Building an Building an Effective LinkedIn Effective LinkedIn

ProfileProfileTips that work to improve your return Tips that work to improve your return

in searches and viewsin searches and views

Part 1- Your Profile as A TrapPart 1- Your Profile as A Trap

Understanding how LinkedIn worksUnderstanding how LinkedIn works

• LinkedIn is another tool that allows the WWW to find LinkedIn is another tool that allows the WWW to find you you

• LinkedIn allows you to find and communicate with LinkedIn allows you to find and communicate with other like minded individuals and companiesother like minded individuals and companies

• LinkedIn is useful as a research site and allows for you LinkedIn is useful as a research site and allows for you to participate in educational and professional groupsto participate in educational and professional groups

• LinkedIn has many ways of finding job and network LinkedIn has many ways of finding job and network opportunitiesopportunities

• LinkedIn is not a resume but a resume can be a good LinkedIn is not a resume but a resume can be a good beginning for this tool. Start with this data (it’s out beginning for this tool. Start with this data (it’s out there anyway) and build from there.there anyway) and build from there.

Trapping Trapping Working linked in PassivelyWorking linked in Passively

Objectives for Getting FoundObjectives for Getting Found

• Building the better trapsBuilding the better traps– Profile is not a resumeProfile is not a resume

• Profile =Billboard= TrapProfile =Billboard= Trap

– Location, Location, LocationLocation, Location, Location– ““If you Build it , they will come”If you Build it , they will come”

• Need to have activity, keyword, and content to be seenNeed to have activity, keyword, and content to be seen

– Put the right bait in your trap Put the right bait in your trap • Headline=Ideal Job= BaitHeadline=Ideal Job= Bait

• Check your traps to get your resultsCheck your traps to get your results– Monitor your resultsMonitor your results– Adjust your bait, locationAdjust your bait, location

LinkedIn LinkedIn Home PageHome Page

The Happy Hunting The Happy Hunting GroundGround

LinkedIn Home Page BasicsLinkedIn Home Page Basics• Finding Key ToolsFinding Key Tools

– The arsenal of LinkedIn Menu BarThe arsenal of LinkedIn Menu Bar• Provides for access to home page –The Happy Hunting GroundProvides for access to home page –The Happy Hunting Ground• Profile – Your Snare or trapProfile – Your Snare or trap• Connections –The Hunting PartyConnections –The Hunting Party• Groups- The Hunting ClubGroups- The Hunting Club• Companies- Herds/Flocks/SchoolsCompanies- Herds/Flocks/Schools• Jobs, etc- Tracks and TrailsJobs, etc- Tracks and Trails

LinkedIn Home Page BasicsLinkedIn Home Page Basics• Finding Key ToolsFinding Key Tools

– Search ToolsSearch Tools– Trails/Tracks are available and left to access Trails/Tracks are available and left to access – PersonsPersons– CompaniesCompanies– GroupsGroups– Note advanced tab used to check your trapsNote advanced tab used to check your traps

LinkedIn Home Page BasicsLinkedIn Home Page Basics

• Finding Key Finding Key ToolsTools

– Trailing and Trailing and Tracking the prey Tracking the prey with Notificationswith Notifications

• Keeps you up on Keeps you up on network activity ofnetwork activity of

• your connections, your connections,

• followed followed companies or companies or people as well as people as well as interestsinterests

LinkedIn Home Page BasicsLinkedIn Home Page Basics

• Finding Key ToolsFinding Key Tools

– StatisticsStatistics• Means of tracking your Means of tracking your

profiles performance and profiles performance and strengthstrength

LinkedIn Home Page BasicsLinkedIn Home Page Basics

• Finding Key ToolsFinding Key Tools

– Suggestions from your Suggestions from your Hunting PartyHunting Party

• Many available including Many available including network identified network identified connections connections

• Jobs Jobs • Groups Groups • other related data of other related data of

interestinterest

Building Your ProfileBuilding Your Profile

• To be searchable your profile needs to be 100% CompleteTo be searchable your profile needs to be 100% CompleteRequirements for 100%Requirements for 100%

