The Power of Community: Why LinkedIn Isn’t Just for Job Searching feat. Kerrin Maher

November 1, 2023 Bridget Montes

I wasn’t convinced I even needed LinkedIn.

When I started my entrepreneurial journey, I focused on writing and designing my website first, so LinkedIn wasn’t my priority and I felt like my ideal audience would find me without it.

Actually, in all honesty, I was discouraged from using it. But I believed that my ideal audience was showing up there, so I wanted to show up for them there too, and after much deliberation, I decided to just go for it.

I created a LinkedIn account, and armed with just enough information from the internet, I optimized my profile the best I could and started connecting with my peers, industry experts, and ideal clients.

I didn’t realize I was about to stumble upon an amazing community of nurses, entrepreneurs, and freelancers.

LinkedIn is a powerful professional networking platform, connecting millions of individuals and businesses worldwide, so I really shouldn’t have been surprised. But since it has traditionally been viewed as a tool for job searching, lead generation, and cold pitching, I simply overlooked its potential for building a genuine community.

So I reframed my approach to using LinkedIn and decided to reach out to my connections to build relationships rather than business opportunities.

And that’s how I met Kerrin, a fellow nurse and freelancer.

We connected on why we love our LinkedIn community, the benefits of building a community on LinkedIn, how to do it effectively, what it’s like to be a freelance nurse writer, and the importance of taking care of yourself while you’re taking care of others.

Let’s get into it!

Making LinkedIn about building community rather than business opportunities

Building community first is more important than ever. The pandemic accelerated the shift towards remote work and the rise of AI made for uninspired and unoriginal content flooding all digital platforms, making it difficult to build real and meaningful relationships.

As a nurse, I know you can understand the importance of making your business human-centered. By building a community online, you can find some pretty rad humans making a positive impact in the world, stay connected with peers in your industry, and virtually support one another through challenging times. Thinking of LinkedIn as a way to connect with your people rather than searching for business opportunities is a powerful way to build a community and human-centered business.

The Benefits of Building Community on LinkedIn

Establishing Meaningful Connections

LinkedIn provides a unique opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals and establish meaningful relationships. By joining groups and participating in conversations, you can find mentors, collaborators, and peers who share your interests and passions. Exposure to diverse perspectives and experiences can broaden your horizons and challenge your assumptions, leading to personal and professional growth.

Enhancing Personal and Professional Growth

LinkedIn is a treasure trove of information and resources for professionals in all industries. By following thought leaders, industry experts, and companies you admire, you can learn about the latest trends, best practices, and innovations in your field. You can also share your own insights and expertise by creating new content, building your reputation with your peers, and establishing yourself as a thought leader in your industry.

Building a Reputation and Personal Brand

Your LinkedIn profile is more than just an online resume — it’s an opportunity to showcase your unique skills, accomplishments, and personality. By regularly sharing your experiences, advice for others in your industry, and professional accomplishments, you can establish credibility and trust with your connections. This is particularly valuable for entrepreneurs, consultants, and freelancers seeking to build their personal brand and effortlessly attract new clients through connections on LinkedIn (without having to be sales-y or even send a single cold pitch via DM).

How to Actually Build Community on LinkedIn

Optimize your Profile

Your LinkedIn profile is your digital first impression, so it’s important to make it count because you have about 2.7 seconds to keep someone’s attention. To optimize your profile for building your community, craft a compelling headline and summary that showcases your unique value proposition, skills, and experience so your ideal audience knows exactly what you do and who you serve.

Use keywords that reflect your industry and interests, making it easier for others to find and connect with you when they search for similar profiles on LinkedIn. Try your best to fill out your entire profile, customize your URL, and start following and connecting with relevant peers in your industry.

Engage with Others

LinkedIn is a social network, which means that engagement is key to building relationships. Participate in conversations that align with your interests and goals, offering value through your insights and expertise. Share relevant content, such as articles and blog posts, that showcase your knowledge and interests. When you receive comments or messages, respond promptly and thoughtfully — this is how real relationships are formed.

