LinkedIn Tips, first presented at the Lexington Community Job Club, as part of the "Maximizing LinkedIn's Potential" meeting, Tuesday 13th August 2013.
Part 1:
Contents
• Contents
• Introduction
• Employer/Recruiter Searches & Point-Of-View
• Job Hunter Searches
• Business Cards & Resumes
• Subscription Cost
• Connections
• References
• Conclusion
• Questions
Part 2:
Introduction
"LinkedIn (pronounced 'lɪŋkt.ˈɪn') is a business-oriented social networking service ... it is mainly used for professional networking."
--Wikipedia, 9 July 2014
It is great tool to use for:
• Your current employer, as it can help you connect with prospects, clients, vendors, business partners, etc. (It's NOT "disloyal")
• Your current employer, as it can help you connect with prospects, clients, vendors, business partners, etc. (It's NOT "disloyal")
• Your next job search, as it can help you connect with recruiters and potential new employers.
This presentation will focus on using it for a job search...
Full Disclosure, my Point-Of-View:
• I am a Mechanical Engineer
• I was looking for a job in a larger company
• The "Hidden Job Market" is (mostly) against the OFCCP* rules, so I had to apply using corporate Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
*Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
LinkedIn Profile ≠ Resume:
Similarities:
• If your LinkedIn Profile OR your Resume looks like every other Battle Droid, you don't stand a chance!
(Just like in the Star Wars movies!)
(Just like in the Star Wars movies!)
• Be Human! It's empowering and fun, and it doubled my phone screens!
(see Liz Ryan's Human Workplace)
• You must capture readers' attention within 5 seconds
• Help people figure out what you do in that 5 seconds - be specific, not generic and vague.
(Remember Car Talk's running joke, "We specialize in all makes and models of automobiles!")
(Remember Car Talk's running joke, "We specialize in all makes and models of automobiles!")
Differences:
• LinkedIn has only one font, it can not be tailored to each individual job, but you can attach media.
Unlimited length. Chronological order.
Unlimited length. Chronological order.
• Resume has fonts, it can (and should) be tailored for each individual job, but you (usually) can not attach media.
2 page length (maximum).
2 page length (maximum).
Professional LinkedIn Profile/Resume Services:
• Who knows you best? Yourself or a "Hired Hand"?
• Who knows you best? Yourself or a "Hired Hand"?
(Photo Credit: Battle Droids from "Star Wars - The Phantom Menace")
Part 3:
Employer/Recruiter Searches & Point-Of-View
SERPS are Search Engine Results Pages, not serpents or snakes!
But they CAN bite you!
Google SERPS for David Schattner:
• Periodically* do an "Ego Search" on the Web to check for "Digital Dirt" and "Evil Twins"!
(Potential Employers WILL certainly do this before hiring you!)
*You can automate this using Giga Alert (formerly Google Alert) by Indigo Stream Technologies
LinkedIn SERPS for David Schattner:
• Would you rather show a PHOTO or a faceless "gray guy"?
• Would you rather show a PHOTO or a faceless "gray guy"?
• Potential employers aren't mindreaders...how do they know you're looking* for a new job?
• How do you look in the LinkedIn SERPS? How do you rank?
*Careful..."unemployed" is probably not a good way to phrase this. It has a bad connotation...
Clicking & "drilling down" (Good):
• Briefcase Icon = Open to New Opportunities (paid member - discontinued)
• Briefcase Icon = Open to New Opportunities (paid member - discontinued)
• OpenLink Icon = Anyone can send message (paid member)
• Customized Headline with Stars! (vs. default last position)
• Professional Photo (paid members' photos are larger - Summer 2014)
• Customized Background (Legos!)
• Customized URL* is easier to remember & type!
*Get a good one before your "evil twin" steals it!
Clicking & "drilling down" (Bad):
Non-Customized default URL is difficult to remember and type!
• Would you want this on your business card or resume?
(The default URL has "pub" followed by your name plus a random-looking series of numbers, letters, and slashes)
Clicking & "drilling down", continued:
Problem with Contact Information text in the gray colored area:
• If only "Visible to your connections", how will potential employers find you?
• If only "Visible to your connections", how will potential employers find you?
• Solution - Repeat Contact Information explicitly as shown in the next slide...
What is the "First Rule of Web Design?" *
From my Background section:
• Use of Bullets
• Use of Bullets
• Use of Check Marks
• Explicit Contact Information
• Media (Pictures/Videos) = "Free Samples" of MY work
(NOT Confidential, respect Copyrights)
(NOT Confidential, respect Copyrights)
Notes:
• LinkedIn doesn't have a spell-checker, so double-check with Microsoft Word!
• LinkedIn doesn't have a spell-checker, so double-check with Microsoft Word!
• Media may not be visible on mobile apps' versions of LinkedIn
• Media may not be visible on "Public Profile" (not logged in or > 3rd level connection)
*1st Rule: Don't make me think!