Basic Settings will need to be adjustedBasic Settings will need to be adjusted

Valid Email/Alternate EmailValid Email/Alternate Email

Profile HeadlineProfile Headline

SummarySummary

Current/Past Positions/CompaniesCurrent/Past Positions/Companies

Photo (can be a graphic)Photo (can be a graphic)

3+ recommendations3+ recommendations

Profile BasicsProfile Basics

• Settings and ControlsSettings and Controls• Pull down your name for settingsPull down your name for settings

Basic Settings pageBasic Settings page

Privacy settingsPrivacy settings

•For a Trapper/Jobseeker

•Place the trap where the prey will find it

•Use the recommended Privacy Setting, If you posted a resume on any Job Board your there anyway

•Others such as Hiring Managers, Recruiters may chose the “Someone …” Tag

•Total anonymity will get no passive returns

Name , Location and HeadlineName , Location and Headline• Important Information Important Information

that will be used to that will be used to identify you . Write identify you . Write carefully carefully

Profile BasicsProfile Basics

• Choose a good professional photo. You will be Choose a good professional photo. You will be allowed to control the cropallowed to control the crop

• Determine where in the world you wish to be Determine where in the world you wish to be • Location, Location, Location. Location, Location, Location.

– Too trap your prey you have to pick a fieldToo trap your prey you have to pick a field– Too large an area means too much competitionToo large an area means too much competition– LinkedIn allows you to pick only one postal LinkedIn allows you to pick only one postal

code or one country (USA is probably too pick)code or one country (USA is probably too pick)– Suggest moving your Postal Code to Center of Suggest moving your Postal Code to Center of

Metro Area where you what to work (Houston Metro Area where you what to work (Houston 77002)77002)

Profile BasicsProfile Basics

• Provide contact data Provide contact data – Keep this to a minimum as it may be shared with Keep this to a minimum as it may be shared with

everyoneeveryone– Remember rules for professional E-mail AddressRemember rules for professional E-mail Address– Do Not provide home address (privacy concerns, Do Not provide home address (privacy concerns,

limits your opportunitylimits your opportunity– Don’t forget to say why you are on LinkedIn (basic Don’t forget to say why you are on LinkedIn (basic

list provided)list provided)

Profile BasicsProfile Basics

• Your Your HeadlineHeadline will be the window to the world as will be the window to the world as searchers look for you. searchers look for you.

• IE This is the bait in your TrapIE This is the bait in your Trap– Limit is 80 Characters Choose wisely (game warden has Limit is 80 Characters Choose wisely (game warden has

rules to)rules to)– Suggest that you real off as many variations of your Suggest that you real off as many variations of your

proposed job titles as possible in this length (make it proposed job titles as possible in this length (make it sweet to your prey)sweet to your prey)

– If you are looking for work, Do not use Job Seeker, If you are looking for work, Do not use Job Seeker, Between Jobs, retired, ETC ETC. Hiring managers Between Jobs, retired, ETC ETC. Hiring managers rarely look for someone to fill the position of Job Seeker.rarely look for someone to fill the position of Job Seeker.

– Stale Bait gets you nowhere Refresh as neededStale Bait gets you nowhere Refresh as needed

Profile BasicsProfile Basics

Profile BasicsProfile Basics

• Keep in Mind that your prey may be in the next field Keep in Mind that your prey may be in the next field (Google or some other Search Engine) and will need to (Google or some other Search Engine) and will need to be attracted by something other than a headline.be attracted by something other than a headline.– These search engines vary and are trapped by These search engines vary and are trapped by

relevance. Key Profile sections includerelevance. Key Profile sections include– Professional headline Professional headline – The title of your current role The title of your current role – The title of your past roles The title of your past roles – Summary statementSummary statement – SpecialtiesSpecialties

Profile BasicsProfile Basics

• Advantages of providing basic data of your Advantages of providing basic data of your history history – Prior and Current Employers should be listed as it is Prior and Current Employers should be listed as it is

a window to searching and connecting. Make sure a window to searching and connecting. Make sure you use the right name of prior engagements as you use the right name of prior engagements as many similar names may exist.many similar names may exist.

– Provide all educational opportunities to access your Provide all educational opportunities to access your connections with class matesconnections with class mates

Getting RecommendationsGetting Recommendations

• Need Three to make profile 100% make this Need Three to make profile 100% make this step a prioritystep a priority

• Talk with prior coworkers, clients, and other Talk with prior coworkers, clients, and other professional contacts to get meaningful professional contacts to get meaningful recommendations.recommendations.

• Give to get. Sucking up at this stage never hurt Give to get. Sucking up at this stage never hurt anyoneanyone

Other Profile EnhancementsOther Profile Enhancements

• Get Comfortable with this processGet Comfortable with this process– You will be tweaking this considerably as you go. Improving You will be tweaking this considerably as you go. Improving

words, adding section, adding data, and keeping activewords, adding section, adding data, and keeping active– Use the maximum effective words to describe each position. Use the maximum effective words to describe each position.

This will improve your returns in searches as hiring managers This will improve your returns in searches as hiring managers seek their candidates. Forget the two page resume ruleseek their candidates. Forget the two page resume rule

– Make certain you list the objectives of your profile (Job Make certain you list the objectives of your profile (Job Seeker) Seeker)

– Have fun with this . You will quickly be in contact with Have fun with this . You will quickly be in contact with persons you have forgotten and new contacts across the persons you have forgotten and new contacts across the globeglobe

Add Alternate Searchable SectionsAdd Alternate Searchable Sections

• Consider using the other sections of LinkedIn to Consider using the other sections of LinkedIn to expand your profileexpand your profile

• Remember the sweeter the bait, the more Remember the sweeter the bait, the more searches will be trapped and ultimately viewed if searches will be trapped and ultimately viewed if the quality of the data stands outthe quality of the data stands out

Define your SkillsDefine your Skills

• Up to 50 are available and are searchable by Up to 50 are available and are searchable by usersusers

List any projectsList any projects

• This allows you to link your data to others in the This allows you to link your data to others in the workgroups directly workgroups directly

• Also provides for details of your accomplishments (2000 Also provides for details of your accomplishments (2000 Characters Limit)Characters Limit)

Use Alternate Applications Use Alternate Applications

• Many available to allow for more text data and Many available to allow for more text data and formatted information to be stored and available formatted information to be stored and available to your connections. List is long but includesto your connections. List is long but includes– Slideshare Slideshare Provides space for power point and other formatted message Provides space for power point and other formatted message

presentationspresentations

– Box.net Box.net Provides space for formatted text, digital images, other FTP type files to Provides space for formatted text, digital images, other FTP type files to

shareshare

– Reading List by AmazonReading List by Amazon

Methods for Building PresenceMethods for Building Presence

• All good Hunting and Fishing starts with All good Hunting and Fishing starts with tracking your prey and seeding your pondtracking your prey and seeding your pond– Use network activity for leads and trendsUse network activity for leads and trends– Use groups to get your name on topUse groups to get your name on top– Follow trails (people and companies)Follow trails (people and companies)– Dig for live bait Dig for live bait – LinkedIn like hunting and fishing has sweet times of LinkedIn like hunting and fishing has sweet times of

the day. Make a habit of trolling when the catch is the day. Make a habit of trolling when the catch is runningrunning

Methods for Keeping PresentMethods for Keeping Present

• Make LinkedIn a habit Make LinkedIn a habit – Check your traps & lines once a day.Check your traps & lines once a day.– Respond immediately.Respond immediately.– Post updates on your searchPost updates on your search

• ““Attended BJM Sr Managers Meeting and I’m excited!”Attended BJM Sr Managers Meeting and I’m excited!”

– Chumming is good!Chumming is good!• Go to different ponds (groups) and make a comment or Go to different ponds (groups) and make a comment or

post a subject (pick 3 to begin)post a subject (pick 3 to begin)• Don’t throw stones - add something of interest other than Don’t throw stones - add something of interest other than

clicking the like button. clicking the like button.

Methods for Keeping PresentMethods for Keeping Present

• LinkedIn is more than a job board.LinkedIn is more than a job board.– A place to tell A place to tell your story your story

to like minded professionalsto like minded professionals

• Showcase your Showcase your – Skills & ExpertiseSkills & Expertise– Interests & ActivityInterests & Activity– Experience & ValueExperience & Value

Questions and AnswersQuestions and Answers

Next Time--- Let’s Go Fishing