How do I network effectively with LinkedIn? originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

Answer by Charlene Walters, PhD, Business Mentor, Consultant, Corporate Trainer & Author, on Quora:

LinkedIn is a wonderful platform to connect with and interact with others. On it, you can find out about new opportunities, and mingle with people you can gain knowledge from to grow your own expertise. There is a wealth of information there so take advantage.

As with anything else, you must begin with the basics. No matter what stage of the game you’re at, you should continue to work at optimizing your LinkedIn profile. Make sure you choose a professional profile picture, and give some thought to how you want to present yourself overall. Start by asking yourself some key questions. What is your personal brand? What do you want to highlight? What do you hope to be known for? Be certain that you give a lot of attention to your summary and keywords so that you can effectively highlight your skills and talents.

Remember that growing your connections is the name of the game on LinkedIn, so focus on it. As you do, take care with your connection requests. Be sure to personalize them and explain why you want to connect with the person that you’re reaching out to. It can make a huge difference in terms of how many people are willing to accept your requests.

You should also join and participate in groups on a regular basis. These groups should be aligned with your industry, interests, and aspirations. The more you put into the groups (think participation), the more that you will get out of them, so remain active. The same goes for workshops and webinars. Sign up and attend them as much as your schedule allows.

Additionally, you must interact with your connections and their content on a regular basis. People are more likely to interact with those who interact with them. Reciprocity is key on LinkedIn or any other social media platform. You get what you give.

You should also seek opportunities by conducting specialized searches. You can search for specific people, companies, industries and roles. By choosing the advanced filters, you will find exactly who and what you’re looking for.

Finally, be yourself. Nobody likes someone who is not being authentic. Sincerity and positive energy go a long way on LinkedIn so be generous with both of them, and you will do well!