This document provides tips for using LinkedIn for job searches and career success. It discusses creating a complete LinkedIn profile that highlights skills, experiences and accomplishments in order to be found by recruiters conducting searches. The document also explains how to set up custom job searches and filter results. Maintaining an active online presence and branding on LinkedIn can help users connect with opportunities.

1. Using LinkedIn for Job
Searches & Career Success
Content contributed by
Amy Gannon and Vanessa LaCoste

2. Overview
 LinkedIn Intro
 Why get on LinkedIn?
 How to create a proper LinkedIn profile
 What recruiters look for in a profile
 How to create custom job searches
 How to brand your profile
 Questions / Consult with a Kforce Representative
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3. LinkedIn Intro
 Introduced in 2003
 Largest professional social networking site in the world
 To date has over 300 million members globally, 110M+ are in the US
 Represents nearly 80% of the entire US workforce
 Allows anyone to create an online presence, professional online resume,
and web page that is searchable
 Over 39 million students and college graduates have joined
 LinkedIn's fastest-growing demographic
 Over 40% of users check daily
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4. Why get on LinkedIn?
 Professional Online Presence
 Create an identity online
 Stay connected
 People who know you can share your resume
 Knowledge share/industry discussions
 Your LinkedIn profile is your online resume
 User friendly, easy to update and keep current
 Ability to search for jobs
 Opportunities come to you
 Recruiters are always looking for passive job seekers
 You may find an opportunity you didn’t know you were looking for
 Industry news
 Get the latest news and industry insight through feed articles and discussion groups
 Be in the know about what your network is talking about
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5. Creating a Proper LinkedIn Profile
 Post a professional picture
 Makes you more real and 11 times more likely to be viewed
 An image that makes you relatable/likeable (not sterile/staged)
 Click “change photo” when scrolling over photo area
 Add contact details
 At least an email so your able to get contacted and stay current with the project
management space
 Create a headline
 This adds the most weight to your LinkedIn profile searchability/SEO
 Your unique value proposition
 Project Manager Seeking New Opportunity, Sales Rep | Helping Companies Grow
 Contact information in your headline is against LinkedIn’s terms and conditions
 Summary
 What you do, what you’re good at, top accomplishments, interests, specialties,
industries, clients, etc.
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6. Creating a Proper LinkedIn Profile
 Experience
 Lists your position at each job
 Title, employer, responsibilities and accomplishments
 Showcase what you currently do and have done in past positions
 Include searchable terms
 Keep this information up to date
 Measurable results (i.e. #, $ - size of a project, cost savings, new business)
 Include accomplishments, goals/initiatives
 New features
 Increase your visibility and credibility
 “Add media” allows you to include document, photo, link, video or presentation
 Add a personal website or link to an online portfolio
 Link your Twitter account
 Additional Sections
 Honors & Awards, Volunteer, Education, Additional (Interests, birthday, etc)
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7. Creating a Proper LinkedIn Profile
 Recommendations
 Build your credibility
 Someone might know the person who recommends you- Madison is a small city!
 Recommend at least 3 from a supervisor and/or colleague
 Thank your colleagues for recommending you and consider returning the favor
 Endorsements
 Allow other users to endorse you for a specific skill and it will rank your skills
respectively
 Recommend having at least 5 skills on your profile (this factors into your searchability)
 You can manage what others endorse you for
 Profile “Completeness”
 “All-Star” profile strength is ideal
 LinkedIn will guide you through aspects of your profile that you haven’t completed
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8. What Recruiters Look For
 Conduct searches based on key words in your profile
 Your past experience (description, project or portfolio links)
 Tools/technology you’ve used
 Your recommendations and endorsements give credibility
 The number of connections you have gives credibility
 A way to contact you to share a potential job opportunity
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9. Creating Custom Jobs Searches
 Search by job title, keyword or company name
 Ability to filter by location (city, state)
 Your job search activity is private
 Click “Advanced” next to the search bar and you can filter jobs even more
by:
 Company
 Location
 Date Posted
 Job Function
 Industry
 Experience Level
 Upgrade your account to access salary postings
 If you see a posted position at a company that you know someone at,
reach out to them to see if they can give you a referral
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10. Branding You Profile
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 Everyone has a “brand” online just as we have reputation
 What you post
 Be a subject matter expert
 Your profile picture
 Professional and likeable
 Who you’re connect with
 How you conduct yourself online impacts your
brand

11. Questions?
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One-on-one consultation with a
Kforce Representative
available to discuss your LinkedIn profile