Caroline (00:02.016)
Today I have Britta Blansky with me. Britta is an employer brand consultant with her company, Britta Junin Co. She also is the podcast host of LinkedIn Lounge. So welcome Britta.
Britta Blanski (00:13.208)
Thank you so much, Caroline. I'm enthusiastic to be here today. So thank you for this opportunity.
Caroline (00:19.008)
So I know we've met before and you let me know your story. You're a former teacher turned entrepreneur. Tell us how you did it.
Britta Blanski (00:28.344)
Okay. So I am from Minnesota, but I moved to Bologna back in 2010 to study out during my last year of university. And that's where I met my husband. And so I moved here in 2012 permanently. And one of the very, you know, first jobs that most English speaking expats do when they're abroad is teach English. And so that's, that's where I started. And then I worked my way into a private middle school and high school where I taught geography.
in English, so it was a full immersion experience. And I did that for about eight years. And during that time, I had two boys. And when I was on maternity leave with both of my boys, I really leaned into having a blog online where I was just sharing about my experience, you know, what it was like to be a mom in a different country and try to raise children where you have very many cross -cultural experiences. And, you my mother -in -law is telling me to do this and not do that. I'm like, but that's not how we do it in the States, or that's not how I was raised.
So I was documenting those experiences and I tried to monetize my blog and grow a Facebook page and an Instagram page. And a dear friend over lunch one day reached out to me and she said, you know, I do all those things, but as a freelance social media manager and I get paid to do them. And I was like, wait, what? Like I can get paid to create graphics for Instagram and write fun captions and grow an audience and interact with people. So she introduced me to this world back in, it was right before the Christmas break of.
of 2018 and in 2019, I invested in some social media management courses, virtual assistant courses, and then a year later, I invested in a business coach and niche down to LinkedIn. And then while working with several clients on LinkedIn, I just really tapped in and like saw firsthand the power of what can happen when you're willing to get visible in this professional networking space.
And I've become a huge advocate for really everyone having an online presence, specifically on LinkedIn, that will work and move for them. So you don't need to be an influencer. You don't need to be even really a content creator in the terms that you're constantly pushing something out there and building this personal brand, which you are, but by showing up intentionally with like a few key ideas, you can make really exciting things happen for you.
Britta Blanski (02:48.312)
in your career. So that's what I'm all about now. And a lot of that is reflective of a company's employer brand. So if they're willing to lean into their employees' voices, they can have an authentic, firsthand, tangible experience of their employer brand.
Caroline (03:04.064)
You did a post about that the other day and I loved it because someone coming from an executive recruiting background, when you're working on recruiting employees to work for an organization, they really want to hear from not just the company's CEO or the leadership team, they want to really hear from the people.
Britta Blanski (03:27.032)
Exactly. Yeah, I mean, and if you're referring to the one that I had the video attached to it. Oh, it's just one of those things like there is such a need and sometimes I think people don't even see the need because it's so easy to get ingrained into certain ways that you just have done things for so long. And I think the way I'm a true believer that the way we're moving forward with
all marketing is extremely personal, which is why I say the personal is professional. Like you need to be showing your face. You need to be front and forward giving those real life relatable experiences to people. Otherwise they just kind of detach and they don't know how to connect with you on any sort of level, whether emotional, personal, conversational, professional. And so this person had shown me this recruitment brochure where they had like every single buzzword like everyone wants to hear right now.
except speaking with this person because I'm very close with them, I know it's not true. And I know how hard that company is struggling right now to bring in. I don't even want to say top talent, which they should be bringing in, but they can't find anyone. Like the people that they hire, they leave after the trial period. And so I just know how hard it is. And I'm like, oh, I see you. Like you're trying. Like you're using the buzzwords. At the same time, I know there's a really great culture within the company.
So there's this huge disconnect and I'm like, if they would just get a couple employees, like personal testimonials on their online presence in this printed brochure, like they would see like very clear results from such small intentional action. So it's like, get your employee visible, get them out there, use their voice, lean into it, because it's beneficial.
Caroline (05:12.8)
Your employees are your biggest salespeople.
Britta Blanski (05:15.768)
Yeah. And that's the thing is they're talking about their experience, most likely when you're not there than when you are there. And that's, you know, they can be your biggest advocate if you create and foster an environment where it's okay and safe to share.
Caroline (05:33.728)
You also get a lot of referrals from those employees and those people, the referrals usually have more staying power than just a random off the street because Susie and marketing recommended that they be there and they have loyalty to Susie and now your company. And so you can get more out of them than just, hey, come for orientation, leave after onboarding. Okay, bye.