Nurture Relationships

Building relationships takes time and effort, but the rewards are worth it. Connect with new contacts regularly, sending personalized messages that show you’ve taken the time to learn about their interests and goals. Follow up with existing connections, congratulating them on their achievements and offering your support. By nurturing your relationships, you’ll build a community of loyal supporters who will go to bat for you when you need it most.

Connecting with Kerrin Maher on LinkedIn + her experiences as a freelance health writer

How did you become a nurse and what made you decide to become a freelancer / business owner?

I graduated from ASU with my BSN in December 2020. So, I started my nursing career just as the second wave of COVID took off. Initially, I went to school to become a physical therapist. However, I felt that I needed something that gave me more of an adrenaline rush. Nursing definitely gives me that. So much so that I became utterly overwhelmed and burned out.

Starting a nursing career in a pandemic was so hard. I only got three weeks of job training and then was thrown to the wolves, managing over five patients at a time while my charge nurse also had patients to care for. (One time, I had nine patients when we were overwhelmed by COVID. We had patients in hallways, and we ran out of body bags.) I worked 14+ hour shifts without breaks, was physically assaulted regularly by patients, and I felt alone.

Luckily, I have a MUCH healthier work environment now and can breathe a little easier. It's still stressful; as with any job, I have good days and bad days. I started looking for other avenues in nursing when I had a suicidal/homicidal patient reveal a loaded gun they had been hiding in their hospital bed. I also needed another form of income.

Fortunately, I broke my ankle and was forced to take three months away from the bedside to heal. Had I not broken my ankle, I know I never would have been able to sit still long enough to start my writing business. I used this downtime to explore different nursing fields.

One day, I came across a video about freelance writing posted by Janelle Barowski on LinkedIn, and I was immediately hooked. Within three weeks, I dove headfirst into health writing, setting up a business, researching agencies, and landed a short-term client.

I'm passionate about educating patients and the general public about health and wellness, and I also love teaching fellow nurses and nursing students. I figured health writing is a great way to simultaneously learn about health while also teaching it.

Is it easy for a nurse to start health writing? How do you gain experience when you’re just starting out?

I would say yes. I think we know more than we think we know. I think we, as nurses, are notorious for having imposter syndrome and lack of confidence. But when it comes down to it, we are more knowledgeable than most people on these topics and we've experienced more than most people.

When I decided to do this, I honestly just started writing. At first, it was just to practice, because when I started, my experience writing didn’t go beyond writing papers in college. So just trying to get back in the groove of writing and figure out what people are searching on Google, what they're asking and what they want to learn about gave me a good understanding of where to start.

Then I got on LinkedIn and found nurses doing freelance writing. Through my connections, I found a well known nurse, Janelle Barowski, and I ended up taking her course. It was so awesome and I was like, “oh my god, I totally got this.” That course gave me the confidence I need to just start writing.

So just start writing, even if you're not getting paid to do it because that practice will allow you to gain the experience you need to land your ideal client and give you the opportunity to educate people on complicated health topics.

You'll never start if you don't start.

How do you get clients?

So I started by sending out a lot of cold emails and LinkedIn DMs. But for LinkedIn messages, I wasn’t necessarily soliciting paid job opportunities or like pleading they hire me, instead I treated those connections as real connections and spent time just introducing myself and having real conversations. I wanted to connect with them and still be able to say something, like “hey, I'm new to this freelancing world and I'd be happy to write something for you but no pressure” kind of interactions just to bridge the gap and get experience from new clients willing to take a chance on me.

How do you deal with difficult clients and scope creep?

This is a difficult question for me to answer, because I did experience this when I first started, and even though I thought I had the appropriate contract in place, I still had to reach out multiple times just to get paid for the work I completed. I realized later that I contract I thought they signed because they sent it back to me was never actually signed.

