1.
Effectively using
LinkedIn
Valeria L. Hunter

2.
Agenda
• What is LinkedIn
• Why use LinkedIn
• Join
• Create a profile
• Privacy and settings
• Write updates
Participate
• Make Connections
• Endorsements
• Recommendations
• Join Groups
• Posting
• Follow Companies
• Search for jobs

3.
What is LinkedIn?
• LinkedIn is a social networking site designed specifically for
the business community.
• LinkedIn was launched in May 2003, has over 300 million
members from 200 countries, representing 170 industries.
According to founder Reid Hoffman, 27 percent of LinkedIn
subscribers are recruiters.
• The goal of the site is to allow registered members to establish
and document networks of people they know and trust
professionally.
• A LinkedIn member’s profile page, emphasizes employment
history and education, has professional network news feeds

4.
What is LinkedIn?
• Basic membership for LinkedIn is free.
• With basic membership, a member can establish connections
with someone he has worked with, knows professionally
(online or offline) or has gone to school with. Connections up
to three degrees away are seen as part of the member's
network.
• Unlike other free social networking sites like Facebook or
Twitter, LinkedIn requires connections to have a pre-existing
relationship.
• Premium subscriptions can be purchased to provide members
with better access to contacts in the LinkedIn database, more
visibility around who is looking at your profile, and data about
how your profile compares to other LinkedIn profiles.

5.
Why use LinkedIn?
• A professional online presence is needed for all kinds of career
opportunities
• new job
• speaking engagement
• other collaboration opportunities
• For most industries, potential employers may find it strange if
you’re not on LinkedIn
• When you apply for a job, whoever checks your resume will
look at your LinkedIn profile
• To see if you have mutual connections who might reveal what it’s
like to work with you
• To settle any questions raised when looking at your cover letter
and resume

6.
Why use LinkedIn?
• 98% of recruiters and 85% of hiring managers use LinkedIn to
find candidates (according to Viveka von Rosen, author of
LinkedIn Marketing: An Hour a Day and founder of
LinkedIntoBusiness.com)
• Professionals at all levels use LinkedIn
• Networking
• Keeping in touch with current and former colleagues
• Engaging with their broader industry
• When applying for a job, look for employees (current and
former) who may give you insight into the company’s culture
• Determine which of your own friends and acquaintances may
know current employees who might make a connection for
you.

7.
Join LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com

8.
Create your profile
• Summary
• Experience
• Publications
• Education
• Courses
• Certifications
• Honors and Awards
• Languages
• Projects
• Test Scores
• Patents
• Organizations
• Volunteer
• Skills and
Endorsements
• Recommendations
• Following
• Companies
• Influencers

9.
Create your profile
• Tips*
• Speak directly!
• Use every
available
character per
section
• Add visuals!
• Customize your URL
• Make your profile public
*National Urban League Digital Career Success webinar (Oct 8, 2015)
Add visuals

10.
Privacy and Settings
• Turn off activity broadcasts while creating/editing your profile
• Select what others see when you view their profile
• Select the sections to include in your public profile

11.
Participate
Make connections
Recommendations
• Request recommendations from people you’ve worked with
• Add testimonials in your Summary section (free form text)
Groups
• Select daily or weekly digest emails
• Contribute to conversations – stay on topic
Publishing
• Updates (up to 600 words: work anniversary, promotion, job change)
• Posts (longer blog type entries)
• LinkedIn publishing (using Pulse – advanced users)

12.
Search for Jobs
Follow Companies
• Use the website
• Use the mobile app
• Apply with LinkedIn
• Apply at the company website

13.
Tips
• During major editing,
turn off activity
broadcasts
• Use every character
available in each
section
• Write your profile as if
you are having a
conversation with
someone. It’s okay to
inject your personality.
• Join groups related to
your area of expertise,
industry, alumni,
passions, social causes,
and other aspects of
your identity
• Group members can
invite other members
to join their network
• Take care when
viewing the profile of
others

14.
Resources for more info
• Up and Running with LinkedIn, Justin Seeley on Lynda.com
http://www.lynda.com/LinkedIn-tutorials/Up-Running-
LinkedIn/383249-2.html?org=ippl.info
• Forbes magazine: How to use LinkedIn for Career Success
http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurashin/2014/06/26/how-to-
use-linkedin-5-smart-steps-to-career-success/
• Forbes magazine: 22 LinkedIn Secrets
http://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2014/03/04/22-
linkedin-secrets-linkedin-wont-tell-you/

15.
Questions?