Linkedin as the Optimal Social Network

Prepared for Shari Weiss Business GWAR 300

SFSU

Prepared by Vanessa Cornacchioli

November 17, 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY………………………………………………………………iii

I: INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………..1

A. BACKGROUND……………………………………..…………………........1B. PROBLEM/PURPOSE……………………………………………………….1C. SIGNIFICANCE……………………………………………………………...1D. SCOPE………………………………………………………………………..1E. ORGANIZATION……………………………………………………………2

II: FINDINGS:

A. PEOPLE ARE CREATING PROFILES FROM AROUND THE WORLD..3B. WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP A CURRENT PROFILE……………4C. GRAB ATTENTION USING LINKEDIN………………………………….5

III: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS

A. SUMMARY OF PROBLEMS AND PROCEDURES……………………..7B. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS……………………………………………….7C. CONCLUSIONS…………………………………………………………....7D. RECOMMENDATIONS……………………………………………………7

IV: APPENDIX…………………………………………………………………………8

A. WORKS CITED……………………………………………………………..8

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS1. LINKEDIN FACTS AND STATS………………………………………………..33. RESULTS FROM SURVEY TABLE…………………………………………….44. WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING GRID…………………………………………..5

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The purpose of this report is to provide information about Linkedin and how people should be using the site. Linkedin is the world’s largest professional networking platform. Linkedin’s mission is to connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful this is only possible if people are taking advantage of what the site offers. Linkedin is powerful because it sets out to create a digital work force through social media. Linkedin is consistently enhancing its offerings. These new features have quickly transposed the site into a complete career management resource, equipped with great networking features to connect professionally with others. Members are able to use Linkedin as a personal branding tool, to further promote themselves professionally. LinkedIn users can globally connect the workforce and create opportunities for people all over the world by maintaining a complete and up-to-date professional profile.

However, in conducting a survey on campus, the results show that not enough people were taking advantage of LinkedIn. Not enough members of LinkedIn realize how important it is to maintain a current profile. People are not utilizing the full potential of LinkedIn, and most are not because they are unaware of the features or the importance of a complete profile itself. Of those surveyed only about half of them had profiles. There are over 400 million users on Linkedin and 70% of them are found outside the United States. A problem arises where not enough people are actively participating in the professional network. Getting people informed about the potential and the features that the site offers will help to attract users.

Informing members about features that may be of interest to some like privacy settings may draw people to keep closer tabs on the profiles. Knowing the abilities of the site may intrigue users to want to become more familiar with the Linkedin. Using Linkedin successfully can most certainly leverage your career, it is just clear that not enough people know that.

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INTRODUCTION:

BACKGROUND:

Linkedin is a business-oriented social networking service used mainly for professional networking all over the world. Linkedin allows users, both employees and employers, to create profiles and “connections” with each other. The goal of the site is to allow registered members to establish and document networks of people they know and trust professionally. A Linkedin member’s profile page, which emphasizes employment history and education, has professional network news feeds and a limited number of customizable modules. Basic membership is free. Linkedin users can use their connections to obtain introductions to other users, as a way to meet people through other people; find employment by recommendations made from people and businesses in one’s contact network; employers are able to post available job positions and search for potential candidates; job seekers can then view the profile of hiring managers and determine which of their current contacts can introduce them; and there is even a feature that allows users to save jobs that they would like to apply for. Linkedin is powerful because it sets out to create a digital work force through social media. When users create and maintain complete and current profiles, they are digitalizing the workforce. This is advantageous for the business world because by digitalizing the work force we are able to see clearly and readily accessible the current status of the workforce. This would allow people to view job opportunities, current employment rate and the skills of every member of the workforce.

PURPOSE:

Not enough members of Linkedin realize how important it is to maintain a current profile. With professional members all over the world this is not a business tool that should be passed up. This report will show how Linkedin can enhance the business world by digitizing the workforce. It will point out better user practices designed for professional success.

SIGNIFICANCE:

Linkedin users can globally connect the workforce and create opportunities for people all over the world by maintaining a complete and up-to-date professional profile. Linkedin is a powerful professional networking tool and in order to fully utilize the site’s features members must first be aware of these features. It has been reported that less than 13% of Linkedin users have fully complete and active profiles. With the onset of globalization in today’s business world it is important to remember how interconnected we all are becoming. Long-term effects of Linkedin include an easier job search. People will be able to see more job opportunities that match their professional skill profile. Linkedin allows you to establish connections, promote yourself, and receive job alerts. It is significant for users to understand the capabilities they have when they utilize Linkedin correctly.

SCOPE:

People are not utilizing the full potential of LinkedIn, and most are not because they are unaware of the features or the importance of a complete profile itself. This report will outline how

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LinkedIn is being used all over the world and the benefits that come from global usage, the importance of a complete and current profile, and the safety features of the platform.

ORGANIZATION:This report will introduce the topic of Linkedin and the importance of the site. Findings

will show how people all over the world joinging Linkedin. It will point out the fact that not enough people are regularly using the site and reasons why more people should stay active and current. The report will also outline some features Linkedin offers along wit conclusions and recommendations on how to successfully use Linkedin.

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FINDINGS:

PEOPLE ARE CREATING PROFILES ALL OVER THE WORLD

Current User Trends & Statistics

In conducting a survey on campus, the results pointed out that only about half of the people who participated had a LinkedIn profile. Statistics show that close 400 million people have profiles worldwide and it is reported that every second two new members join. There are over 107 million users in the United States. LinkedIn reaches to 200 countries and territories with 70% of their current members and 75% of their new members coming from outside the United States. There are also over three million businesses with pages on the site. Out of these users it is said that 35% of them access LinkedIn everyday and over 25 million profiles are viewed a day. Refer to Figure 1 for more on LinkedIn users.

Figure 1: Linkedin Facts and Stats

Figure 1: Designed by Vanessa Cornacchioli using Linkedin Profile Writer Retrieved from: http://wersm.com/top-linkedin-facts-and-stats-infographic/

Analysis of Findings

However, the survey findings showed that of who that did not have a profile saw no reason to have one either. It is clear that people are uneducated on the vast network available at their fingertips. Furthermore, of those 400 million Linkedin members only about 100 million are reported to be active members per month. By creating an online resume, members are able to use that to search for better business opportunities, connections and professional matches. As a member you have 400 million possible “connections” to make.

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WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP A CURRENT PROFILE

The importance of an up-to-date profile

Linkedin is the world’s largest professional network. Not only can you use your profile as a personal branding tool but now you can add videos and images in your summary. You are able to create a story and a picture of who are in the professional world. With Linkedin’s growing global presence it has never been more important to build and maintain an outstanding Linkedin profile. Members are able to connect with professionals in their industries and stay current in their industries and job functions.

Keeping an up-to-date and complete profile is important because Linkedin gets a lot of traffic. When a name is typed into a google search bar most likely if that person has a Linkedin profile it will be the first result. Online studies have shown that 94% of users click on the first result when conducting internet searches. Not only does Linkedin have some serious google juice but, 94% of recruiters and Human Resource Professionals use the site. Every day, a substantial number of companies and recruiting firms use LinkedIn to source passive and active candidates to fill their open positions. If a member’s profile is not up-to-date, they might miss out on their dream job.

With technology today’s business world moves at a rapid pace it is easy to automatically stay connected with a current profile. The job market is so competitive; staying on the radar is a must. Linkedin allows the user to update their status regularly which instantly alerts connections about news and where to find users. Linkedin allows a member to search for people or companies by location, field of expertise and skill level. In return, users can find out who has been searching and viewing their profiles.

Results of the Survey

LinkedIn helps expand success by offering crucial connections and expertise. From the survey conducted it was concluded that members are using other social media sites more often than Linkedin despite all of its services. Take a look at the table in Figure 2 it shows the survey results when students were asked about their social media usage. Figure 2: Results from Survey Table

Table Designed by Zara Vegah Data taken from Survey Results

Those who are currently in the workforce or those who are pursuing a career should be urged to create or stay current with their Linkedin profiles. People should rank Linkedin as highly as they

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rank both Facebook and Instagram. Linkedin should be viewed, as a professional form of social media just as their personal networks grab attention so should their profiles.

What are people saying?

Active users on Linkedin find success and find job placement refer to Figure 3 for some examples of what people are saying about Linkedin.Figure 3: What are people saying? Grid

Figure 3 Designed by Andrew Davis Data taken from Survey Results

GRAB ATTENTION USING LINKEDIN

Tips for a Successful Profile

First and foremost it should be boldly noted that a member should upload a photo. A clear and professional photo of their face helps stand out in a recruiters mind when they are trolling the site looking for talent. Also, as recruiters try several different types of filters in within their search tactics they see the same profiles over and over again; supplying them with a visual memory helps them remember the user. A professional and clear name along with a keyword rich headline helps determine where the profile shows up in search engines. Choose a distinct URL, Linkedin gives the user a generic URL but the member has the option to choose one themselves. It is effective for a member’s summary to have a call to action, if the member is interested in being recruited or contacted it should be stated. The summary should clearly spell out the user’s capabilities, skills, interests, and strengths. It can also be a good idea to add keywords to the end

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of your summary that may be specific to your job field. Of course, a member should be sure to include all contact information.

Make sure to include all job duties, skills and responsibilities for all past job experiences listed. Making and maintaining connections is one of the most important things you can do on Linkedin. A member does not need to have 500 connections, but if the member only has a few connections other users may start to wonder if they understand networking. LinkedIn is the place where professionals connect online. If the user is a professional, they can use Linkedin to show potential employers that they are with the program and can connect with other professionals online. Having recommendations on a member’s profile is a good way to show that have made professional contributions. Displaying all of this information has shown to be of concern to some of Linkedin’s users.

Utilizing Linkedin’s Features

Many users when questioned confess that they are unaware of the many features and services Linkedin has to offer. There has been recent controversy over whether or not users feel safe on Linkedin due to activities such as cyber stalking. Now users can feel safe when joining and participating in Linkedin’s network with their blocking feature.

It took a lot of work and over 9000 signatures on a petition to initially urge Linkedin to develop a blocking feature. To implement the blocking feature it took six months, and hundreds of engineers across LinkedIn—a massive, companywide effort. LinkedIn found that figuring out what exactly happened when a user was blocked was the biggest challenge. When you block a profile, the connections are also lost. When you block a user, both parties cannot view profiles or send messages. You are able to block up to 50 profiles.

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SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

SUMMARY OF PROBLEMThe main issue surrounding Linkedin is that not enough people realize

it’s full potential enough to use it every day. They do not use the site often enough and in some cases not at all. Out of those who do have profiles do not keep them up-to-date and do not utilize the connections that are possible through Linkedin. Users on the site are also not aware of the all of the site’s features and some have issues with their privacy on the site.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGSIn conduction surveys and secondary research it has been shown that

not enough users are using Linkedin as often as they should. Results show that users are using their social media sites more often and more consistently. Of those who do have profiles they are not complete and are not kept current. Members are also concerned with privacy issues.

CONCLUSION

Linkedin is continuing to grow and it is the largest professional social networking site in the world. It is important for people to recognize the capabilities that are possible with Linkedin. Not only can one connect with professionals in their same fields but they can connect with millions of professionals across millions of fields in hundreds of countries across the world.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Everyone currently in the workforce or anyone pursuing a career should get on Linkedin. They should create and maintain a complete and up-to-date profile. Understanding how many people are on the site and the vast network possible should be reason enough for people to utilize the tips for creating a successful Linkedin.

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APPENDIX:WORKS CITED

http://venturebeat.com/2015/10/29/linkedin-now-has-400m-users-but-only-25-of-them-use-it-monthly/http://www.forbes.com/sites/cherylsnappconner/2014/05/04/new-research-2014-linkedin-user-trends-and-10-top-surprises/http://www.jeffbullas.com/2014/12/02/25-linkedin-facts-and-statistics-you-need-to-share/http://www.reviews.com/job-sites/linkedin/http://wersm.com/top-linkedin-facts-and-stats-infographic/

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