This presentation provides a basic overview of LinkedIn and some of its key features. Topics covered in this presentation include: how to build a complete profile, how to navigate LinkedIn, how to connect with people on LinkedIn, how to nurture your LinkedIn network, how to manage your privacy settings and resources for learning more about LinkedIn

1. LinkedIn Basics

2. The following questions will be answered:
• What is LinkedIn?
• Why should I use LinkedIn?
• Who uses LinkedIn?
• How do I navigate LinkedIn?
• How can I create an “All-Star” LinkedIn profile?
• How do I connect with people on LinkedIn?
• What are LinkedIn groups?
• How can I nurture my LinkedIn network?
• How do I manage privacy settings?
• How can I learn more about LinkedIn?

3. What is LinkedIn?
The world’s
largest
professional
network
Launched
on May 5,
2003
Ranked 15
(global web
traffic)
Ranked 16
(US web
traffic)

4. How many members does LinkedIn have?
LinkedIn
Members?
400
million
874
million
1
million

6. Are you currently using LinkedIn?
Are you
currently using
LinkedIn?
Yes
Why are you
using LinkedIn?
No
Why aren’t you
using LinkedIn?

7. Reasons to Use LinkedIn
• Networking! Networking! Networking!
• LinkedIn is the ultimate personal branding tool
• It’s the place to find and to be found
• Great resource for exploring career opportunities
• Cultivate a network now that you can tap into later
• “Spy” on companies you want to work for
• Position yourself as a thought leader on LinkedIn Pulse (LinkedIn’s
blogging platform)

8. Navigating LinkedIn
Home Profile
• Edit Profile
• Who’s
Viewed Your
Profile
• Your
Updates
My Network
• Connections
• Add
Contacts
• People You
May Know
• Find Alumni
Jobs Interests
• Companies
• Groups
• Pulse
• Education
• SlideShare
• Online
Learning

9. LinkedIn shortcuts on Profile page
• View profile as to see…
• How your connections view your
profile
• How the public views your profile
• Shortcuts to common LinkedIn
tasks can be accessed here

10. Common LinkedIn Terms
• Profile: Your profile is what other people will see when they find you on
LinkedIn. You can think of your profile like a resume—a place to add
information about your employment history, education, and skills.
• Connection: LinkedIn makes it easy to add new and existing contacts,
known as connections, to your online network.
• Contact: A contact is someone who is saved to your Contact list or
someone you've sent a message or invitation to.
• Recommendation: This is a short paragraph that will appear on your
profile. A recommendation should speak to your professional strengths and
skills.
• Endorsement: Your connections can endorse you for skills you've added to
your LinkedIn profile. This is an easy way to verify your skills.

11. Creating Your “All-Star” LinkedIn Profile
1. Add a (professional-looking) photo
2. Create a professional “headline”
3. Add your experience (positions, descriptions)
4. Add your location, postal code, industry
5. Add your education
6. Add skills (at least 5)
7. Add summary
8. Add connections (at least 50)

12. Your LinkedIn Photo
• Should be professional-looking
• High-quality head-shots are
recommended
• JPG, GIF or PNG files
• File size - 10MB maximum
• Your photo should be square
• Ideal photo size is 400 x 400 px
• Ron Nash (LinkedIn expert)

13. Your Professional Headline
• Does not have to be your job title
• Describe who you are and what
you want to do in 120 characters or
less
• Check out the profiles of
professionals and other students
for headline ideas
• LinkedIn can show you what others
in your industry are using
Experienced
Transportation Executive
Web Designer and
Information Architect,
Visionary Entrepreneur
and Investor

14. Your Experience
• List your current and past roles
• Include dates of employment and job duties
• You can add media (video, image, document, presentation) to each of
your job experiences
• Speak the language of your industry, using relevant keywords

15. Your Location

16. Your Education
• Enter keywords to represent your industry and function, e.g. IT,
marketing, biotech.
• Enter your school(s) and LinkedIn can help you connect with your
classmates
• Include your major and highlight relevant coursework, study abroad,
awards, etc.

