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L inkedIn: Unlock the profess ional tool boxYou check your Facebook® news feed before you get out of bed. You tweet
five things about your day before lunch. And you spend half an hour pinning
items to your Pinterest® boards in the evening. But when was the last time you
updated your LinkedIn® profile or started a discussion in a LinkedIn group?
Last week? Last month? Never?
Perhaps it isn’t surprising that LinkedIn is the social networking site that gets
neglected. Who wouldn’t rather hang out with friends than work colleagues?
Tweet about the awesome new band they just heard rather than the trade show
they are attending? As the “professional” social media website, LinkedIn is a
bit like the healthy option on a menu otherwise filled with greasy, high-calorie,
sugar-, salt- and fat-laden entrees.
Even those who should know better are guilty. Steven Chapell, a student media
specialist with Simpson College, argues that while LinkedIn is misunderstood
and underused, it is a site where most professionals and would-be professionals
should focus their social media time and energy. “I’ve had a Facebook account
since its first year,” he says. “I was on Twitter® before anyone knew what a tweet
was. And I’ve had a LinkedIn account for more than five years. However, I will be
the first to admit I check LinkedIn and am active on LinkedIn far less often than I
am on Facebook or Twitter, when in reality, the opposite should be true. … I tend
to spend only one or two hours a week total on LinkedIn. Yet, I find that my time
on LinkedIn is far more gratifying—and educational—than my time on Facebook
or Twitter.”1
Perhaps no one is more frustrated with the disconnect between how people
actually spend their social media time compared to how they should spend
their time than LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman. He expressed his frustration to
Wired magazine in March 2012: “Ask the average person,” he said. “They think
[LinkedIn is] a place they keep their CV online and maybe have some connections
with people they know professionally. They don’t think of it as a place to get
business intelligence, to research problems, to establish an online presence where
other people in the network can find them.”2
This Blue Paper® examines how LinkedIn is best used by both individuals and
businesses and offers tips and tricks to optimize all of the tools LinkedIn has to
offer. Let’s face it. In this economy, who can afford to ignore their professional
1 Chappell, Steven. “Why You Should Use LinkedIn More Than Facebook or Twitter.” Prof KRG. Prof KRG, 19 Mar. 2012. Web. 23 June 2012. http://www.profkrg.com/why-you-should-use-linkedin-more-than-facebook-or-twitter.
2 Rowan, David. “For LinkedIn Founder Reid Hoffman, Relationships Rule the World.” Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, 18 Mar. 2012. Web. 23 June 2012. http://www.wired.com/business/2012/03/ff_hoffman/2/.
© 2012 4imprint, Inc. All rights reserved
network? The latest industry news? Potential sales prospects? Whether you are an
individual looking to make connections that might lead to a new job opportunity,
a business looking for new leads or to solidify a brand, or a professional who
wants to be an active and visible participant in your industry, you will find
tools to help you achieve your goals on LinkedIn.
“What was once viewed as a social networking site for people who needed
to find new jobs is now a powerful social networking, hiring, promotional
and career development site,” says Susan Gunelius, author of The Complete
Idiot’s Guide to LinkedIn. “Most people with basic LinkedIn accounts don’t
even realize all the free tools and features that are available to them.”3
L inking in to L inkedInLinkedIn launched in 2003 as a professional social networking website (it’s older
than Facebook) and the company went public in January 2011. In May 2012, the
website reported more than 160 million users from more than 200 countries and
territories. Obviously, LinkedIn’s user stats don’t begin to approach Facebook,
which may hit 1 billion active users by the end of 2012. But for professional
purposes, comparing LinkedIn to Facebook is a bit of a quality versus quantity
argument. If the industry you work in, the company you want to work for and/or
the professionals you need to connect with are active on LinkedIn, then you need
to be active on LinkedIn. And being active involves much more than keeping your
profile up to date.
In July 2011, market research firm Lab42SM surveyed 500 U.S.-based registered
LinkedIn users to learn how they use their LinkedIn profile and how they valued
the site as a professional networking tool. Here are some of the nuggets the
survey unearthed:
• 61 percent of survey respondents reported that LinkedIn was the
social networking site they use primarily for professional networking.
(Facebook was named by 22 percent; Twitter, 4 percent.)
• 35 percent reported that they access LinkedIn daily; 32 percent
reported that they access it a few times a week; 16 percent access it a
few times a month.
• 81 percent of LinkedIn users belong to at least one group, and of
these people, 52 percent participate in group discussions.