Text & Media editing icons from my Experience section
(LinkedIn Media are also called "Professional Gallery")
• Text icon = pencil
• Media icon = square/plus thingie
There are 2 methods of adding Media to LinkedIn:
• Upload File (Easiest)
• Add Link (Personally, I link from my Bēhance Portfolio*)
*Advantages:
-Greatest Common Denominator...I can give the URL of my Bēhance Portfolio to non-LinkedIn people
-Greatest Common Denominator...I can give the URL of my Bēhance Portfolio to non-LinkedIn people
-Allows people to click on the image to "drill down" and see more
Recommendations are GOLDEN! ("Skills & Endorsements" buttons not so much)
• Employers can read these vs. playing "telephone tag" with your References!
• Try to make it easy* for the Recommender
• LinkedIn encourages "Quid Pro Quo" (This means that the best way to get LinkedIn recommendations is to write them for other people!)
• LinkedIn encourages "Quid Pro Quo" (This means that the best way to get LinkedIn recommendations is to write them for other people!)
*Remind him or her what things you did together, and what you'd like emphasized.
For comparison, this is what the "Skills & Endorsement" buttons look like...
Part 4:
Job Hunter Searches
Job Hunter Searches
You can search for PEOPLE:
• Your connections within a target company who might be able to help you find a job there!
• Type "HR", "Human", "Recruiters", "Talent", etc. and penetrate the corporate bureaucracy!
You can search for JOBS! (1 of 2)
• Just use the LinkedIn's "Search" drop-down, and select the briefcase icon...
You can search for JOBS! (2 of 2)
• Here, I've filled in the blanks for an Engineering job near Cincinnati...
• Bonus - sometimes, the name of the job poster is listed! This is GOLDEN!
(See "Connections" section below)
You can save your job search (paid member)
(Note the dates in my naming convention - searches expire after ~30 days)
An example of a daily email alert from my LinkedIn job search
Part 5:
Business Cards & Resumes
Business Cards & Resumes
• Business Cards are more convenient than paper resumes
• Customary for Asian companies
I print Business Cards on my Ink Jet printer
• Easy to edit/revise
• Clean edges (Avery 8871 Business Card Stock)
Business Cards (1 - Front)
• Customized URL
(Times New Roman font wasn't the best choice...)
Business Cards (2 - Back)
• QR Code (embracing my inner geek!)
Resume's Header (top) should also have your customized LinkedIn URL!
• Do you want a potential employer to have to hunt for your LinkedIn profile?
• Remember the First Rule: "Don't make me think!"
• Remember the First Rule: "Don't make me think!"
Part 6:
Subscription Cost
Subscription Cost
LinkedIn Fee Schedule:
• The "Basic" is Free, but the Upgraded versions are more powerful...
• The "Basic" is Free, but the Upgraded versions are more powerful...
• The "Personal Plus" account is difficult to find, but is only $7.95/Month!
(Discontinued in late 2014)
(Discontinued in late 2014)
• You get what you pay for...
Notes:
• Personally, I've had trouble with InMail...maybe the messages are caught by recipients' spam filters, or maybe some people don't appreciate getting InMail messages. (InMail is "guaranteed" by LinkedIn.)
Part 7:
Connections
Definitions:
• 1st, 2nd, & 3rd level - what does it mean? (Six degrees of separation)
• Advantages of having a 1st level connection for Job Seekers
• Advantages of having a 1st level connection for Job Seekers
• Groups (alma mater, industries, companies, veterans, etc.) can quickly expand your network!
• What's a LION (LinkedIn Open Networker)?
Who should I connect to?
• 1st, 2nd, & 3rd level - what does it mean? (Six degrees of separation)
• LinkedIn says "Only invite people you know well..." (see above screenshot)
• However, Corporate Recruiters will often accept a connection request from anyone that applies to their job postings.
This can be a huge help to job-seekers, as it increases the chances that they will look at your LinkedIn profile and see any media you've attached!
(Otherwise you're just another faceless resume in their ATS hopper.)
Invitations to connect:
• No note at all is just plain rude!
• Using the standard note (see above screenshot) is almost as rude!
• Avoid using Mobile App's to send invitations, as they can "put words in your mouth" without you seeing them.
• It is polite to add a personalized note telling the person how you know them. A "thank you" would be nice, too...
• There is currently a 200-character limit to your message. Keep it short!
Sample Invitation for connecting with a Corporate Recruiter:
"Hello Ms. 'Name-of-Recruiter',
Earlier today, I applied to the Mechanical Engineer 29131BR job that you posted to LinkedIn, so I'd like to add you to my network.
Regards, David"
Regards, David"
• I like using the past tense, as it shows that I have ALREADY applied to the position...
Part 8:
References
References
I learned all this from Donna Serdula, "LinkedIn goddess"!
• Her website is www.linkedin-makeover.com
• I also highly recommend her book, LinkedIn Makeover
(I'm showing this very long screen shot from her website because it's a great summary page)
Part 9:
Conclusion
By itself, LinkedIn won't "get" you a job.
However, it can help you network for your job hunt...
Part 10:
Questions?
David presenting "LinkedIn Tips & Strategies" at the Lexington Community Job Club, 12 August 2014
David recording "LinkedIn Tips & Strategies Webinar" for the Lexington Community Job Club, 18 August 2014.
His presentation is available at the following URL:
