LinkedIn: Developing a Powerful Profile
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This is the LinkedIn curriculum I took the initiative and completely rewrote, which has been rolled out statewide in Utah. You will learn how to navigate LinkedIn, build a strong and persuasive profile, and connect with other members.
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LinkedIn: Developing a Powerful Profile
- 1. Instructor: Todd L Bauerle tbauerle@utah.gov
- 2. Introductions! • What is your name? • What was the last company you worked for? • What type of work are you looking for now? • What is the most important thing for you to learn today?
- 3. Expectations • There is a lot of information to cover. Stay focused on the topic. • Practice common courtesy, including hand raising, respectful language and avoiding side bar conversations. • Please do not download software or stream media on our computers. • Take care of your needs (restroom, snacks, drinks, stretching and sleeping) on break. Smoking can occur 25 feet away from the building. • Return promptly after the break. TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONES Save texting and Facebook for break
- 4. Please sign into your LinkedIn account, or click “Join now” to create one
- 5. What is LinkedIn? •The site officially launched on May 5, 2003. •LinkedIn operates the world’s largest professional network on the Internet with over 414 million members in 200 countries and territories. •Two people join LinkedIn every second!
- 9. Benefits of using LinkedIn: 1.Online Resume 2.Referral Generator 3.Contact Manager 4.Company Information Directory 5.Job Postings 6.Recruiting Tool 7.Brand Management 8.Job Seeking and Industry Education
- 10. Navigating
- 11. Navigating LinkedIn Your homepage appears when you sign in or click Home. The activity feed shows recent posts and updates from your connections and what you choose to follow.
- 12. Navigating LinkedIn Clicking either Profile or Edit Profile will take you to the edit profile function.
- 13. Navigating LinkedIn Hover over any section of your profile… and a blue pencil will appear. Click that icon to edit each section. Remember to save changes!
- 14. Navigating LinkedIn Who’s Viewed Your Profile provides you a variety of statistics.
- 15. Navigating LinkedIn Your Updates will display any recent activity, long form posts you have published or drafts you have saved, and information on your followers.
- 16. Navigating LinkedIn Connections is where you can view and sort the profile information of those you are connected to. We will discuss how to Add Contacts and People You May Know at the end of the workshop. How to Find Alumni is covered in the LinkedIn Advanced class.
- 17. Navigating LinkedIn Jobs Clicking jobs allows you to search job postings currently active on LinkedIn. Interests The interests menu is an area covered in depth during the LinkedIn Advanced workshop.
- 18. Navigating LinkedIn You can use the search box to look for just about anything on LinkedIn. If you are having trouble finding what you want, consider filtering by categories by clicking the list icon to the left of the search box. Or you can conduct an Advanced search.
- 19. Navigating LinkedIn These features are specifically for employers to post a job, advertise or grow their business. LinkedIn lets you try the Premium features FREE for one month. Maximize your free LinkedIn membership before you consider paying for Premium.
- 20. Navigating LinkedIn The Messaging icon will light up with a red number when you have a new Message. Hover over the icon to preview your messages. Click on the message to read it. Or click the icon to visit LinkedIn’s message system.
- 21. Navigating LinkedIn New Notifications are shown when the flag icon is lit with a red number. Hover over the icon to view the notifications, such as profile views, new endorsements or connection activity.
- 22. Navigating LinkedIn Pending Invitations to connect will notify you by the Network icon with a red number. Hover over the icon to view the pending invitation, and click the checkmark to accept the connection. Click on the Network icon to access Pending Invitations.
- 23. Manage your Pending Invitations. Click on the Invitations icon. • From Sent Invitations, you can cancel any outstanding connection requests. • Blocked Invitations allows you to review any connections requests previously blocked. Navigating LinkedIn
- 24. To access Privacy & Settings from your profile page: Hover over your picture to the right Select > Privacy & Settings Privacy & Settings
- 25. Privacy & Settings : Account Add any e-mail addresses you currently have access to, so you can be discovered by contacts! Do not remove old e-mail addresses!
- 26. Privacy & Settings : Account Add a mobile phone number so you can recover your password if you forget it!
- 27. Privacy & Settings : Account LinkedIn cannot reopen accounts that have been closed for more than 20 days!
- 28. Privacy & Settings : Privacy While updating your profile, disable Sharing Profile Edits with your entire network.
- 29. Privacy & Settings : Privacy Choose what other LinkedIn members see about you when you view their profile!
- 30. If you are concerned about privacy or safety, you can block profiles. Privacy: Blocking Other Users Hover over the grey drop down arrow to access the menu and block profiles.
- 31. Privacy & Settings : Privacy Click on Blocking to view the list of people you have blocked and to stop blocking another member.
- 32. Privacy & Settings : Communications Decrease the frequency of emails sent by LinkedIn.
- 33. Privacy & Settings : Communications If you are using LinkedIn frequently, you most likely do not need to have email notifications sent for each category.
- 34. If you are using a public computer, always Sign Out! Hover over your picture to the right Select > Sign Out Navigating LinkedIn
- 35. Your Profile
- 36. LinkedIn Dashboard •Basic Profile Information •Public Profile URL •Connections •Websites •Twitter •Contact Info
- 37. Profile Picture •Always use a professional looking photo. •Wear what you would to an Interview. •Keep brand management in mind when changing profile photo. •People with LinkedIn profile pictures are 13x more likely to be viewed!
