2023 Q&A
What made you decide to get going on LinkedIn?
I’ve been on LinkedIn for years. But have never really used it. It was just something you had. Then we had a session with you here at Weightmans, probably late October last year which properly introduced us to it as a platform, what it actually is and how we can use it.
I then dabbled around a little bit with the odd post about what conference I was at etc. but it was really a post I did in December about Xmas films and some holiday pay work we were doing at the time which made me realise I could find a voice and an audience on here.
I didn’t need to just have those ideas in my head.
Do you feel like you’ve found your groove on LinkedIn now?
I feel like I’m starting to. So I’m realistically 8/9 months into regularly using it. That’s been a lot of experimenting, finding my feet. What to post, when to post, thinking have I got the time and energy to regularly do this? Is anyone actually even reading it?
But I do I feel like it's starting to find that groove of splitting the content between informed pieces around my employment law work, the tech and innovation role I have and then also some lighter stuff about being a partner and senior lawyer in the firm and actually we are just people too and it's okay to laugh at yourself and not be that serious.
I even took part in your micro-fiction challenge last month, which was putting myself out there and out of my comfort zone.
Do clients ever say anything about your posts to you?
Yes, that’s been the major confidence piece. Its current clients, ex-clients and also colleagues. Reaching out on LinkedIn, I’ve had some random emails and also just at the start of meetings or calls they’ll say they loved this morning’s post or it made them laugh as they’ve been in the same situation.
That really helps as often it’ll be people that may not have ‘liked’ the post itself and so it helps you realise the reach is there and it's not just those who engage who are seeing it and enjoying what I’m doing.
Did you have any fears about being authentic and sharing your opinions or using humour in your posts?
Oh absolutely. For me, the whole piece was/is about confidence. Confidence to put yourself out there but also then that what you are saying will land in the right way. Will people find it relevant? Interesting? Funny?
Am I going to go too far and might perhaps offend someone?
Then I stopped and just thought, what’s the worst that can happen?
I still think there is further to go for me though – probably in reaching out and commenting on others' content. That’s the next step, but doing so without looking like the weirdo in the corner making irreverent comments on random posts….
Has the firm been supportive of what you’re doing and - assuming it has - what lessons could other law firms learn from your approach?
Absolutely. I don’t think I’ve needed to be given permission to do what I do, but no one has told me to stop yet!
One of my posts was used this week in our onboarding session for new trainees and I’ve seen another used as part of our LinkedIn training guide etc. So I take that as a compliment that I'm doing something right.
Ultimately for me, this has been the realisation of it being a great way to show who we are and what kind of firm Weightmans is to work for. Hopefully, prospective colleagues and clients see that and think ‘I’d like to work there or with them’ as actually there are people there that are like me or do things in the way I like to do them.
What’s the most surprising result(s) that you’ve produced as a result of your posting on LinkedIn?
Just how easy it is to stand out and make a difference if you get this right.
Two of the most successful posts I’ve done were nothing employment law related. The first was this week about things to be aware of as a new trainee to the firm. I’ve been honest and it seems to have struck a chord with a huge number of people. I’m pleased that’s resonated.
The other was at the start of May when I announced ‘I have not been promoted or got a new job’ on the day half the world did seem to announce they had.
The number of people who congratulated me showed me how many people actually don’t read things properly or just click ‘like’ for the sake of it. I had to actually check I hadn’t got a new job at one point.
That shows the power of this platform and what you can do if you do it well.
Who’s your favourite legal sector creator on LinkedIn?
I’m still discovering there is a whole world out there. But I do really like what Eunika Kurek does, both with the content and the visuals. I thought the ice cream dictionary was genius. It’s one of those ‘I wish I’d thought of that’ kind of things.
Would you ever consider doing some socials on TikTok? Why/why not?
Absolutely not! You couldn’t find a more anti-social person that doesn’t need to be on camera. As I’ve said I don’t do any other social media at all.
I think for that kind of thing it has to be really good to land and make an impact. You look at the kind of stuff from Rob Mayhew. It's both visually and also content-wise spot on every time.
I know my lane, that seems to be here on LinkedIn. I might step out of my comfort zone with some of the content but I won’t be wearing a colourful jumper and filming myself anytime soon.
How many impressions have you had in the past year? What time of day are you most likely to post?
As I mentioned I’ve only really been doing this since December so I don’t know if a full year is really representative (sorry I’m being a lawyer…) but I’m at just shy of 275,000 for the last 365 days.
I know that's a relatively small change in the scheme of things and others but I really don’t look at the numbers. If you do, you find yourself obsessing over who has liked or not liked your post.
Then you lose confidence quickly.
I go back to the point around feeling like I’ve found my groove and also the feedback from others, both those who do like and comment and those who don’t. Even if just a couple of people find them useful then I guess its added value somewhere.
Posting wise, I try and do it early, around 0700. That’s when I’ve found it starts the best engagement off and running. And I aim for something every other day. If it's more than that it’s a bonus and I’ll have seen or thought of something that I just need to share.
Which of your colleagues makes you laugh the most in real life and would totally succeed on social media if they tried?
That would be telling! I do have one colleague who insists they are “hilarious”. I’ll agree they make me laugh more than they realise; but that’s unintentionally and probably over how they pronounce certain things (I mean how hard is it to say Papa Johns?!).
But I do think they’d be good on here if they found the confidence to be themselves and in a way that lets their personality shine through and then combining that with the messaging/content for what they do day in/day out.
I know I say it a lot, but this job is about confidence and making it look like you know what you’re doing. LinkedIn is just an extension of that really.
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