LinkedIn: From Job Search To Professional Development

Editor's Notes

• #5: You can say LinkedIn may be the darkhorse in social networks but it is growing. If you think of how a social networks personality or vibe, places like Facebook are more like the neighborhood pub but LinkedIn is more like a tradeshow or networking event. It often had a perception as the place you went to find a job but LinkedIn is more about being a valuable tool for your entire professional career. As we mentioned, the site is growing and its value is being seen more and more. Currently there are over 135 million professionals on LinkedIn worldwide and growing by over a million new members each week. There are 55 million users in the US alone and over 31 million in Europe.
• #6: LinkedIn is the social network for business. 3 out of 4 members use LinkedIn for everything business – from keeping up on trends, networking and reading news 64% feel LinkedIn helps develop relationships that grow new business Members are more trusting of content on LinkedIn over other sites….2 times more confident in fact!
• #8: Executives from all Fortune 500 companies are seeing the value – participating on the network. Plus 59 percent of those executives active on social network sites say LinkedIn is their platform of choice over Facebook or Twitter, up from 41 percent who called LinkedIn their most important social account a year earlier, according to a June report by Performics and ROI Research.
• #9: Executives from all Fortune 500 companies are seeing the value – participating on the network. Plus 59 percent of those executives active on social network sites say LinkedIn is their platform of choice over Facebook or Twitter, up from 41 percent who called LinkedIn their most important social account a year earlier, according to a June report by Performics and ROI Research.
• #11: How do you get visible? Building a robust profile. Not only does it help potential employers discover you, but will help separate you from the pack. The benefits of your profile include: When looking for a job, this is the best way to promote yourself and skills accurately Have a solid and complete profile shows you “get” the value of the site and social media. It will also help you build better business connections Your expertise is highlighted at a glance You can connect your articles written, presentations and more Goal is to aim for 100% completion to make sure the most important parts of your profile are visible and can be the most valuable to job recruiters and hiring managers.
• #12: Think of LinkedIn as an augmentation to your resume. Since most hiring managers are going to ask for your resume, don’t just duplicate your efforts. It is OK to use a personable, first person approach when writing your profile that are key word rich. Some key areas you’ll want to customize on your LinkedIn profile are: Adding a photo of yourself Create a powerful headline that can help steer searches your way Including your past positions Listing all your education Have you written any guest articles? Have papers published? Presentations you’ve given? Make sure you list them. Highlight your professional summary and list any specialties and certifications you may have. Make sure your profile is publically visable Create a custom URL to brand yourself. If you’ve ever noticed the progress bar on your profile page and wondering how you can get it to 100% complete, LinkedIn asks you to do the following seven things.
• #13: Without a current job, the best bet is to list your current position as “Open to Opportunities” or something more descriptive like “Management Consultant” if you are doing any contract work.
• #18: List your specialties! A great way to add keywords to your profile.
• #20: The best value you can get through LinkedIn is to strategically manage your connections. We recommend connecting with people you know professionally to begin with but LinkedIn is also a valuable tool to create new connections, Here are some ways to manage your connections. Be Selective – It’s OK to not just include everybody, think of what value this person adds to your network Think Quality over Quantity! Quality connections always trumps quantity, be smart, less connections mean you can focus on developing deeper connections Link to meaningful connections – See what they provide in value and who you trust, can be colleagues (current and past), business contacts (customers, partners) and professional friends. Treat others the way you want to be treated – Don’t spam you contact list, write personal notes and give recommendations first.
• #21: So you have a great profile and a good connections, there are a few ways to get out there and participate within LinkedIn. Groups – Allow you to connect with other professionals around a specific interest or topic Answers – Ask and answer questions. Create connections by becoming a resource or get input from others. Job search and recruitment – A great way to make connections for recruiting valuable employees Skills and expertise – This allows you to find out information about skills and expertise you may have. Search gives you related skills, statistics and suggested connections Learning center – A great way to learn more about LinkedIn from the team there. Find specific answers, find out about site features and read user guides Want more? A LinkedIn premium account adds more features that might be a benefit. Organize contacts into folders, get introductions, message anyone regardless of connection and more.
