Singer-songwriter Matt Henshaw used his profile to launch a career comeback. He proves no matter what your dream - it’s all about how you put yourself out there. What’s your dream? Picture yourself where you want to be and let LinkedIn help you get there.

1. Hello, I’m Matt Henshaw
I launched a successful career comeback

2. Whatever you want to do
I’ve got some advice that will help get you there.

3. Here’s my story

4. This was my band CENSORED
It all started as a bit of teenage fun.

5. A local gig here and there,
A few lads from Nottingham, messing about.

6. SOMEHOW
we landed ourselves a record deal.

7. Less than a year on we were in the NME and playing Reading and Leeds.
I couldn’t believe it

8. I didn’t even have time to collect my A-Level results
PRETTY rock n’ roll EH?

9. We were supporting our heroes
like Ocean Colour Scene and Supergrass

10. I never really thought about the future.
Don’t get me wrong, I was passionate

11. But I was having a great time making music.
I thought we were SET for LIFE

12. Anyway it was 2008.
BBC Radio 1 were set to play our latest track.
WHAT COULD POSSIBILY GO WRONG?

13. Then…it slowly started to unravel

14. We organised a completely CRAZY line-up of back-back gigs.

15. Without any real guidance, we’d spread ourselves too thin.

16. St. Georges Day 2009…
It finally caught up with me.

17. We were playing to a sold out crowd.
I only lasted 3 SONGS I was burnt out.

18. We had to break for about 2 months.
We cancelled all of our festivals.

19. We’d suddenly lost our momentum….
we had to CALL IT A DAY

20. I was in touching distance of my dream career.
SUDDENLY it was gone.

21. I took some time off.
I remember my Mum asking me…
“WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM LIFE?”

22. In truth…
I really just wanted to learn again.

23. I decided to go to university
I did an MRes in Film and Television

24. I wasn’t going out that much, more gardening, staying in and drinking tea.
Not so ROCK n’ ROLL

25. I felt older and mature for the first time ever. It was a chance to get on with life.

26. I found a job as a COMPUTER SCIENCE SUSTAINABILITY RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Try saying that with a mouthful

27. But something was missing
I couldn’t put my finger on it

28. Then in 2012 I went to watch some gigs.
Watching people on stage…

29. Something clicked inside me….
I’M ONE OF THESE PEOPLE
I’m a Musician

30. I realised the job I was doing wasn’t my dream

31. After so many years away, music was calling my name again…

32. WAIT
…It hadn’t exactly gone to plan last time

33. This time it was different
I’D GROWN UP.

34. My first experience had awakened me to see things in a whole new way.

35. The musical landscaped had changed a lot since 2008

36. So many social networks, promotional tools…
I had to be SMARTER this time.

37. Think matt, THINK.

38. I remembered LinkedIn from training sessions I had done at work…

39. I logged back on
THOUGHT
If this works for office stuff, why can’t it work for music?

40. I checked out other people’s profiles and then used the interactive guide to
update my own one.
type type type type

41. I realised how easy it was to tailor it to music to showcase my skills.

42. I wanted to get across my passion and most of all…my personality

43. Funnily enough most of my endorsements were already for signing and
songwriting.

44. When I updated my profile more and more endorsements started coming in from
people I already knew.
It was a massive CONFIDENCE BOOST

45. Keeping my profile UP TO DATE was a sure-fire way of making sure people took
me seriously and saw me as a professional.
Not just another lad with a guitar.

46. I did a search
Amazingly I found loads of relevant people…
JOURNALISTS AGENTS PR MARKETING

47. Then one day I got the message…
you’ve got a new connection

48. That one connection opened up a whole new range of people
Triggered a fresh network of possibilities.

49. What was most amazing was that instead of sending out speculative messages to
find opportunities…

50. suddenly, opportunities were coming to me!
My profile was like a MAGNET and all because I’d added a bit more detail.

51. Just adding a bit more about yourself in the summary and adding a profile picture
makes it much easier for people to find you.

52. It turns out if you have a complete profile, you’re 40 times more likely to receive
opportunities.

53. And it meant people contacted me with relevant and meaningful jobs in mind…

54. …Be it a gig or festival or just helping put stuff together in the recording studio.

55. IT’S WORKING!

56. SUDDENLY I’ve got a gig coming up at the Roundhouse Camden and a slot at the
Elevator Music Festival…

57. Its my very own ‘COMEBACK’ tour if you like
all off my own back.

58. At which point, you’re probably thinking…

59. “Good for him”
But you might not want to be a musciain...

60. …That’s not really the point. The point is that I recovered from being down and
out!

61. I’ve become the MASTER of my own career

62. I went from knowing what I wanted to GETTING what I wanted

63. Whether you’re a musician a lawyer, a scientist or an accountant…you can always
DO BETTER

64. Follow what you’re passionate about.
WORK AS HARD as you can
GET THERE

65. You see, LinkedIn isn’t just for business people.
It’s for anyone with AMBITION

66. If I can do it, then you won’t have a PROBLEM

67. I’m a better musician NOW than I ever was

68. LinkedIn played its part for me…
and it can FOR YOU

69. LinkedIn
What’s your dream
Update you profile http://linkd.in/1izYjjr