- 38. Name •Use the name people know you by - makes it easy to be found in searches. •Include credentials (MD, CPA, PMP) •You can include your Maiden or Former name. •If you choose, middle initials should be added after your first name.
- 39. Background Image •Select a professional photo or image to serve as the backdrop to your Dashboard.
- 40. Headline This Headline should sum up your professional “identity.” Use titles and/or multiple keyword phrases. Change or make additions to this on occasion. Examples: •Public Relations | Communications | Training •Patent Law Expert with 10 years experience seeking new opportunities NOT “Seeking Employment” or “Unemployed”!
- 41. Location •LinkedIn only lets you input a single zip code. •You can choose to have the zip code display your exact city and state, or the nearest metropolitan area. •Use the zip code for where you want to work... • This is helpful if you are relocating out of state.
- 42. Industry •LinkedIn only lets you select one industry. •Industry is a search filter, and your selection will impact if you show up in a recruiter’s search results. •Consider changing your selection on occasion.
- 43. Public Profile URL •Edit your standard URL to simplify. •Use your name, avoid numbers. •Use this link on a resume, business card or QR code.
- 44. Profile Walkthrough: Keywords impact if you show up in searches! Write down a list of power words and skills that would benefit your profile, and add them to these areas: Your Headline, Summary, Skills and Experience Other ideas to identify keywords? •Search job postings for keywords that you can post in your profile •Search people with your profession to check out words they use
- 45. •This is your marketing message and profile introduction. •Be interesting and share passions and goals! •Remember to use keywords according to your industry! •You have 2,000 characters, be direct and factual. •Use the advertising space they provide for you!
- 46. •Consider using a paragraph listing your Specialties at the bottom of your summary to add more keywords.
- 47. •Add at least 10 skills, LinkedIn allows up to 50 skills total. •Pick a variety of work and transferrable skills. •Focus on skills you possess and are required for the job you want. •Once you add skills, you can manage and re-order them. •People you’re connected to may choose to endorse you. • As a professional courtesy, if you want endorsements—give them first!
- 48. • LinkedIn experts suggest including a full work history—the more information, the better. • You may choose to share non-employment experience where you’ve learned valuable skills. • Either paragraph or bullet format are acceptable. • Consider writing it in MS Word, and then copy it to LinkedIn to use spell check. • Make sure to showcase value by using numbers (#, $, %) and accomplishments!
- 50. • Always list schools – this is great for Alumni networking. • Consider listing your High School! • Don’t worry about the graduation year if it’s more than 10 years – dates are not required! • List applicable education even if no degree was earned. • You can expand your education by sharing courses studied, accomplishments, clubs or programs you were involved with.
- 52. Additional Sections •You also have the opportunity to add additional sections to your profile. •These sections are not mandatory, but adding a few is a great way to stand out against your competition!
- 54. Organize Your Profile • As you add sections, you may need to organize your profile so it makes sense to the reader. • Each section contains a double arrow icon used to rearrange your profile. • Click on the above icon to drag and drop each section to their desired location.
- 56. Your Network and Degrees of Connections People you are directly connected to. You can contact them by sending a message on LinkedIn. People who are connected to your 1st degree connections. You can send them an invitation to connect by clicking Connect. You can contact them by requesting an Introduction or by sending an InMail. People who are connected to your 2nd degree connections. • If their full name is displayed, you can invite them by clicking Connect. • If only the first letter of their last name is displayed, you can only contact them through InMail.
- 57. Your Network and Degrees of Connections 1st 2nd 3rd Yo u
- 58. Your Network and Degrees of Connections These people are considered part of your network because you’re members of the same group. You can contact them by sending a message on LinkedIn or through the group. Out of Network – LinkedIn members who fall outside these categories can only be contacted through an InMail. Premium members who pay for a LinkedIn subscription, and choose to display the badge. This icon is also used to denote Premium-only features. Premium members who allow all LinkedIn users to see their complete profile and let you send them a free InMail, even if they are outside of your network.
- 59. To import contacts from an e-mail address book: Hover over My Network and then select Add Contacts Adding Connections
- 60. Sign-in to an existing email account. Import Contacts from E-mail
- 61. Grant LinkedIn offline access and permission to your email address book. Import Contacts from E-mail Click “Accept” or “Yes”
- 62. Select the people from your address book, currently on LinkedIn, who you would like to connect with. Import Contacts from E-mail
- 63. Do NOT invite your other contacts to join LinkedIn. Import Contacts from E-mail
- 64. Finding People You May Know. Hover over My Network and then select People You May Know People You May know
- 65. Finding People You May Know. Adding Connections • Suggestions are populated through commonalities you share with other members. • Hover over the Common Connections icon to see how you are connected. • Click Connect to immediately send them a generic invitation to connect.
- 66. Invite people to connect with a custom message. Adding Connections
- 67. Personalize Your Invitation. Adding Connections Show how you know the person you are trying to connect with. Add a Personal Note to remind the person how they know you. Click Send Invitation.
