In a tough economy, what's the best way to beat out the competition for the best jobs? Supercharge your Job Search with Linkedin. Learn all about the premier professional social network and how to use it to maximize your professional presence, awareness of opportunities, and preparation for engagement with prospective employers.

1. Supercharge your Job Search with Linkedin Jason Matyas Social Media Consultant

2. Overview What is Linkedin and why does it matter? Your profile Your connections Recommendations Linkedin Groups Linkedin Answers Linkedin Jobs Using Linkedin with other tools and activities Supercharge your Job Search

3. What is Linkedin? The premier social network for business Connects the dots of your professional relationships Provides a venue to market your skills and experience Gives opportunities to help others Makes you visible to others Gives you awareness of opportunities

4. Why does Linkedin matter? Today’s job market is tough For employees: One of hundreds applying to each position Often don’t hear back from employers For employers: Have to review hundreds of applications Don’t have time to give personal replies Linkedin helps you find opportunities and be found by those who are looking

5. Your Linkedin Profile More than a resume, it’s a commercial for you Market yourself and build your brand Tell people your skills in detail No significant space constraints like resumes Get recommendations from coworkers List your education in detail List your professional associations Everything should show your uniqueness All of this becomes searchable, which means people can find you

6. Your Linkedin Profile

7. Creating your Linkedin Profile Use a good picture – be visually likable Write a good Professional Headline Seen when your name is displayed on other pages This is your brand – make it count Only list websites for organizations are you currently work at or that display your professional expertise (updated blog, etc.) Customize your profile page with your name

8. Creating your Linkedin Profile Summary block Your sales pitch (or elevator pitch) Your brand statement (what makes you unique) Your promise to future employers Use the summary as your ad for your ideal job Use keywords – determine them up front, then work them into your statements Specialties block Don’t overdo keywords – distribute across summary Be sure to include functional keywords (clerical, MS Office, etc.)

9. Creating your Linkedin Profile Experience block Use your resume as a baseline Add extra pertinent detail that was excluded from resume to save space Use data and metrics - $ made/saved for company, time saved, etc. Education block Include relevant education Include descriptions, honors received, activities

10. Creating your Linkedin Profile Click on Edit My Profile, then Edit for section you want

11. Recommendations Recommendations are very important Give additional perspectives on your history Lets others praise you The more you have, the better – some recruiters use # of recommendations as a filtering criteria Saves time and effort for an employer checking references – can reach out to your contacts that have recommended you directly

14. In Linkedin Groups

17. Connecting with others

18. Connecting with others Use your email contacts or invite people individually

19. Connecting with others Customize your invitations to solidify the reason to connect

20. Finding people you know Search People first (top right of page) Advanced search can narrow criteria Connecting with others

21. Connecting with others

22. Connecting with others Specify radius to search

23. Connecting with others Connect to people from their profile Click “Add <name> to your network”

24. Connecting with others Connect from a profile Colleague & classmate ask for Company or School you were at together Groups & Associations are Linkedin Groups Other requires email

25. Connecting with others Introductions Using one of your connections to be introduced to someone Usually only do for 2nd level connections Can connect to the 2nd level connection in order to get to a 3rd level connection Always think and communicate helping & win-win

26. Connecting with others Introductions Right sidebar shows: Within a person’s profile, click “Get introduced…”

27. Connecting with others

28. Connecting with others Connection strategies Connect to everyone you’ve worked with before Connect to people in the same career field Use Linkedin Groups to connect to people Utilize Introductions when needed or beneficial Participate in Linkedin Answers – these offer wider visibility outside of Group discussions

29. Linkedin Groups Way to connect to people that share similar: Professions Areas of expertise Organizational affiliation Alumni affiliation Areas of interest Limited to membership in only 50 groups The more the better, but they only really benefit you if you actively use them

30. Linkedin Groups

31. Linkedin Groups You can easily access the discussions and people you are following

32. Linkedin Groups – Home page Section Tabs Follow

33. Linkedin Groups

34. Linkedin Groups Use Linkedin Groups to: Find people with similar interests Research people in your career field and see where they’re working & where they have worked Connect to people that you can help and that can help you Start and engage in discussions Submit news items for discussion Demonstrate your subject matter expertise – your discussion entries show up on others’ home pages as new activity

35. Linkedin Answers If you think of social networking as a big cocktail party, Linkedin Answers are just the conversations happening at the party A way to engage in conversation with people interested in similar issues A way to find people to connect to A way to demonstrate your expertise Your answers show up in your profile sidebar and on others’ home pages as new activity This increases your visibility, increases your connections, and increases your ability to engage with the right people

36. Linkedin Answers

37. Linkedin Answers

38. Linkedin Jobs

39. Linkedin Jobs Use Advanced Job Search to filter for various criteria

40. Linkedin Jobs

41. Linkedin Jobs Jobs insider shows you inside connections and source of connections

42. SimplyHired integration SimplyHired search queries allow you to cross-check your Linkedin network for contacts at the company listed (click on the blue “in” icon) You can then follow up with a message or invitation request to connect to a key insider

43. Using Linkedin with other tools & activities Participate in job fairs and networking events Linkedin is just an electronic extension of human interaction The best way to connect with people online is after meeting them in person Consider making business cards that include your Linkedin profile address and invite connections Talk with fellow job seekers as well as companies & recruiters – they could be the vital link you need

44. Using Linkedin with other tools & activities Research companies and jobs on Linkedin after finding job postings Look for company profile Look for current and past employees Connect with them and ask them questions See what companies past employees left for

45. Supercharge your Job Search You job search takes time and effort Spend several hours a day researching Include LinkedIn as part of your strategy Important activities on LinkedIn Send at least a few connection requests every day New connections show up as new activity on others’ home pages Submit articles, links, and discussion entries often Include your LinkedIn profile address and email in your signature (can create an email address just for use on Linkedin) Ask and answer questions Demonstrate your communication skills Join recruiting and job search Groups Research companies and important people using Linkedin search tools

46. Supercharge your Job Search You have to find a job that fits you You have to market yourself to employers You have to understand the company & people You have to connect to people to get help Linkedin can help you do all of these

47. Supercharge your Job Search with Linkedin Jason Matyas Social Media Consultant Questions?

48. Questions? About MSI Education Services MSI Education Services is a computer software training organization that specializes in office productivity applications, such as Microsoft Office and QuickBooks. We are an approved vocational training provider for New Jersey – ask us about training grants that you may qualify for. See: http://www.msiservices.com/index.php/education/ About Jason Matyas Jason is an entrepreneur and social media consultant that focuses on leveraging the latest web and software technologies to drive business results through optimization and automation. Connect with Jason on Linkedin.