• #22: When using your profile for job hunting, there are several things to keep in mind. Make sure to complete your profile as fully and accurately as possible Make sure your profile is publically visible. If they can’t find it, they can’t find you! Make connections! Reconnect with college alumni, past clients, business associates and colleagues. Give and get recommendations! It’s best to give recommendations out first, people are more inclined to reciprocate Follow companies, do research, make connections whenever possible!
• #23: Be a part of relevant groups. Showcase your expertise, stay sharp and up on trends. You never know the connections you will make. Shoot for about 10 groups. Check out alumni associations! Tap into these rich networks. On other social media sites? Tie in Twitter to your LinkedIn profile, make use of the #IN hastag. Have you given presentations before? Clean these up and upload to Slideshare. Use the Answers section daily! Hunt for one questions to answer every day. Monitor the events area and see if there is anything happening around you. Get out and network.
• #24: Now that you’ve taken frantic notes and made all these changes, run through your mental checklist. Ask yourself: Do You Have Recommendations? Who can I ask? Remember to give recommendations first! Compelling Headline? Does it describe who you are and the value you bring to the table? Are You Visible? Double check your settings to make sure people can see your profile. What groups are you a part of? Do they add value? Make sure to get involved. Start discussions, respond and interact. Make sure you have Awards & Certifications listed – every leg up on the competition counts!
• #25: Who Are You Following? What companies are you adding to your wish list. Make sure you follow and research, you just might run into a connection that can put you in touch with the hiring manager. Are You Showcasing Your Expertise? Make sure what you know and what you’ve done is listed. Did You Add a Photo? Make it easy for people to put a face with your name. Are you making regular updates to the site? Make sure you stay current and active.
• #26: LinkedIn can be a powerful tool to get your noticed and hopefully land you your next job. There is no one size fits all approach but there are some issues that you can avoid to help increase your efforts to be visible and get you in front of your next employer. Not Using Custom URL -- This is simple to do and gives you the opportunity to brand yourself and show attention to detail No Powerful, Searchable Headline – This is your foot in the door, make it memorable in a good way and with key words that coincide with the position you are seeking Not Adding Links – If you have outside resources like a blog, website, presentations, articles or whitepapers…make sure they are linked to your profile Having Low Recommendations – The more people say good things about you the better. Remember to recommend first and then ask for one in return. Work with your close contacts to ensure you get plenty of recommendations! Not Proofreading. Not Updating Regularly – If you are showing that you don’t value this resource, you can be missing out on your next position.
• #27: Not Personalizing Invitation Message. Make sure to add your personal touch and you’ll see a better reaction and result. Are you asking for too many favors? Asking a person you may not know too well to make an introduction for you can strain relationships and get you known for the wrong things. Add value to your network and expect the same. Heavy Promotion In Groups – Are you promoting yourself too much in groups? Use the promotion and job tabs for this and keep it out of the regular thread. Create a wish list of companies you want to work for and follow them. Search for connections you may have connected to those companies to get you leads. When you do get noticed, research the company who is there and what they are doing. The new company features of the site provide some valuable information. Not Using Groups & Answers – These are great ways to connect you with likeminded professionals and can help establish you as a go-to resource…make sure you use them regularily.
• #28: How much time should you spend on LinkedIn. Plan on some initial time to get your profile squared away and to make yourself familiar with the platform then make sure to dedicate at least 20 to 30 minutes each day after that and as needed. Remember, your Upfront Investment Pays Off – get familiar with it now and make it a part of your routine Try to check in daily but at a minimum, Check In A Few Times A Week If you are on Twitter, make sure to tie in your Twitter account and share to your relevant status updates with your LinkedIn network using the #In Be Selective! Connect with the right people, right companies, right groups. Have A Purpose and plan. Join The Right Groups Keep In Touch With Valuable Connections
• #29: Once you get hired, remember LinkedIN provides just as much or more value so stay active! Now you can spend your time networking and learning to advance your career. These connections can help develop stronger business partnerships and help in the sales cycle. You have proven that LinkedIn is a valuable resource to connect employers with quality employees, so make sure you use LinkedIn when filling positions at your new job. Extend your reach and continue using groups and answers to prove you are a resource in the industry. Your thought leadership will come in handy. And of course, it always helps with valuable networking.