101 The Basics

Presented by Linda Hickle…..........................May 4, 2011

Linkedin 101 The Basics

• Why should I be LinkedIn? • How can I get started? • How can I develop new connections? • How can I stay active?

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Weekends

Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm

Social Network Positioning

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 100 million

members and growing rapidly.

LinkedIn connects you to your trusted contacts and helps you exchange

knowledge, ideas, and opportunities with a broader network of

professionals.

What is LinkedIn ?

• “Our mission is to connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive

and successful.”

Consider Your Purpose

What do you want to accomplish?

Are you joining “just to join”?

Is there a better forum for industry contacts? (ex. industry organizations)

Job Search Strategy

Marketing Plan

Find or Be Found

Best Reason to Care?

Stay in touch

Reconnect

Expand network same profession

• complementary industry

• other mutual interests

Job opportunities

Information exchange

Global presence online

Consider Your Purpose

General Rules to Follow

• Don’t do anything you wouldn’t want your mother to know about.

• Watch, follow, listen and learn

• Give before you ask

• Share – don’t sell

STEP 1: Sign up!

How Do I Join? 1. Go to www.linkedin.com

2. Select “Join Today” from the top menu bar.

3. Enter your first name, last name, email address

and password.

4. Select “Join LinkedIn”.

Home Page

Profile

SUMMARY & SPECIALTIES

SKILLS

RECOMMENDATIONS

EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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APPLICATIONS

Enables people to connect and reconnect with you

Represents your career accomplishments and opens the door to new opportunities

Helps you control your professional identity online

Goal is 100% Complete

SNAPSHOT & PHOTO 1

STEP 2: Completely Fill Out

Your Profile

Snapshot Your Snapshot, is an “at-a-glance” look at your profile. It features a professional

photo, an overview of your name, location, current title, past positions, education,

recommendations, and links to your websites. Think of it as your next-generation business card.

STEP 2: Completely Fill Out

Your Profile

Photo

No

• Professional dress

• Plain background

• No cropped vacation pictures

• No other people in the picture

No Yes

STEP 2: Completely Fill Out

Your Profile

Summary

The Summary is a variation of your “Elevator Speech” and is meant to

intrigue the reader to learn more about you.

Specialties can be used to highlight your core competencies and may include keywords to

make it easier for recruiters to find you. Click

“Edit” to make any changes.

STEP 2: Completely Fill Out

Your Profile

Experience

• Include your work history for the past 10-15 years.

• Include your responsibilities and past accomplishments.

• Be creative, but be sure the information you provide does not contradict your resume.

• To make changes or add another employer, click “Edit” and “+Add a position” respectively.

STEP 2: Completely Fill Out

Your Profile

HOT TIP!

Personalize your LinkedIn address

Bonus tip: Search LinkedIn using your name to find users with a similar name. How can you set yours apart? Try to match user name and address.

Ex: Numerous users named “Kim Callahan” and “Kimberly

Callahan”, but only one (so far) “Kimberly A. Callahan ”

Edit public profile to a Vanity URL

Skills

• List those talents you possess which you feel would benefit a

prospective employer.

• To make changes or add another talent, click “Edit” or “+Add a skill”

respectively.

STEP 2: Completely Fill Out

Your Profile

Education List all higher education including:

• Universities

• Community Colleges

• Continuing Education

• To make changes or add a another school, click “Edit” or “+Add a school” respectively.

STEP 2: Completely Fill Out

Your Profile

Online resume/CV in slideshare or box.net

Don’t be “cutesy” (e.g. “Big Cheese” or “Office Queen”)

Do be creative – let your personality show through

Be honest and authentic

Proper grammar and spelling

Keyword Rich

STEP 2: Completely Fill Out

Your Profile

STEP 2: Completely Fill Out

Your Profile

Account Settings

Contacts

Contacts provide you a network of professionals (connections) with whom you

can collaborate about your marketing plan, help you get to the hiring manager

and provide information about a targeted employer. You just might meet new friends as well.