- 68. Wrapping Up
- 69. 1. Use a professional photo 2. Create a headline, use industry and location 3. Complete your summary section 4. Add your current and previous work history 5. Add at least 5 skills 6. Include your education 7. Connect with 50 LinkedIn members
- 70. Get Noticed! Get Connected! Get Opportunities! Get Insider Access! …and more! Join us for LinkedIn Advanced!
- 71. • LinkedIn Help Center https://help.linkedin.com/app/home • Search Webinars • youtube.com/user/linkedin • blog.linkedin.com • gcflearnfree.org/linkedin Additional Resources
Editor's Notes
- ***VIDEO: Use a great YouTube Clip to start the presentation. (What about Bob, “I’m Sailing” runtime 1:10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrbY4hsNh64 ) *** Many job seekers have a fear of computers, social media, and trying something new. Identity theft is what many people unfamiliar with computers are concerned about. They are nervous about putting personal information on the internet. LinkedIn is a very secure site, as are most other websites where you enter any kind of personal information. You may not be aware, but since company databases are connected to the internet—your information is accessible online whether you share it on LinkedIn and Facebook or not. The world has changed and learning new technology can often be uncomfortable: because it is DIFFERENT. We hope you will be comfortable and find benefit in the use of LinkedIn. By the end of this workshop, you’ll be sailing…just like Bob!
- ***Complete your introduction activity with the class.***
- ***Review your classroom expectations.***
- ***Provide the handout “Setting Up a LinkedIn Profile” and wait until everyone is signed in to their account before moving forward.***
- LinkedIn started in 2002, and was officially launched May 5th, 2003. Since that time, LinkedIn has grown to be the world’s largest professional network. As of 4th quarter 2015, 414 million profiles in over 200 countries and territories are active on LinkedIn. Another interesting fact is that every second, 2 people join LinkedIn. LinkedIn has been around 1 year longer than Facebook. VIDEO: GCF Learn Free: http://www.gcflearnfree.org/linkedin/1
- Since the recession of 2008, membership on LinkedIn has grown exponentially. Experts expect this trend to continue.
- While Facebook is something more of us may be familiar with, it is not the website employers are using the most frequently to recruit. In fact, employers are beginning to prohibit the use of Facebook as a screening tool for employment because it may open the company to risks of discrimination. LinkedIn continues to be the best online resource for recruiters to find candidates because it is designed with professionals and job seekers in mind. 94% of recruiters report actively searching or researching candidates on LinkedIn—but only 36% of job seekers have a profile. This 36% percent will continue to have more opportunities until you decide to make the most of your LinkedIn profile.
- Most LinkedIn members are using the website to network with other professionals or manage their personal brand. Many use LinkedIn to follow industry topics and learn about companies. When you join LinkedIn, you are joining a community of the most influential, educated and affluent professionals on the web. This is because LinkedIn is a trusted professional social network. One point to consider, 81% of LinkedIn members prefer to have separate social networks for their personal and professional lives. This is not Facebook—it is your professional reputation.
- LinkedIn has become a place where people can learn who you are and what your experience is. Think of LinkedIn as your Online Resume or Business Card, and the place to highlight your skills, abilities and accomplishments. Once you have a well established brand and an outstanding profile, opportunities will come to you. Employers will discover you on LinkedIn and begin to recruit you for positions you may not be aware of. In that sense, LinkedIn is a Referral Generator. LinkedIn can now replace your Rolodex and you can keep in contact with people you meet, people you have worked with and is a tool to be introduced to new people. In every networking opportunity you have, take notes of those attending and look them up after the meeting to see if they are on LinkedIn. Invite them to join your network indicating that you both attended the same event. Never let a contact be forgotten when you use LinkedIn as your Contact Manager. By using the search feature, you can discover current and past employees of a specific company. Ever wondered who works in Adobe’s Human Resources department? LinkedIn can be an informal Company Directory. Businesses also can share Job Postings on LinkedIn. Some companies even allow you to apply with your LinkedIn profile—no resume or application needed! If companies are not meeting their needs with low applications, or they have trouble filling a specialty position, they make use of LinkedIn as a Recruiting Tool, using specific keyword searches to find the perfect candidate. There is no better place for Brand Management as a jobseeker than LinkedIn. Always highlight your expertise, experience and industry knowledge. Then other members of your network have the opportunity to endorse your skills and write letters of recommendation. Finally, LinkedIn is an incredible resource for Education regarding job seeking skills, learning about industry trends or other new developments. Of all these benefits, Forbes recently declared LinkedIn may be the only career management tool a professional needs. [Arruda, W. (2014). Why LinkedIn is the Only Personal Branding Resource You Need. Forbes.]
- Please follow along in your own account as we learn how to navigate through LinkedIn.
- ***You may want to display your LinkedIn profile to demonstrate each of the following the areas of the website. Instruct the class to follow along in their own profiles. *** Optional VIDEO: GCF Learn Free, Menu FAQ (http://www.gcflearnfree.org/linkedin/4) hyperlink on DWS logo, then scroll down to interface navigation. Clicking Home on the navigational toolbar will take you to the home page, which is the first thing you see when you log into LinkedIn. This is an Activity Feed filled with information you are following or updating you on what your connections are doing. Make it a daily habit to scroll through your activity feed daily. Read, share and like articles or activities to gain visibility; but always remember to keep it professional. We discuss this page more including customizing your feed and how to use it in LinkedIn Advanced.