• 42 percent reported that they update their LinkedIn profile regularly,
and 38 percent change it now and then. (13 percent admit to
3 Gunelius, Susan. “Study Reveals How Professionals Use LinkedIn.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 9 Aug. 2011. Web. 23 June 2012. http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2011/08/09/study-reveals-how-professionals-use-linkedin/.
© 2012 4imprint, Inc. All rights reserved
outdated profiles, and 7 percent haven’t updated their profile since
they joined.)4
Unsurprisingly, where you stand on the professional ladder offers a clue
to how you may use LinkedIn. The same survey revealed that:
• Top-level executives use LinkedIn most for industry
networking (22 percent), promoting their business (20
percent) and keeping in touch with others in their network
(18 percent).
• Middle managers use LinkedIn most for keeping in touch
with their network (24 percent), industry networking (20
percent) and networking with coworkers (19 percent).
• Entry-level employees use LinkedIn most for a job search (24 percent),
networking with coworkers (23 percent), along with industry
networking and keeping in touch with their own network (19 percent
each).5
In its near decade in existence, LinkedIn has become most associated with job
searching and recruiting. But it’s also developed into a site where professionals
gather to stay on top of current industry trends; discuss issues facing a particular
industry; network with coworkers, former coworkers, industry contacts and
college alumni; develop relationships with potential employers and coworkers;
promote their business and brand, especially business-to-business relationships;
and, yes, keep their resume polished.
Profile basics for everyone
As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. So
the first step for anyone who wants to maximize his or her presence on LinkedIn
is to complete a profile. LinkedIn considers these elements necessary for a profile
to be “complete.”
• A photo
• An executive summary and skill set
• Three recent positions
• Three recommendations from your connections
• Your education
You may round out your profile with links to websites and Twitter accounts,
groups and associations you are a member of, interests beyond your career and
honors and awards you have received. Here are a few tips for putting your best
and most searchable self forward on LinkedIn:
4 Pirc, Jonathan. “The Linkedin Profile.” Market Research 2.0. Lab42, 11 July 2011. Web. 23 June 2012. http://blog.lab42.com/the-linkedin-profile.
5 Ibid.
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Choose keywords for your profile with LinkedIn search engine results in mind.
You are more than your current job title, so break out of the mindset that
your LinkedIn header needs to be your job title, especially if the title lacks the
keywords others are likely to use when searching for people with skills such as
yours. Longer phrases and precise keywords appropriate for your industry will
help you rank higher among fewer search results than very general words such
as “consultant” or “strategist.” Your most important keyword should be a part
of your headline, but that word and other keywords should also be distributed
throughout your profile.
Test the effectiveness of your keywords by doing a search for people with the
keywords you think others would use when looking for a professional such as
yourself. When searching, be sure to sort by keywords, and choose “expanded”
for the view. (Find these options in the bar above the search results.) Take note of
how many results are generated with the keywords you chose. The fewer results,
the easier it is to optimize your profile so that your profile ranks high in search
results. Look at the people who are ahead of you in the search results. You will
need to exceed the number of keywords those individuals have in their profiles in
order to rank above them.
Business writer Jeff Haden reminds anyone fine-tuning their LinkedIn profile
to keep their professional goals in mind when devising keywords. “At its most
basic level LinkedIn is about marketing: marketing your company or marketing
yourself,” he says. “But that focus probably got lost as you worked through the
mechanics of completing your profile, and what started as a marketing effort
turned into a resume completion task. Who you are isn’t as important as what
you hope to accomplish, so think about your goals and convert your goals into
keywords, because keywords are how people find you on LinkedIn.”6
Get—and give—recommendations. When it comes to LinkedIn recommendations,
many of the traditional rules on professional recommendations apply. Reach
out to individuals who are truly familiar with your skills and experience,
and suggest specific stories and examples of your work that they may want
to reference. (Recommendations with your keywords will help you rank
higher in search results.) Solicit recommendations from a range of connections—
managers, coworkers, subordinates. As noted above, three recommendations
are necessary for a profile to be considered “complete,” but don’t go overboard.
Some experts recommend no more than a dozen. A few strong recommendations
are preferable to many fluffy ones. “Recommendations add color and depth to
a LinkedIn profile, fleshing it out while avoiding any, ‘Oh jeez will this guy ever
6 Haden, Jeff. “6 Steps to a More Marketable LinkedIn Profile.” Inc.com. Mansueto Ventures LLC, 7 Dec. 2011. Web. 23 June 2012. http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/how-to-market-yourself-with-linkedin-profile-6-steps.html?nav=next.