17. Your Skills
• LinkedIn gives you 50 skills
• Minimum 5 skills needed for a
complete profile “All Star”
• Try to add as many as possible
• Can reorder skills to put more
relevant skills at top
Event Planning
Public
Speaking
Management
Research
Training
Leadership
Marketing

18. Your Summary
• Probably one of the most
important sections of your
LinkedIn profile
• Include keywords that are
relevant to your industry
• Limit is 2,000 characters
• Add rich media to show
examples of your work
• Can be organized into three
paragraphs Paragraph 3: Something personal to build trust
(What’s important to you? What is your passion?)
Paragraph 2: The value that you provide
(short narrative of your top skills)
Paragraph 1: Who you are
(graphic designer, podiatrist, community organizer)

19. Building Your LinkedIn Network
• Once your profile is complete, its time to network
• Remember, you need at least 50 connections for an “All Star” Profile
• Develop a clear strategy for building and nurturing your connections.
• Determine who you want to connect with and why
• Only connect with people you know well?
• Connect with anyone you feel would be a good connection?
• Link to your existing and past contacts (jobs, school, volunteer
service)
• Join LinkedIn groups to connect with people who share your interests

20. Joining LinkedIn Groups
• Start by joining the university’s LinkedIn group
• Join larger industry groups related to your career interests
• Display the group badges on your profile
• Once you join a LinkedIn group, you can connect with other group
members
• To establish yourself as a thought leader, participate in discussions

21. Displaying Group Badges
Accounts &
Settings
Privacy &
Settings
(Manage)
Groups,
Companies &
Applications
View your groups
My groups
Gear symbol
next to group
name
Group Settings
Group Logo
(Check/Uncheck)

22. Nurturing Your LinkedIn Network
• Share interesting articles to LinkedIn groups
• Congratulate your connections for their accomplishments
• Like, comment & share content from your connections
• Endorse skills of your connections
• Provide recommendations for your connections
• Utilize LinkedIn’s blog feature (Pulse) to write & share original content

23. Adding New Connections
• LinkedIn Search
• Search for the person you want to connect with, and click “connect”
• Can also do a keyword search via the advanced search page
• Import Email Address Book
• Upload Spreadsheet of Contacts

24. Managing Your LinkedIn Connection
• Sort by:
• Recent Conversations
• Last Name
• First Name
• New
• Filter by:
• All contacts
• Connections only
• Export your connections
(use gear icon in upper-right)
My Network
Connections

25. LinkedIn Recommendations
• Reflects your previous work at a
company or school
• Shows why other people enjoy
working with you
• Helps to establish credibility
• Ask for recommendations from:
• Former managers
• Co-workers & colleagues
• Customers & clients
• Former teachers & professors
Click on your
picture in upper
right
Privacy & Settings
Enter your login
credentials
Manage your
recommendations

26. Privacy Settings
• Who can see your profile?
• Option 1: Your name, picture, headline, location, & industry are visible
• Option 2: Your title & company are visible
• Option 3: Complete private mode
• Notify your network?
• No: No, do not publish an update to my network about my profile changes.
• Yes: Yes, publish an update to my network about my profile changes.

27. Recommended LinkedIn Articles
• Three Simple Steps To Building A Powerful LinkedIn Network
• http://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2014/10/21/three-simple-steps-
to-building-a-powerful-linkedin-network/#2523f6094035
• 6 Steps to Building a Killer LinkedIn Profile (Infographic)
• http://www.fastcompany.com/3028475/work-smart/6-steps-to-building-a-
killer-linkedin-profile-infographic

28. LinkedIn Resources - Books
• “How To LinkedIn” (Standard Edition) by Ron Nash
• http://www.lulu.com/shop/ron-nash/how-to-linkedin-standard-
edition/paperback/product-22536203.html

29. LinkedIn Resources - Webinars & Videos
• LinkedIn Learning Webinars
• https://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/530
• Job Search Radio: How to LinkedIn
• https://youtu.be/kFDcxRTAsVE
• LinkedIn Basics
• http://www.gcflearnfree.org/socialmedia/linkedin

30. Thank You!