So my biggest advice is to make sure they actually sign the contract, don’t under sell your worth, and separate your services so everything is individually and clearly outlined.

How do you feel about volunteering to do free work?

When I started my freelance writing journey, I didn’t mind writing for free because I also had a full time job so I didn’t need the money. I needed the practice, so I didn’t expect to get paid for it. I wrote blog posts, resume breakdowns for different nursing specialties, and email marketing all for free while I was gaining the experience I needed to build an awesome portfolio.

How do you avoid writer’s block?

I keep a running list of writing topics I might be interested in writing when my motivation for writing is low. I’ll usually start on Google and look at the top 10 health topics that are currently trending. I’ll also think about random patient interactions I’ve had and wounds I’ve cared for to give myself more ideas.

For writer's block, if I really cannot think of anything, I might take a break and do something else for a while because I just cannot sit still. So sometimes just a change of environment helps and just makes a huge difference. Even if I'm like literally just sitting on the curb around the corner, I feel like I'm more productive than I am on my couch. So it just depends on the day, but I've noticed that getting up and physically moving somewhere else helps me a lot.

What advice do you have for nurses starting on their own entrepreneurial journey?

You just have to start. There will never be a perfect time to start your entrepreneurial journey. You truly have to dive in headfirst. I promise you won't regret it.

How do you take care of your own health while caring for others?

I think self-care as a nurse is so important. We put our hearts and souls into caring for our patients while often forgetting to take care of ourselves. I have a few ways of taking care of myself:

On my days off, I don't set an alarm and let myself sleep as long as I need to.
I exercise on my days off. I know myself and I just don't have the energy to exercise the day of a shift. Yoga is also a big part of my exercise routine.
I meal prep. This saves me some money and allows me to eat healthier meals at work. (Otherwise, I'd eat chicken strips every day because I have poor self-control.)
I do SOMETHING outside, even if it's just walking my dog. I always feel better after I've spent some time outside, even if it's 10 degrees out.
Skincare! I still wear masks in patient rooms and N95s when needed. My skin is super sensitive, so I break out easily. After work, I love pampering my skin with a face mask or fancy skin products.

Just remember, you can't possibly give the best care to your patients if you yourself are falling apart.

What can we expect from you next? Anything you’re working on?

I'm writing an ebook right now. I'm hoping to finish in the next week or so. But it is an ebook for new nurses. It’s full of little checklists and cheat sheets they can use to make their bedside care go a little smoother. It’s something I feel like I desperately needed when I started, so I’m hoping I can help someone else struggling with the same things I did.

Final thoughts on LinkedIn, community, and my conversation with a fellow nurse in business

LinkedIn is more than just a job searching or lead generation tool — it’s a platform for building meaningful relationships and establishing yourself as a thought leader in your industry. By optimizing your profile, engaging with others, and nurturing relationships, you can build a community of people who will help you succeed in your career.

So, the next time you log into LinkedIn, think beyond the sales pitch and focus on building relationships that matter.

Your entrepreneurial journey isn’t going to look like anyone else’s, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find community with others on similar paths.

I joined LinkedIn not really knowing what to expect and not really expecting to gain much from it either, but I thought it would be a good place to start to find other likeminded nurses.

And to be honest, I’m not sure which one of us hit the connect button, but I am so happy to have found Kerrin and was able to talk with her about her freelance health writing experience and what it’s been like to build a community on LinkedIn.

Kerrin sums everything up perfectly with this final thought:

Do what makes you happiest, and don't give up. It takes some trial and error to get to where you're meant to be, but it's worth it.

Kerrin Maher, BSN, RN is a nurse on an adult progressive care unit at a level-one trauma hospital in Arizona. She is also a freelance health writer emphasizing health education for the general public as well as the importance of health and wellness in healthcare providers. You can find Kerrin on LinkedIn and her most recent self-published articles on Medium.

SDN