Britta Blanski (06:00.984)
Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And, you know, on the flip side of that as well, I know people who the actual task at hand that they do eight hours every single day is not very exciting. And they're not like enthusiastic about it, but they stay because they love the people and the environment and the workplace environment that they're a part of. And they say that's absolutely worth it. And so again, it's like, how can you, you know, at face value if the actual job description,
you know, it's not that exciting because not every job is going to be this fantastic, dreamy, you know, we see all the it's easy to compare because you see people earning, you know, multiple six figures essentially like traveling the world, working from the beach. And it's like, well, not everyone can do that. But you can have really incredible, valuable work experiences that are also like speaking into your personal life and then that overflow into all the areas of your life.
Caroline (06:57.12)
So I'm curious of all the social media platforms, why did you choose LinkedIn to niche down on?
Britta Blanski (07:03.8)
That's a good question. So I have, there's a couple I'll say that I honestly haven't really leaned into, so maybe someday I'll change my mind. I don't think I will. But when I initially started working on LinkedIn, I actually didn't want to. I was very reluctant, but a client that I was helping with on Instagram said, can you also help me on LinkedIn? And my initial reaction was, ugh, it's boring.
it's like so stiff and corporaty and like I'm not like How am I gonna be able to help you with that because it just felt so far removed But I said, you know what? I should really learn this platform because it's another social media platform and it makes sense for especially what this client was doing so I said yes, and I realized that They were getting the best results and they were getting them much faster than they were over on Instagram or on Facebook
And so it just seemed like such a logical, obvious space. And then over time, as LinkedIn's been evolving, I've also been seeing that just the supportive, collaborative environment that's present there is very different and it's a very different feel than you find on TikTok or Facebook or Instagram, or I don't even really, I don't use Twitter or threads or anything like that. But what I've often find is that,
because people know it's part of their professional network and what they say can be visible to lots of people, not just your key ideal people, but like you said, maybe it's a former boss or a friend or that connection from high school that you're somewhat a little bit nervous about, you tend to show up in a different caliber and tone of voice that is.
tends to be more positive, supportive, and then I wanna say professional, but I don't wanna like downplay that word, but it just means that you're really, you wanna speak into your experience and expertise instead of just trying to shoot and aim for entertainment or maybe like a quick response. And I just feel like other platforms, it's more about quick wins, whereas LinkedIn is more about slow and steady, sustainable growth for quality professional connections.
Caroline (09:20.16)
LinkedIn is definitely a marathon, not a sprint, but you can grow so fast because less than 1 % of people actually post regularly on LinkedIn. So the visibility opportunity is huge.
Britta Blanski (09:33.336)
Yeah, and I've heard so many people share that they learn a lot by consuming content on LinkedIn. You can learn a lot from other spaces as well, absolutely. But when they log on, it's like, okay, I want to move into this industry, I want to move into this new role. Like you can open up the platform and the people who are sharing not only is it like, okay, you can quickly find content about that, but it's going to be good quality.
Cause that's what, I mean, again, you're in this professional space. You're not just putting out everything in anything for the sake of sharing to get likes, you know, and views, but you're sharing to build out and demonstrate your knowledge. And so at it, like there's a huge, like if you have knowledge, which everyone does, that you can share with other people, especially from the perspective, I want to help you move into the space or do better at what you're currently doing. People will, people will follow along.
they'll appreciate what you share and then they'll reach out and connect with you and then you're just off on a great start to building out that relationship.
Caroline (10:35.84)
Okay, that's pure gold right there because that is exactly, that's the exact experience I have on LinkedIn.
Britta Blanski (10:43.896)
Yeah, what did - Oh, sorry.
Caroline (10:44.)
And though as okay, I was to say to get on, if I want a dopamine hit to be entertained, I get on TikTok or Instagram. If I want to learn something, a new skill, something I don't know, read articles, what's going on in my industry, I get on LinkedIn or I get on YouTube.
Britta Blanski (11:02.104)
Yeah, this isn't to, by no means am I like bashing the platform by any means, because obviously I love it and I spend a lot of time there. But to be honest, I can learn way more by following content leaders, content creators, and the topics that they share, then going to a LinkedIn learning video. You know, they have that library that you can learn from and watching a video from there.
Caroline (11:33.76)
Yeah, I agree with you a million percent. So why is establishing yourself as a thought leader and engaging with other people?
Caroline (00:02.491)
Why is establishing yourself as a thought leader and engaging with others so important on LinkedIn?
