My name is Jabulile, aka Dr J, and I am in the elevator that has passed the 40^th floor. I was born in Mpumalanga, and we were not exposed to computers, let alone able to use them as children. The closest items we had were a typewriter and a fax. What? Exactly!

The first time I saw a computer was in the mid 1990s at university. They were very scary and difficult to operate. You had to remember all the functions (press F1 for help), and they had black DOS screens that did not make things easier if you had the slightest anxiety about using a computer.

Nowadays, we can do more with our smartphones than we could with one of those clunky old PCs, running Windows. We use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram…but LinkedIn? It remains the scary platform – after all, it’s where you have to put on your interview outfit (and face), put your best foot forward, and mind what you say.

Perhaps that’s why those of us who have passed the 40^th floor may say that we don’t need LinkedIn. What we’re really saying is that we’re not comfortable putting ourselves out there on a platform where we don’t know anyone. It’s like walking into a large networking event all by yourself – and doing it on a computer! (Okay, or on your phone.)

So, the question is: how do you approach LinkedIn if you feel as I used to about computers?

1. Ask yourself what could be so difficult, if you could study and pass matric without Google or a computer. These things are younger than you. As an adult, you can handle them.

2. Once you’ve given yourself a pep talk, start checking out “the room”. Who’s there, and who are they with?

3. Click on any post or profile that looks interesting. Don’t pressure yourself. You don’t have to commit or hang around if you feel uncomfortable. Instead, do just as you would at a networking event.

4. Check out YouTube for videos on how to use LinkedIn. (Yes, one social-media platform can explain how to use another!)

5. Ask someone who won’t laugh at all your questions, even if you feel they’re stupid. Once you have the basics down pat, you can hire a (younger) person to work on your page, and make it look more professional.

6. Connect with people who you know won’t mind if you practise on them – even if this means deleting some of your earliest posts. Then graduate, and move slowly towards the people who matter to you in a professional sense.

7. Read their profiles so that you can make the right impression when connecting with them. Also remember the golden rule of job applications: don’t send the same covering letter to everyone. This approach will make a possible LinkedIn connection lose interest on the spot, or worse – think of you as someone who isn’t really interested in them. Kind of like doing a sales pitch to everyone you meet at an event.

8. Be consistent, and post and share interesting and useful information that your contacts will enjoy. Also, try not to be lively and engaging for a month and then disappear for an entire year before popping up again. You won’t find any value in that.

9. Remember, business is digital now. You can survive offline for a while, but if you don’t jump onto the platform and train, you may miss out on all the sights, adventures, and new friends.

This article originally appeared in Mindspace magazine. Read more here.