach: Build a rhythm.
- Use tools like Calendly or Loom to send personalized video updates to key contacts.
- Create a monthly outreach plan: one post, one comment, one direct message to each priority segment.
- When someone views your profile, don’t just say “Hi”—ask what drew them in, and offer something of value (e.g., “Would you like a copy of our latest training scenario?”).
Networking is not just about being remembered—it’s about being relevant.
🧭 Final Thought: LinkedIn Is a Platform, Not a Strategy
Back in the day–2013 to be exact–me and many others viewed LinkedIn as a tool to be mastered. But in 2025, it’s more like a stage. You’re not just connecting—you’re performing, publishing, and positioning.
So instead of asking “What can LinkedIn do for me?” ask:
- “What conversations do I want to lead?”
- “What visibility do I need to drive change?”
- “Who needs to hear my message—and how do I reach them?”