Britta Blanski (00:09.158)
Good question. Let me start with the second part of that first. So it's important to engage with your network and grow your network and stay active because those are real people on the other side of the screen. And if you are willing to lean into those conversations and those relationships, it can be mutually beneficial. So it's not just what can I get in it for me, but.
What can I give back to them? And also when I am in a time of need professionally or in my career, I can reach out to those people and I haven't just come in from nowhere, but it's like you have actually built and fostered a rapport and a relationship where you can personally vouch for that person and what you say you can fall back on and you actually like, you trust yourself because you know them. So that's what networking is, right? It's actually getting to meet people.
It's not, and getting to know them, it's not just growing a massive following, which we can oftentimes get distracted by the vanity metrics on LinkedIn, but you ultimately can't have a personal connection with tens of thousands of people. Like you just, we like physiologically can't, and we're not even created to be like that, right? When we talk about community and relationship. So that's why it's important to engage. And then the...
other side of that of why is it important to become a thought leader? It's really, I'm sure you have seen that image or that graphic where there's two people standing over a number and it's a six. So from one perspective or a nine, so from one perspective, it's a six and from the other perspective, it's a nine. And then someone could be looking at it from the other side and well, it's not even a number. Maybe it's like a hook, I don't know. So I think there's value in becoming a thought leader and there's importance to it because we all have.
different experiences and the fact that it's you makes it unique. And we need to hear those experiences so we can gain those perspectives so we can all learn and grow on a deeper level because truly no one knows everything about anything. There's always something more that you can be learning. And so if you're willing to share and show your perspective and come at it and not be afraid of, okay, does this necessarily fit the industry standard? Cause it, if actually doesn't, then you're creating an opportunity.
Britta Blanski (02:28.326)
to share more and help other people learn.
Caroline (02:36.731)
So let's say I wanna go from being a LinkedIn lurker and sitting on the sidelines to actually taking action and.
that I wanna become a thought leader and wanna create an audience and wanna share the information that I've learned in my career, whatever that may be. What are some tips on getting started?
Britta Blanski (02:56.934)
Yeah, that's such a good question because it's normally the hardest part, right? The hardest part is actually getting started. So I always suggest for someone who like really has no idea what they want to share, like they know they're like, I know I should have a presence on LinkedIn, but I don't have anything worthwhile. I always say a good place to start is to see what's already happening within your industry and then give your perspective or your thought on that current relevant news.
because that does two things. One, it shows that you're up to date and you know it's actually going on. So you're, you know, like relevant, you know, you're not gonna just fall out. Well, we said we didn't just fall off the pumpkin truck. So like you're there, you're present, you're active, you're engaging in your work. And then the other side of that would be you're becoming a thought leader. You're demonstrating your own experience, sharing from your perspective what has happened and then adding to the conversation. And it doesn't, you don't need to get personal.
You don't need to share any specific details. You don't need to talk about your own, even your own work or you personally, like as a person. So it's a great way to stay active, talk about what's relevant and highlight your expertise without getting a little like, without going too deep. So it's like say you're in safe waters at that part, at that point. So in terms of creating content, I would say that. And then on the other side, I would say,
Interact with the people that you're already connected with, especially if they're coworkers, colleagues, a manager. If you see someone that you personally know, like in real life, and they're sharing, one of the best things that you can do is support them. And you can support them by leaving a comment, a meaningful comment. And then I would look for people that you are excited to learn from because you've seen something that's relevant and that interests you.
And then something that maybe you want to move into in your career. So if you're trying to pivot, or if you want to, you know, to move up and be promoted, what could you do and show and demonstrate that you again are active, you're learning, you're engaged, you know what's going on, and you are learning more and starting to have conversations around that.
Caroline (05:11.035)
So how do you know, let's say I decide to start sharing content on LinkedIn, maybe a couple days a week or every day a week, whatever you decide on, how do you know that your content is resonating with your audience and that people actually want to hear what you have to say? Are there metrics or numbers that you can look at to see that?
Britta Blanski (05:33.062)
Yeah, so first of all, would say give yourself some time because like you had mentioned before, LinkedIn really is a marathon. And I've had clients come to me before and be like, okay, great. I have this offer that's launching in like three weeks. Let's start sharing on LinkedIn. And it's like, okay. Like, sure, I can help you, but I can't, you know, I by no means can I guarantee you any results, right? Because it's such a short runway.