- Clicking Profile on the navigational toolbar is how you access your information. Note, clicking Profile or the sub-menu item Edit Your Profile take you to the exact same place, which is the Edit Profile function.
- In your Profile, when you place your cursor over any section, it will highlight and a Blue Pencil Icon will appear. Click that pencil to edit a particular section. Remember to click Save once you have made any changes to the field.
- Who’s Viewed Your Profile takes you to a page which shows a graph of how many people have viewed your profile over the past 90 days. If you scroll down, you can see the names and profile pictures of the last five people who viewed your profile. You can also look at who has viewed your posts, and compare how you rank in profile views within your company or among your connections. We will discuss creating posts during LinkedIn Advanced.
- Your Updates is a summary of your recent activity, including any long form posts you have published, or drafts you have saved. Information regarding your Followers is summed up in various graphs, as well as allowing you to browse through their names and pictures. Followers are people who are your connections, and others who have elected to follow your activity on LinkedIn.
- The My Network menu item on the navigational toolbar takes you to a screen that suggests ways to keep in touch, and also lets you sort and view those people you are already connected to. Add Contacts and People You May Know will be discussed later in the class, while Find Alumni is covered in the LinkedIn Advanced class.
- Clicking Jobs on the navigational toolbar opens up that search feature. You can browse job postings from companies advertising on LinkedIn. This is a must use feature, and should be included with your other online websites such as Indeed.com or the Department of Workforce Services. Interests is a section that will be discussed more in LinkedIn Advanced, which includes looking up companies and educational intuitions, finding groups, and Pulse.
- Above the main navigational toolbar, you will find the Search Tool. LinkedIn has an amazing and dynamic search feature. Use the Search Box to type in just about anything you need or want to find on LinkedIn. Click on the Blue Button with the magnifying glass to search. If you are not getting the results you hoped for, click on the Drop Down List Icon to the left of the search box. This allows you to only search for People, Jobs, Companies, etc. If you need more detailed search results, use the Advanced search option located to the right of the blue search button. This is covered more in the LinkedIn Advanced workshop.
- On the far right of the navigational toolbar, are another series of links. Beneath the Icons you find the Business Services link. This item allows employers to post a job and look into some of LinkedIn’s business solutions, including ways to advertise on LinkedIn and boost sales. As job seekers, these options are not relevant to us. To the right, you find an upgrade link that lets you try out LinkedIn’s Premium membership service, which adds many components to your LinkedIn profile. The trial period for LinkedIn Premium is only 30 days for FREE, with various packages starting at $29.99 per month and up thereafter. I am often asked, “Is a Premium account is worth the investment?” My response is always “be sure you are maximizing the full range of features with your free LinkedIn account, first. If you are on LinkedIn daily, conducting a lot of searches and applying for positions with your LinkedIn profile on a regular basis, it may be worth considering.” We cover the benefits of the Premium upgrade in the LinkedIn Advanced workshop, as well. For now, just focus on building your profile and finding connections. Become a master of LinkedIn first, then consider the Premium benefits.
- In the very top, right corner of your LinkedIn account are four Icons. The Messaging Icon is the conversation bubbles. When it lights up with a red number, it means you have a new message. As you hover over the icon, you’ll see a drop down box which will display your recent messages. You can click on a message to read it. Clicking on the Messaging Icon takes you to LinkedIn’s messaging system, where you can save or delete your messages, much in the same way as your e-mail system.
- The Flag Icon will light up with a red number when you have a new Notification. Notifications are generated by several different things you can customize in your settings. Again, hovering over the icon allows you to see a drop down box which showing recent notifications. Examples of notifications are if someone has given you an endorsement, or a contact has published a post.
- Next is your Network Icon, which again lights up with a red number signifying a pending invitation. Hover over the icon to see your Pending Invitations. You can select the checkmark to Accept the connection; or you can click the X to Ignore the request and you will not connect with this person. When you do not have any pending invitations to accept, this box populates with tools to Grow Your Network and includes a way to Add Contact and suggests People You May Know. Your LinkedIn profile is only as strong as the size and quality of your network. Click on the Network Icon to visit the Grow Your Network page which populates with both Pending Invitations and People You May Know.
- At the top of Grow Your Network, you will see your Pending Invitations. This defaults to those connection invitations sent to you by other LinkedIn members you have not responded to. However, if you click on the Invitation icon, you can select the option to view your Sent Invitations. From here, you can cancel any outstanding invitations to connect you wish and read the personalized message you have sent. Blocked Invitations shows you those connection requests you have opted to ignore. You can change your mind and choose to accept those connection requests from here.
- Privacy & Settings is accessible by hovering over your small picture in the top right hand corner. Most likely, you will be prompted to re-enter your password to verify your identity.
- Privacy & Settings has several different tabs and subsections. The first tab you see are the Account settings. Under Basic settings, click on Email Addresses to add or remove email address on your account. It is important to add all e-mail accounts you use to LinkedIn. This way, if network contacts try to look you up using an old e-mail address, they can find you on LinkedIn. DO NOT remove old e-mail address accounts. Rather, add a new Primary e-mail. This is because email accounts need to be verified to be added to your profile. If you do not have access to an old account, you cannot verify that e-mail address. Just ensure, you always have access to your Primary Email Address.
