Having a profile isn’t enough – to get ahead, consider implementing some of these useful strategies.
LinkedIn has become critical to building a network and crafting a personal brand that can open doors to job opportunities at select employers.
As social networks go LinkedIn, which launched in May 2003, is the social media site of choice for professionals and is the world’s largest professional network with over 90 million registered members. Of the big three social networks; LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter – LinkedIn is the oldest and the only business oriented social network. LinkedIn gives you the tools to control your online identity.
Have you Googled yourself lately?
If you have a completed LinkedIn profile chances are it will appear in the top five search results. This allows you control the first impression people get when searching for you online, an important aspect of any job search. LinkedIn helps job seekers connect with employers and recruiters. Even if you’re not currently seeking employment, LinkedIn is the one social network you can continually use to enhance your job search and boost your career prospects. The best way to do that is to make sure you are using the full power of LinkedIn to maximize your employment potential.
1. Complete your profile. Your profile is how you get found on LinkedIn and the first thing prospective employers may read about you. The more detailed and up-to-date your profile is, the better the chance you will be found and contacted. Complete your profile as carefully as you would your resume and provide detailed information on your skills, experience and accomplishments. Be sure to add a photo (a head shot is best) to your profile. Make sure your photo is professional in nature and representative of your industry. Remember this could be the first impression you make on a prospective employer. Users with complete and up-to-date profiles are 40 times more likely to receive opportunities through LinkedIn!
2. Basic Information and Summary Within the “basic information” section be sure to select an Industry, because recruiters often use that field when searching for candidates. Create a “headline” that properly brands you. The headline is the single most important piece of real estate on your profile and appears at the top of the page when someone views your profile and shows up in Google searches – it’s your first chance to make a good impression. The “Summary” section of your profile is where you can highlight your skills, experience and accomplishments. Grab the reader’s attention and get them thinking by letting your creativity and passion come through.
3. Contact Settings. Your contact settings let your connections, hiring managers and recruiters know what types of opportunities you are open to. Options include: career opportunities, consulting offers, new ventures, job inquiries, business deals, expertise requests and reference requests. Even if you’re not actively seeking a new job, it’s important to be flexible, because you never know when an opportunity too good to pass up might come along.
4. Website and Twitter Links. The “Links” section of your profile is a good way to provide even more information to potential employers and your contacts. If you have blog, Twitter account or a website, include those links in the Links section of your profile. Be sure to name the websites according (e.g. Social Media Strategy Blog) rather than using the default “company website”. This small detail will help you stand out from the majority of LinkedIn users.
5. LinkedIn Applications. LinkedIn Applications are an excellent way to stand out from the crowd and share even more information in your profile. The blog application enables you to feed your blog directly to your profile, so other LinkedIn users can see the most recent posts. Other useful applications include embedding your Slideshare presentations and Twitter feed. There are a variety of applications to choose from so think carefully about which app’s make the most sense for you and don’t overdo it.
6. Your Public Profile and URL.Don’t forget to make your profile public – that’s how the world can find it. You can customize which portions of your profile are displayed to the public. You can also customize your URL to give you a link that’s easy to share and shows up well in searches.
7. Grow Your Network. The more connections you have, the more opportunities you open yourself up to, but be careful not to connect with people you don’t know. Connect with colleagues from current and previous employers, clients and people you’ve done business with, people you went to school with or have had some sort of business or academic affiliation.
Tip: Use the email contacts importer tool to import your address book directly from web-based email clients like Gmail or Yahoo! Mail, or use the desktop email tool to import contacts from email applications like Outlook and Apple mail.
8. Give and Get Recommendations. Recruiters and potential employers view LinkedIn recommendations as references. Having strong recommendations can be a big advantage when it comes to getting selected for a job interview. One of the best ways to get recommendations is to give them. Take the time to write recommendations for select contacts and they will often reciprocate. Be careful not to give and receive too many recommendations at the same time, especially if you’re thinking of leaving your current employer. Five new recommendations appearing on your profile is a sign that you’re looking.
9. LinkedIn Jobs. View thousands of job listings in every category. You can search by keyword, title, company, and location to find the perfect opportunity for you. A new LinkedIn feature in beta displays a selection of targeted jobs you may be interested in based on information in your profile, you can even set-up alerts to have new jobs opportunities you are interested in sent directly to your email in-box.
Tip: LinkedIn is also a great way to research your recruiters or interviewers. Get an edge on the other candidates by learning more about the company or hiring manager you are interviewing with.
10. Answers. LinkedIn Answers is one of the best places on the Internet to get answers to business questions and share knowledge. You can ask and answer questions on specific subject matter or scan existing questions for answers to everything from “where do you go to find the best networking opportunities” to “what is the most difficult job search questions from recruiters”. By answering questions and demonstrating your expertise on LinkedIn you earn recognition that helps you build your personal brand and credibility.
Tip: Stay top of mind with contacts, potential employers and recruiters by being active with LinkedIn status updates. Keep the content relevant and always add value. Remember, LinkedIn is a tool. Your investment in understanding how to best use it will determine the value you get out of it.