© 2012 4imprint, Inc. All rights reserved
shut up about himself?’ reactions,” Haden says. “So ask for recommendations,
and offer to provide recommendations before you’re asked. The best way to build
great connections is to always be the one who gives first.”7
Show off your warm, professional, approachable self. As LinkedIn has grown,
there has been some debate about adding photos to profiles. After all, no one
would attach a photo to a traditional printed resume for fear of setting oneself
up for discrimination without even getting through the door. But most experts
now answer the photo question with a qualified yes. “LinkedIn profiles without
[profile] photos are far less effective than those that include one,” says
Louise Fletcher, cofounder of Blue Sky Resumes. “There’s something about
seeing that faceless icon in a long string of search results that makes it
much more unlikely a recruiter will click on your profile to read more.”8
Fletcher offers these additional recommendations:
• Have the photo taken professionally if possible. Make sure it’s
well lit and in focus.
• Use a headshot. The photo should be as close to a square as
possible because it will be cropped square when you upload it
to LinkedIn.
• Wear professional clothing in your photo. Appropriate clothing
will depend on your profession, but Fletcher prefers a smart,
business casual look over a traditional corporate headshot, which can
make a person appear unapproachable. “In short, your LinkedIn profile
should make the same impression on people as if you were greeting
them personally,” Fletcher says. “Make it friendly, warm, approachable
and professional.”9
Developing connect ionsWith a complete profile that maximizes keywords, it’s time to invite people
relevant to your professional goals to join your network. LinkedIn will search your
email contacts for people you already know, but before you send an invitation to
everyone you’ve ever had reason to exchange an email message with, consider
that this may be a time to cast a smaller but strategic net. As with your real-life
professional network, success lies in building mutually beneficial relationships
over time, rather than quickly amassing a high number of weak connections.
Like many LinkedIn users, Angel Ramos, author of How to Stand Out in a
Competitive Job Market, created a LinkedIn profile in 2006 and then never
7 Ibid.8 Fletcher, Louise. “Why You Must Post a Photo on LinkedIn (and Which One to Choose).” Blue Sky Resumes.
Blue Sky Resumes, 11 Apr. 2011. Web. 23 June 2012. http://www.blueskyresumes.com/blog/why-you-must-post-a-photo-on-linkedin-and-which-one-to-choose/.
9 Ibid.
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utilized the site until 2011, when he received an invitation to connect with a
former classmate. He decided it was time to start using LinkedIn more effectively,
but describes his first few months as “a major epic fail.”
“Just like many job hunters, my first instinct when utilizing LinkedIn was to see
what people can do for me,” he says. “This was the wrong attitude to take and
the reason why so many people have trouble yielding results.”10 Ramos concluded
that he should start building his network by researching the industries, companies
and individuals he identified as his targets for potential employment and
professional development. LinkedIn itself can help with this research through its
Company Pages and search capabilities. (See more on Company Pages later in this
Blue Paper.) The key is to form a network of professionals with whom you can
offer as much value as you receive. Here are some guidelines for forming a solid
LinkedIn network:
• When you invite someone to join your network, avoid using the
LinkedIn standardized message: “I’d like to add you to my professional
network on LinkedIn.” Add a personal note instead, indicating your
reasons for wanting to connect with this individual and how you are
familiar with this person if he or she won’t immediately recognize your
name. Remember, LinkedIn is about building relationships, not just
collecting connections.
• When you accept an invitation from someone else, acknowledge the
invitation with a personal note as well. Small business and social media
consultant Jeff Korhan says that he always thanks the people who
reach out to connect with him. “If they happen to mention why they
are connecting, you should acknowledge that as well,” he says. “More
than anything, acknowledging your new connections is a courtesy. And
that’s something that is often remembered.”11
• To broaden your network beyond your existing
professional connections, ask your first-level contacts
for introductions to specific individuals among their first-level contacts.
Request an introduction by choosing that option below the yellow
“Connect” button visible when you view the profile of the person you
want to make a connection with.
10 Ramos, Angel L. “How to Strategically Build Your LinkedIn Network Today! | LinkedIn Tip Tuesday.” The New Approach. The New Approach, 12 Apr. 2012. Web. 23 June 2012. http://fromjaystobrooks.com/how-to-strategically-build-your-linkedin-network-today/.