- From these Basic settings, you also have the option of adding a phone number. We recommend adding a Mobile Phone Number to you account. If you forget your password, LinkedIn will use this number to send a Text Message so you can reset your password. This is not a phone number your connections will see or be able to contact you with. This is just in case you have trouble signing into LinkedIn.
- Click on Subscriptions to view those settings. If you ever want to delete your account, click Close your account on the bottom of this list. LinkedIn is somewhat vague on what happens to your profile information. In the Help Center, LinkedIn confirms that closing your account ensures your profile will not be Visible to other users. They do state your profile information generally will be removed from LinkedIn’s production database within 24 hours and you will lose all recommendations and endorsements you have collected. They also state you will not be able to access your account or its contents after you close your account. In most cases LinkedIn can reopen accounts that have been closed within the last 20 days, if you contact them directly. LinkedIn cannot reopen accounts that have been closed for more than 20 days. Closing a LinkedIn account can be a very serious decision. Do not take it lightly.
- Click on the Privacy tab in the middle of your screen. From here, there are several settings to adjust. The first setting we will address is turning off Sharing Profile Edits, which are updates your connections receive in their activity feed about changes you make to your profile. Click on the slide lever to turn No to stop notifying your network while you are making a lot of additions and changes to your profile. Once you have an All-Star Profile (which is covered later), you can turn this setting back on to Share Profile Edits.
- The second Privacy setting to address allows you to remain Anonymous when you view other’s profiles. Click on Profile Viewing Options. Here you can choose to be completely anonymous, show some limited information about your company, or—as recommended, you can choose to have your Photo, Name, Headline and Company visible. This is a good setting to change if you want to remain anonymous for some reason. However, it is best to share your profile details when researching hiring managers and interview panels, because you want them to come back and look at your profile in return! Also note, if you choose any option other than the recommended setting, you will not have access to Who’s Viewed My Profile and any analytics about profile views.
- Sometimes users have concerns about their privacy and safety. On LinkedIn you can choose to Block any member profile. To Block members, first you need to visit their profile. Hover over the drop down arrow next to the blue Connect button and/or grey Send Message / InMail button. Select Block or Report, and follow the prompts. Manage your Blocked User list from Privacy & Settings.
- Under Privacy, you have the option of Blocking users. When you click on Manage who you’re blocking, you will have access to that list and chose to stop blocking anyone at that time.
- One of the biggest complaints about LinkedIn is the high quantity of e-mails that tend to flood your inbox from the website. We can eliminate that problem right now! The next tab on the right is Communications. Here you can adjust the Email Frequency by selecting the top link under Basics.
- From here, you will see a list of different Email Frequency settings. For each one, click on Details for an understanding of each category and to view even more settings. Take time to read through each setting. You can choose to get a daily e-mail, a weekly digest, or no emails for each setting. I prefer to not get any e-mails from LinkedIn because I am on the site almost daily. LinkedIn works best when connection invitations and messages are responded to promptly. You may check e-mail daily, and want to be alerted when something on LinkedIn needs your attention. Set an e-mail frequency and notification setting that works for you. If you are getting too many e-mails, come back and adjust your settings.
- While there are many other settings to consider, these are the most important. Finally, whenever you are using a public computer, it is always important to Sign Out of your account to protect your information. To do so, hover over your small picture in the top right hand corner and select Sign Out.
- Now we are going to discuss the most important sections to add to your LinkedIn profile. Follow along in your own account so you can learn to navigate these features. You may have time right now to immediately make some improvements to your profile.
- The Dashboard is the box at the top of a profile that contains your Basic Profile Information. This includes your Photo, Name, Headline, Location, Industry, Recent Experience, and buttons to either Connect or Send a Message. The dashboard also shows how many connections or followers a user has. Below that information, you can view the Public Profile URL. You can also add contact information by clicking on the blue Rolodex card, which includes your Twitter and websites, along with direct contact information. We will discuss each part in detail.
- Experts agree a LinkedIn profile must have a picture to be effective. A profile without a picture appears to be incomplete, which communicates uncertainty about your brand. Use a Profile Picture that looks professional, and is cropped focusing on your face and shoulders. These images are small, and the most important thing is having your face recognizable. Be dressed professionally and reflect your industry standards. If you are concerned about age discrimination, use methods to get a profile picture that highlights the youthful part of you. However, you do not want a picture that looks drastically different than how you look now. Consider dyeing your hair or wearing clothing that reflects current trends. Changing a profile picture too often will reduce effectiveness in personal recognition among your contacts. Keeping a consistent picture allows people to recognize you in their activity feed, and help when or if you ever meet in person. Above all, add a Profile Picture, because you are 13 times more likely to be viewed by an employer and other members.
- Your Name is what people know you by, and therefore what they will look for. If most people know you by a nickname or a middle name, you should include it on LinkedIn. You may include quotations to delineate your nickname. Any credentials you have should be included to more easily identify your qualifications, such as MD, PMP, etc. You can also choose to add your Maiden or Former Name, to your profile. If you choose to add your Middle Initial, add it to the end of your first name. If you add the initial to your last name, you are making it more difficult to come up in searches and limiting your discoverability.
