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

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

Here’s my story

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

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

SOMEHOW we landed ourselves a
record deal.

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

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

We were supporting our heroes
like Ocean Colour Scene and Supergrass

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

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

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

Then…it slowly started to unravel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In truth… I really just
wanted to learn again.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This time it was different
I’D GROWN UP.

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

The musical landscaped had changed
a lot since 2008

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

Think matt, THINK.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

IT’S WORKING!

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

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

At which point, you’re probably
thinking…

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

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

I’ve become the MASTER of
my own career

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

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

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

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

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

I’m a better musician NOW
than I ever was

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

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