And so if you are sharing, don't be discouraged in the beginning because it does just take up time. One to start, you know, having you show up in your network's feed, right? Cause you said only 1 % really does share content. So it will get out there, but you have to do it consistently. And then you have to be willing to also start commenting and having conversations and just be a little bit more active. So say, first of all, like don't measure yourself.
buy one post, don't measure yourself in a week, don't measure yourself in a month. Most people I've worked with have really seen results from nine to 18 months, which I know can be discouraging. People might be like, well, I don't want to put in that effort for so long, but it compounds on itself. And so it's worth it. That's why you plan ahead, you prepare, you batch content. And if you have 20 things to share, don't share them 20 days in a row, but you know,
plan it out so that you can at least spread it out over two or three months. So I would say after like a three to six to nine month marker period, if people are reaching out to you, if you're receiving quality connection requests, so not like spammy people that you would not likely want to accept anyway, we all receive those, but if more incoming people who are relevant to your interest and where you want to go in your industry.
are asking to connect with you, more people are commenting and leaving meaningful comments on your content, and you're initiating conversations in the DMs from your content, then you're doing a really good job. I don't even wanna say necessarily likes, because oftentimes some of the best content are the things that people really, they can't comment on because it is visible to their network. And so if it was something they were actually personally struggling with, they couldn't necessarily reach out and,
Britta Blanski (07:51.846)
ask or say thank you for this because it would kind of highlight that they're struggling with that. And that might, there's cases where that might be inappropriate. And so it, but if they were to reach out to you on a very personal message or an email, which is why it's important to have your contact information updated. You're like, okay, wow, I'm really, I'm making an impact and I'm making a difference and this is reaching people.
Caroline (08:16.251)
that too that if you decide to be active on LinkedIn, do not be afraid of the DMs. I can't tell you how many DMs I've gotten from people that have been so kind, so encouraging. Like you said, maybe they don't want their network to see that they're looking for a job or they are figuring out how to negotiate their next raise, but they slide into my DMs and we jump on a call, have a conversation and then they have solutions.
Britta Blanski (08:45.894)
Yeah, exactly. Well, and one of the big fears that people often face, at least here where I am culturally, there is a huge idea surrounding using LinkedIn solely for getting a new job. So as soon as someone starts sharing, they're like, oh, my employer is going to be suspicious that I want to leave. And then that's going to influence how they feel at work. There's going to be more pressure, maybe negative comments, whatever.
So especially like you said, if they were commenting on content that was literally about how to write your resume or how to negotiate, you know, red flag, red flag, red flag for the other people, it shouldn't be. Unfortunately, that's not the way it should be, but just know that when you are providing value like that, it's really normal that people won't interact and engage.
Caroline (09:40.443)
And for anyone listening to, if you're deciding to start out on LinkedIn, don't feel like you have to get it perfect from the beginning. My post, I just started posting on LinkedIn about 10 or 11 months ago. And when I first started doing it, I committed to five days a week. And my stats were so low because what I was posting about or talking about...
was not interesting or people didn't want to hear it and that's okay. I had to learn and so I had to learn how to be okay. You know, not getting the likes, the comments, the engagement and you just pivot and you learn. For example, I used to share articles all the time every Tuesday and Thursday on the job market or recruiting tips and...
people just didn't like it. So I stopped doing it and I started doubling down on my pro tips. And people like that goes back to the thought leader piece that we talked about. People want to hear from a thought leader. And so once I doubled down on that, I saw everything turn around. So I just want to be encouraging to anyone listening that don't be focused on perfection. Just get started.
Britta Blanski (10:45.03)
Yeah. And then I would add to that. That's where you can interweave really well, the personal with the professional. Cause if you share an article, it's in personal, right? I can go Google that. I can go get that information anywhere. But as soon as it's coming from you and I kind of know your tone of voice and I feel like I know you all of a sudden I'm like, Oh, that's really interesting. Oh, Caroline said that. Oh, if she said it, then it must be important. And so that's why when there's that sense of trust,
it goes so much further and it speaks so much louder than a copy and paste. Maybe you weren't writing the articles, were you? I don't think you were. You didn't say, okay, yeah. So, you know, it's like, okay, I could just, anyone could pull that from anywhere. So yeah, don't be afraid either to let people kind of get to know you, you know, and see you.
Caroline (11:37.787)
So as we wrap up, how can our listeners find you?
Britta Blanski (11:42.278)
Yeah. So I am of course on LinkedIn, Brita Blansky search that I'm pretty, we're Caroline and I are pretty connected. So you can also just kind of go down the rabbit hole there and find me. I'm also, I'm on Instagram pretty active there. So Brita June Co is my Instagram handle or my website, brittajuneandco .com.
Caroline (12:05.179)
Thanks, Rita.
Britta Blanski (12:06.726)
Thank you.