- You can add a Background Image to enhance your brand. If you don’t have a photo you want to use, you can search for images on Google which are related to your occupation. Use a picture which adds value to your profile. Branding is established through well thought out choices. For example, Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Air, has chosen an image of the sky, and combined with his profile picture looking upward and smiling, he communicates a very powerful personal brand—one that is representative of his optimism and airline industry.
- Your Headline is one of the visible pieces of information when LinkedIn displays search results. Consider your headline as more than just a job title. It can be informative, catchy and personal brand specific. Listing a job title or a profession increases the chance of showing up in search results. It also allows anyone looking for a person with your credentials to quickly identify what your profession is. Consider using a brand statement. Develop a 1-3 word statement that highlights your character and skill strength. When search results bring your name and picture up, your headline is the next thing recruiters will read. Using keywords also helps impact how you show up in search results. Be unique and creative, but avoid being cliché. ***Discussion*** Ask the class what they think about including “Job Seeker” or “Unemployed” in the headline. Benefits might include how it is immediately known to your network or recruiters that you are looking for work. However, the downside is employers prefer someone who is currently employed, and we want to avoid advertising unemployment which could make you sound desperate or disillusioned. Our recommendation is that you not use “Seeking Employment” or “Unemployed” in the headline, and instead focus on your strengths!
- For your Location, LinkedIn lets you enter your zip code. You then have the option of displaying either your city and state; or you can choose to be associated with the nearest metropolitan area. We recommend listing the zip code for where you want to work. If you know most companies in your industry are found in Salt Lake City, you will want to use a Salt Lake County zip code, and choose the option that displays Salt Lake City Metro Area. If you are moving out of state, and wish to relocate to a specific city, use a zip code and that local metro area. This is important, because zip code is a search filter recruiters use when sourcing for candidates.
- Select the Industry which is most relevant to your current or past experience. The industry list is somewhat limited so if you don’t see the exact industry, choose something that comes the closest. For example, Dental Hygienists or Dental Assistants are not listed nor is anything specifically dental, so you would want to list “Health, Wellness and Fitness.” Unfortunately, you cannot select multiple industries. Again, Industry is a filter recruiters use all the time. You may want to consider changing your industry on occasion if your skill set and the jobs you want are located in different industries.
- The default Public Profile URL LinkedIn automatically assigns to your account contains letters and numbers. This URL is confusing, unattractive and difficult to type. To edit, click the gear located next to your URL at the bottom of the dashboard. You will be taken to another page, and look on the right side of the screen to find Your public profile URL. You will have a blank field to type in the rest of you custom URL. Make this something simple that others can use to easily find you. We suggest using your name if possible. This address can be used on your resume or networking cards, and will draw people you meet or interview with to your LinkedIn profile. You could create a QR code for free that brings people to your LinkedIn profile when you scan it with a smart phone or tablet. One suggested website to use is www.qrstuff.com.
- It is very important for you to fill your profile with Keywords. We suggest brainstorming, and writing out a list of power words, transferrable skills and workplace behaviors needed to be successful in your career. Be sure to use these keywords in your Summary, as Skills, in your Headline, and throughout your profile. ***Discussion*** Ask the class what other ideas do they have for how to identify what keywords should be listed on your LinkedIn profile. Possible answers can include carefully reviewing job postings, conducting research on employer websites, searching out other successful professionals with quality profiles on LinkedIn, and using other online resources such as UtahFutures.org and ONetOnline.org.
- Most employers are only going to read your resume for about 7-14 seconds. ***Ask the class*** How long do you think employers are spending the first time they view your LinkedIn profile? Answer: 2 – 2 ½ minutes. The reason employers spend more time reviewing your LinkedIn profile is to read engaging narratives about who you are as a professional. What are you passionate about at work? How did you get to where you are in your career? Where are you going, and what professional goals do you have? In addition, highlight your skills and strengths, and specifically share accomplishments that demonstrate your value in your field and to a company. Be sure you are using the important keywords for your industry! You have 2,000 characters to use in this section, and LinkedIn with notify you when you reach the limit. Use the space you have available!
- Some LinkedIn experts find it helpful to include a section of Specialties to the bottom of the summary section after your marketing message.
- Just like on your resume, the next section we suggest adding are your Skills & Endorsements. Start by listing at least 10 Skills, adding up to the maximum of 50 skills allowable by LinkedIn. It is best to choose a variety of transferrable skills and workplace behaviors typical for your industry and the jobs you are seeking. Once you add skills, you can change the order any time. Connections will then have the opportunity to give an Endorsement, essentially agreeing you are good at a specific skill or vouching you have specific knowledge. Once you reach 100 endorsements, this blue number will only show 99+. Next to the top ten endorsed skills, you can view profile pictures for the last twelve endorsements a skill has received. If you need more endorsements for a different skill, consider moving it higher on the list. As a professional courtesy, it is best to visit connections profiles and endorse them. Your connections may return the favor and endorse you in return. ***Class Discussion*** How much do you think employers really value endorsements? Many people who provide endorsements on LinkedIn do so automatically without thinking critically if the person is worthy of their endorsement. After all, it doesn’t take much more than a mouse click to endorse someone. I have been endorsed by people who I know for a fact do not have any exposure to my skill set. However, having a large number of people agree you possess a certain skill does have power. Endorsements do not harm your profile, they only help it. When you are endorsing others, critically examine your choice. Your name will be alongside this person’s skill. How might that affect your branding? Is that connection really worthy of your endorsement?
