Basic overview for students

1. 101 The Basics
Presented by Linda Hickle…..........................May 4, 2011

2. 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?
2

3. Social Network Positioning
Weekends
Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm

4. What is LinkedIn ?
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.

5. • “Our mission is to connect
the world’s professionals to
make them more productive
and successful.”

6. 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

7. Best Reason to Care?

8. Consider Your Purpose
Stay in touch
Reconnect
Expand network
same profession
• complementary industry
• other mutual interests
Job opportunities
Information exchange
Global presence online

9. 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

10. 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”.

11. Home Page

12. STEP 2: Completely Fill Out
Your Profile
Profile
 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
1 SNAPSHOT & PHOTO
2 SUMMARY & SPECIALTIES
3 EXPERIENCE
4 SKILLS
5 EDUCATION
6 RECOMMENDATIONS
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
APPLICATIONS

13. 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.

14. STEP 2: Completely Fill Out
Your Profile
Photo
• Professional dress
• Plain background
• No cropped vacation pictures
• No other people in the picture
No No Yes

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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

18. STEP 2: Completely Fill Out
Your Profile
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.

19. 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.

20. 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

21. STEP 2: Completely Fill Out
Your Profile
Account Settings

22. STEP 3: Initial Connections
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
First Degree, Your Connections
Your trusted friends and colleagues
Two Degrees Away
Friends of friends each connected to
one of your connections
Three Degrees Away
Reach these users through a friend and
one of their friends.

23. 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

24. Making Connections
• 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.
Option 1

25. 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.
Shows email contacts already on LinkedIn

26. Making Connections
• Sending an email invitation through LinkedIn.
• Note: Sending invitations directly to individuals you do not know well, could result in
your suspension from LinkedIn.
Option 2

27. Making Connections

28. Making Connections
• Get introduced through a connection.
• Note: Sending invitations directly to individuals you do not know well, could result in your
suspension from LinkedIn.
Option 3

29. Making Connections
• Basic Invitation: “Add to My Network”
• Note: Sending invitations directly to individuals you do not know well, could result in your
suspension from LinkedIn.
Option 4

30. STEP 4: Recommendations
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”.

31. 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.

32. STEP 4: Recommendations
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.

33. STEP 5: Join Groups
Local Profession
Industry Topical (MS Office)

34. STEP 5: Join Groups
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.

35. HOT TIP!
You can send a message free to members of the
same group.

36. The power of three degrees

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

38. 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

39. 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

40. 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

41. 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

42. Other Features
Company Pages
Searchable Skills section
Profile applications (Box.net, SlideShare,
Reading List, & more)
News
Event calendar
Mobile
Outlook Toolbar
Facebook Tab

43. 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.

44. 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

45. Complete your profile

46. Get Recommendations

47. Join Groups

48. Build Your Network of Contacts

49. Ask for Introductions & Make Connections

50. FINAL HOT TIP!
•HAVE
•FUN!

51. What’s In the Chat Room??

52. Thank You!