YOU

Two Degrees Away

Friends of friends each connected to

one of your connections

First Degree, Your Connections

Your trusted friends and colleagues

Three Degrees Away

Reach these users through a friend and

one of their friends.

STEP 3: Initial Connections

STEP 3: Initial Connections

Import contacts Cons: impersonal invite, may send unwanted invites

Pros: saves time, especially for large address books

Search for everyone you know, work with, have done business with

Send personalized invitations

Don’t fret if someone doesn’t respond

Making Connections

Option 1

• The power of LinkedIn resides in the quantity and quality of your contacts.

• 1st level (degree) contacts should be people you know well.

• LinkedIn shows contacts through the 3rd level.

Shows email contacts already on LinkedIn

The contacts from your personal email address are shown in Linkedin.

Note: You may have to grant your email provider permission to use this

feature.

Making Connections

Option 2

• Sending an email invitation through LinkedIn.

• Note: Sending invitations directly to individuals you do not know well, could result in

your suspension from LinkedIn.

Making Connections

Making Connections

Option 3

• Get introduced through a connection.

• Note: Sending invitations directly to individuals you do not know well, could result in your

suspension from LinkedIn.

Making Connections

Option 4

• Basic Invitation: “Add to My Network”

• Note: Sending invitations directly to individuals you do not know well, could result in your

suspension from LinkedIn.

Recommendations Give employers, recruiters and those looking to connect with you a expanded

view of you as a direct report, boss, colleague, or client. They make your

LinkedIn presence more dynamic and bring credibility to your profile.

To ask for a recommendation through LinkedIn, click on “+ Ask for a recommendation”.

STEP 4: Recommendations

STEP 4: Recommendations

Request recommendations from connections who have worked with you Give recommendations to those you have done business with

While not as formal as letters of

reference, you still need to be

ethical and honest.

Ask for a Recommendation

It’s a bit cliché, but it’s as easy as .

But remember, nothing replaces a personal one-on-one request to get the ball rolling.

STEP 4: Recommendations

STEP 5: Join Groups

Local Industry

Profession Topical (MS Office)

Groups

LinkedIn Groups can help you, increase your connections, keep you informed,

present you as an expert, and keep you touch with people that share your interests.

STEP 5: Join Groups

HOT TIP!

You can send a message free to members of the same group.

The power of three degrees

Your “Home” page will help you keep tabs on Connections and Groups at a glance

HOT TIP!

Use the “Update” tool to keep your connections informed of recent activities, current projects, events, articles you liked, etc.

If you have a Twitter account, it can sync-up

Make LinkedIn your homepage on your browser and visit at least once a week, if not more

“Power Users” check frequently each day

It takes work and constant attention to build your network

HOT TIP! You can comment on or “like” the updates made by your connections

You can also see what questions they have asked or responded to

You can see what groups they have joined and comments posted to open groups and groups you share

J-O-B-S

Posted in Groups

Search using the Jobs tab

If seeking a job, reflect that in your Profile (ex. “Seeking Executive Assistant Position”)

Post an update to your network

Email contacts directly who you think might be able to help you

Other Features

Company Pages

Searchable Skills section

Profile applications (Box.net, SlideShare,

Reading List, & more)

News

Event calendar

Mobile

Outlook Toolbar

Facebook Tab

LinkedIn Learning Center

Use the Learning Center to learn more about the features of LinkedIn to be

sure you’re getting the most out of this powerful tool.

General Rules to Follow

• Don’t do anything you wouldn’t want your mother to know about.

• Watch, follow, listen and learn

• Give before you ask

• Share – don’t sell

Complete your profile

Get Recommendations

Join Groups

Build Your Network of Contacts

Ask for Introductions & Make Connections

FINAL HOT TIP!

•HAVE

•FUN!

What’s In the Chat Room??

Thank You!