- The Experience section of your profile is used to list your professional experience, which can be both paid and unpaid positions. LinkedIn uses the company name from your current and most recent experience in the Dashboard at the top of your profile. The details you choose to add are nested under your Job Title, Employer Name, and the Dates of Employment. You can opt to write your Description in a paragraph form, or use bullet points. You do not have formatting options available. If you type in Microsoft Word, you can paste Unicode bullet points into LinkedIn fields. You cannot add bold, underline or italic fonts. Most experts suggest including a full work history. Remember that LinkedIn is a social network and some profile visitors are not recruiters—they are looking to network with you. They may be trying to find you through past employers, even if that employment is no longer relevant to your professional career. Listing employers from long ago tells your story and allows people from the past to connect. Since you must list dates of employment, you may choose to avoid adding anything that reveals age if you feel it may cause an employer to discriminate against you. Finally, be sure to quantify your accomplishments as much as possible, showcasing not the tasks you did at work, but how well you did them.
- It is optional for you to add the month of your employment. If you need to disguise gaps in your experience, only list employment Year – Year. Be sure to update LinkedIn with your current employment, or once you start at your new job, so your connections can see you are currently employed. It is always easier to find a job, when you have one. You may also choose to add a brief paragraph explaining what the company does, the services or products it provides, and any other information that helps communicate to profile viewers exactly what you did at the company.
- Listing Education helps you connect with people you may know via an alumni search. Even if you did not graduate, listing the school and dates attended will allow people you knew to search for you and connect. Dates are not required in the education section, so feel free to leave off dates if it has been more than 10 years. You can now expand the details of your education by discussing the courses you studied, clubs or programs you were involved with and any accomplishments you had during that time. Don’t forget to enter any awards, honors or other recognition received while attending school! You can also choose to share your GPA.
- If you did not earn a Degree you can leave that field blank.
- In the Edit Profile mode, you have an option to choose some Additional Sections to LinkedIn. None of these sections are mandatory, but adding Certificates, Honors and Awards, Patents, Publications and more will help differentiate yourself from the competition!
- One Additional Section to consider is Additional Information regarding Advice for Contacting. This is a free form field that allows you to write a brief message and share contact information about your preferred method of communication.
- After adding new sections to your LinkedIn profile, it is most likely necessary to Organize Your Profile. Each section in the your profile has a Double Arrow Icon in the top right corner. Click on the icon and drag that section up or down, and drop it in the desired location. We suggest placing the Summary first, followed by your Skills & Endorsements, Experience and finally Education.
- Now we are ready to add contacts to our LinkedIn profile. We recommend you to follow along and start adding contacts, even if you profile is not yet complete.
- Before we add connections, let’s review some basics about Your Network and the Degrees of Connections on LinkedIn. When you search for people, you will notice an icon on the top right of their dashboard. This icon tells you if or how you are connected. Your 1st Degree network consists of the people you are directly connected to on LinkedIn. You can view their complete profile information and send them messages directly using LinkedIn’s messaging system (accessible from the messaging icon on the top right). Your 2nd Degree network is made up of those individuals connected to your 1st degree network. These people can be invited to connect by clicking on the blue Connect button on their profile. You can also request an introduction to them, through a 1st degree contact. You cannot send them a message—but if you are a Premium member, you can send them and everyone else and InMail. Your 3rd Degree network are the direct connections to your 2nd degree network. Ability to review their profile and see their name is dependent on the privacy settings that user has chosen. If you can view their full name, you can use the blue Connect button to invite them to become a connection. If only the first letter of their last name is visible, then you will only be able to contact them through InMail.
- If you think about your Degrees of Connection visually, it looks like this. The goal with networking is to cultivate your weaker connections and find a way to inform your third degree network of who you are and what you can do.
- LinkedIn has some additional network labels to consider. The Group icon shows up and identifies those people who share membership in a LinkedIn group with you. These people may not be a direct connection, but they are still considered part of your network. You can contact these people by sending a message on LinkedIn, or through the group page. Groups are discussed in more detail during the LinkedIn Advanced class. If a connection is not identified as a 1st, 2nd, 3rd Degree or Group contact, they are considered Out of Network. The gold “in” Badge denotes premium LinkedIn users who choose to pay a monthly fee for special site access. This badge is also used as an icon throughout the site to identify Premium-only features. The OpenLink Network badge is an option for Premium members who let all LinkedIn users view their complete profile, and send them a free InMail. OpenLink is also a way to identify someone who is willing to connect with just about anybody.
- To start adding connections, hover your cursor over My Network and select Add Contacts.
- The easiest way to add connections on LinkedIn is to Import the contact information of people you already know from your E-Mail Address Book. Select which e-mail provider you use, and enter your e-mail address, then click Continue. Not all e-mail providers are supported. You can download your address book information and import that information by clicking Import File.
