This document summarizes the agenda and key topics from a LinkedIn tutorial session. The tutorial covered creating effective LinkedIn profiles, including adding photos, headlines, summaries and experience sections. Etiquette for connecting with others on LinkedIn and requesting recommendations was also discussed. Students were assigned to write a reflection on a recent networking event and to complete an informational interview with someone in their field by specific due dates.

1. COMM 202
W09: LinkedIn
T35 & T36
Laptops out! :)
But no phones please.
Tutorial 7

2. Agenda
1.LinkedIn Profiles
2.Networking Event Recap
3.Action Items

3. LinkedIn Profiles

4. LinkedIn vs. Resume
o LinkedIn is social!
o Be personable, speak in first person, show your personality
o Follow influencers, share articles, engage with the community through
posts and updates – the more you engage the more likely people will
find your profile.
o LinkedIn is all about you!
o Your profile is tailored to your professional brand more so than to a
company
o Include broader experiences, projects, skills, and interests in a variety of
formats

5. Key Profile
Elements
o Need my LinkedIn
5. Interesting Summary
Showcasing Personality
1. Professional
Headshot
2. Attention Grabbing Header
3. Complete Experiences
4. Connections, Contact
Info, Customized URL

6. Before we start…
o Turn off “Notify your network” when making many small changes
o Don’t mark a connection request as “I Don’t Know” unless they are
negatively impacting you
o After too many IDK’s, LinkedIn will ban them from the network
Found on the right side of your
profile under “Who’s Viewed
your Profile?”

7. Demo
o Adding connections
o Don’t go to people you may know (only sends the generic message)
o Go directly to their profile
o Public Profile settings

8. Profile Photo
o Professional-looking photo
o Reasonably close-up (from the
shoulders up)
o High quality, good lighting, looks
like you!

9. Headline
o It’s your 120 character hook
o Should be about what you do
o Be memorable & enticing people to look at your profile

10. Headline
o Let’s create our own!
o Don’t run through creation

11. Summary
o 2000 characters
to summarize
your background
and future goals

12. Tips for a Great Summary
o Speak in the first person
o Keep it visually organized using bullet points
o What you can write about:
o Education (your current job): What you do, your specialization, why you
chose it
o Other involvements: What you do outside of class, why you like it
o What makes you - you: Personal work style / important character traits
o Your aspirations: Your goals and intended professional path
o Finish off with a call to action

13. Key Elements of Your Profile
o Experiences
o Try not to copy-paste from your resume
o Talk about the challenges you faced and a couple key wins
o Prove your accomplishments by showing examples of your work (i.e.
video projects, presentations, photography…)
o Education
o Join UBC and Sauder (AND the alumni communities!)
o Honours/Awards

14. Key Elements of Your Profile
o Projects
o List academic or extra-curricular projects as you see fit
o Skills
o Searchable, so aim for brand-specific not generic
o Influencers
o Follow your idols! Helps others to see who inspires you.

15. Resume -> LinkedIn
Resume:
LinkedIn:

16. Groups/Publish
o Having a profile is step 1, using LinkedIn is what will get you
noticed. The more active you are on the site the more likely your
profile will be seen by potential employers
o Join groups in your interest areas…for now myBCom Careers to
stay up to date on job postings and career relevant info from the
BCC and CUS.

17. Etiquette: Adding Connections
o Best practices:
o Request to connect once you
have met them in person (where
possible)
o Personalize your connection
request
o Keep it friendly and professional

18. Etiquette: Adding Connections
General tips for success
o Share something memorable
from your conversation
o Be brief
o Include a call to action if
you’d like to meet again
o Gauge the audience – your
message to the Dean will
look different than your
message to your COMM202
classmate!
too
casual
too
generic
personal &
professional

19. Etiquette: Adding Connections
• Generally split your requests into three categories:
1. People you know well:
• More casual, can be how you would talk to the person
2. People you know a little:
• Professional requests, bring up where you’ve met, etc.
3. People you don’t know but want to know
• Brief intro and why you want to talk to them, shared
commonalities (university, degree, interests, etc.)

20. Recommendations vs. Endorsements
Recommendations
o Written by other LinkedIn members as a way to recognize or
applaud a business partner or colleague
Endorsements
o Less specific, vague
o Virtual thumbs-up

21. Requesting Recommendation
1. Identify the best witnesses of your work.
2. Ask personally first. Email if not possible.
3. If they say yes to your email/personal request, send a request
through LinkedIn.
4. Send thank-you email.

22. Requesting Recommendation

23. Social Media Warning

24. Networking Event

25. Reflection Paper
Due Monday, March 14th
Min. of One Page | submit to TurnItIn
o Your goals in attending the event
o What is your purpose in going?
o Define SMART goals beforehand – How will you define the success of your
evening?
o How did you prepare for the event (research potential delegates)
o What was it about these people that motivated you wanting to talk to them?
o Conversation summaries (who you talked to, what you learned)
o Reflection of the lessons learned
o Action steps to build relationship

26. Info Interview Assignment
o Contact details (name, company, title, phone,
email)
o List of questions asked
o Major insights gained – What did you learn during
your informational interview? **This is the most
important part, should be 40% of final paper.
o Did you request/receive any information regarding
additional connections?
o Follow up action – What will you do to maintain
this connection? *Screen shot of thank you email
required
o What are your next steps having conducted this
information interview?
Assignment Guidelines
10% of your final grade
Due Thursday April 14th
Minimum of one page
In-person and not
current UBC
student/staff/faculty or
family member

27. Landing Your Info Interview
1. Find 4 or 5 potential contacts – WHERE?!
2. Research them (Google, LinkedIn) and reach out to contacts
you have in common
3. Decide what you want to talk to them about and brainstorm
questions and points of commonality
4. Send out your invites! Don’t be offended if they don’t
immediately reply

28. Action Items
Networking Reflection due March 14th @ TurnItIn
Lecture next week!
No more office hours :(
Informational Interview due April 14th @ TurnItIn