- After your e-mail address is entered, LinkedIn will request for you to log into your email account. Once you log in with your e-mail password, a dialogue box will ask if you want to allow LinkedIn Offline Access or Permission to access your e-mail address book. Depending on your specific e-mail address provider, the dialogue box make look different…but the function is the same. This is safe for you to complete. LinkedIn is a secure website, and this information is not sold to third parties. It simply allows you to access your address book through the LinkedIn website. Click Accept or Yes to continue.
- First, LinkedIn will show you a list of people you know who already have an account on LinkedIn. The uploaded e-mail address from your address book is matched with profiles on LinkedIn. You can scroll through your contacts, view their pictures and read the names. If you do not want to connect with one of these people on LinkedIn, Uncheck the Box next to their profile picture. Once you have reviewed your selections, click the blue Add Selected Connection(s) button. This sends an invitation for these people to connect with you.
- Next, you are prompted to invite the people whose e-mail addresses are not associated with a LinkedIn account. This sends each person an e-mail from LinkedIn with your name on it asking if they would like to join LinkedIn. I recommend you choose to Skip This Step below, because if these people are not on LinkedIn, they will not benefit your network. Additionally, the e-mail invitation from LinkedIn, and subsequent reminders can become annoying for your contacts. The last thing we want to do when networking, is become a nuisance to others. Therefore, we recommend you skip this step and make your invitations to LinkedIn personalized to these people. Once invitations are sent to contacts, they will be notified you want to connect on LinkedIn. When they return to the website, they have the option to accept your connection. Give them time, and be patient when waiting for other users to accept your invitation to connect.
- Once you have imported contact information from you e-mail, you are now ready to search for additional people you might know who are already on LinkedIn. To start, hover your cursor over My Network and select People You May Know.
- People You May Know suggests LinkedIn members to you based on several factors, including common connections. These commonalities include if you have been or are currently employed by the same company, or attend the same school. You can view the Common Connections by hovering your cursor over the two circles and number to the bottom right of their profile picture. This will show you up to three shared connections. Click the three dots below the bottom connection and LinkedIn will show you all of the shared connections. The more connections you share, the more likely you may know this person and want to connect. If you would like to invite them to become connections on LinkedIn, click the blue Connect button. This will send these people a generic invitation to connect.
- However, the recommended way to connect with other members is to visit their profile page. Click the blue Connect to send an invitation to connect.
- You will be taken to a page where you can Send an Invitation to connect. LinkedIn values the privacy of its members. It requires you to frame your relationship in order to send a request. If you are a Colleague, you can select which company you worked at together. If you are a Classmate, you can select which school you attended together. If you have done business together, you can choose what company you are or have worked for at the time you built the relationship with the person. If you choose the option of Friend, you need to really be certain that person knows you. LinkedIn does not want this option used if you are merely acquaintances. You only have a limited number of invitations to use identifying people as a friend. Once met, you will be required to have an email address to invite others as a friend. Choosing Other requires you to enter the connection’s email address. If you do not have it, you will not be able to connect. If you select I don’t know the person, LinkedIn will not allow you to connect. In fact, it will remind you of this on the next page, letting you know Invitations should only be sent to people you know personally. The best networking contacts are going to be people you know. They need to introduce you to people you do not know.
- We have covered a lot of information, and are almost done. Here are a few additional resources to helping you build a good LinkedIn profile.
- When you are editing your Profile, you may notice the meter off the right that ranks your Profile Strength. The goal is to get you up to All-Star status! You cannot fill up the circle all the way, until you are a Premium Member, so do not get stuck on completing on the graph. Here is what you need to achieve All-Star profile strength: 1.) You must add a profile photo. Remember to use a professional looking photograph! 2.) Create a headline. Pick an industry. And enter your location (either the city or local metro area). 3.) Add a summary section to your profile. Remember, these narratives are exactly why recruiters spend 2 ½ minutes viewing your profile! Make it a unique marketing message. 4.) Add your work history—but you also need to have Current employment to get All-Star status, so remember to update your profile when you land your new job! 5.) You must add at least 5 skills; but why stop there? Remember you can add up to 50 skills on LinkedIn! 6.) Complete the education section of your profile. Remember, this helps alumni find and connect with you. 7.) You will need to connect with at least 50 other LinkedIn members, so be sure to import contacts from your e-mail address book.
- This class has helped you to know how to build a powerful LinkedIn profile, but there is so much more to the website. When you are ready, join us for the LinkedIn Advanced workshop. You will learn how to Get Noticed more, how to find other Connections, get Opportunities and research the hidden job market, and we will talk about the Insider Access premium membership provides. Our next class is scheduled on (DATE) at (TIME). We hope you will join us in Unlocking LinkedIn Power!
- As you build your profile and explore LinkedIn, you might get stuck or need help. Here are some resources to turn to, when you need the help. The LinkedIn Help Center is found by hovering over your profile picture, and selecting Help Center. Unlike most web help and FAQ’s, the LinkedIn resource is fantastic. Ask any question, and you can find an answer. It may be helpful to search for the LinkedIn Webinars through the help center, or find them on YouTube.com. LinkedIn also maintains a Blog. The website GCFLearnFree.org, which we have featured during this presentation is also a great resource for learning about LinkedIn.
- That concludes your presentation of LinkedIn: Developing a Powerful Profile. What questions do you have? Thank you for your participation! Let us know how we can help you in the future!