11 Korhan, Jeff. “3 Invaluable LinkedIn Tips.” 3 Invaluable LinkedIn Tips. Jeff Korhan, 12 Oct. 2011. Web. 23 June 2012. http://www.jeffkorhan.com/2011/10/3-invaluable-linkedin-tips.html.
© 2012 4imprint, Inc. All rights reserved
• When accepting invitations from others, give some thought as to
whether you prefer a network that is more open to anyone who asks or
a more closed network based on your professional and LinkedIn goals.
Do you want to tailor your LinkedIn network to specific individuals,
companies or industries? Limit it to people you already know and trust
in real life? Or will you accept invitations from someone you truly don’t
know personally? (Do be aware of phishing scams.) LinkedIn considers
anyone in your network to be someone you trust. Some LinkedIn users
take a more open approach, connecting to people with whom they
have only a tangential relationship. The argument from the more
“open” perspective is that the whole point of social media is to be
social and build those new connections.
• Join and be an active member of industry groups on LinkedIn. “By
joining groups and participating in these groups, you will gain more
credibility as a leader or knowledgeable person in your industry,” says
social media consultant Brian Farello. “Ask questions and contribute
to conversations. If you contribute a lot to a group, you will show
up under the group’s top influencers.”12
L inkedIn for businessesJust as LinkedIn offers professionals a place to network with colleagues
and potential partners, establish themselves as experts in their fields
and find a potential employer, so too does it offer businesses the
opportunity to discover new leads, join groups in which potential
clients and partners are active, promote their brands and search for
new talent. Pamela Vaughn of marketing software developer HubspotSM reports
that “in a study of over 5,000 inbound marketers where we pitted LinkedIn
against Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn proved to be the most effective social
media channel for lead generation—277 percent more effective, in fact. As a
marketer, particularly if you’re in the B2B game, how could you not leverage that
awesome lead generation potential?”13
Dave Kerpen, CEO of Likeable MediaSM, says that for his business, LinkedIn’s value
lies in the opportunity to connect with potential clients and partners. “LinkedIn is
a great way for our business to share information and become a thought leader
in our industry,” he says. “We use LinkedIn to share blog posts, links and articles,
as well as to lead discussions about hot topics in our industry. LinkedIn is also a
12 Farello, Brian. “LinkedIn Marketing—Why Should I Be on LinkedIn?” Social Media Today. Social Media Today LLC, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 23 June 2012. http://socialmediatoday.com/brianfarello/495727/linkedin-marketing-why-should-i-be-linkedin.
13 Vaughan, Pamela. “13 Brands Using LinkedIn Company Page Features the Right Way.” HubSpot Blog. HubSpot Inc., 20 Mar. 2012. Web. 23 June 2012. http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/31889/13-Brands-Using-LinkedIn-Company-Page-Features-the-Right-Way.aspx.
© 2012 4imprint, Inc. All rights reserved
great way for our employees to form connections with professionals in our field.
Occasionally, we post job listings or links to sign up to events we’re hosting.”14
The LinkedIn Learning Center offers guides and free Web classes for building a
Company Page, running a successful group, getting the most out of an upgraded
premium (paid) account and more. A Company Page is easy and quick to set up.
Here is a basic overview of the structure with tips to take advantage of Company
Page features:
Overview tab: This is where a company shares the most important information
about itself, what makes it unique, special skills and services and so on. This is a
good place to delineate specialties using keywords that will rank the Company
Page higher in an internal LinkedIn search.
Products and Services tab: This tab offers a place for a company to showcase what
it has to offer. The possibilities for customization on this tab are vast. Some of
the options include embedding video; uploading up to three rotating, clickable
images for the tab header; incorporating a welcome message along with product
or product category listings; and even creating multiple versions of the tab to be
shown to different audiences. Viewers can share a company’s listing of product
or category with individuals or groups they think would be interested in knowing
more about the product and also write a recommendation for one or more of the
products or product categories directly on the listings.
Careers tab: If you post a job opening on LinkedIn (which does cost money to do
so), a basic careers tab appears for free, but a paid upgrade to a Silver or Gold
Career Page is required to take advantage of the extra features LinkedIn offers,
such as a clickable banner, direct links to recruiters, video content and more.
Employee tab: This tab provides information about a company’s employees,
their job functions, educational background and experience.
A job seeker looking for a specific position within a company
may review current employees to learn what kind of skills and
experience are typical for people who hold the job he or she
wants.
Analytics tab: Visible only to the administrators of a Company
Page, this data will help a company discover who its followers
are, who is viewing its page and what content they view.
14 Khazan, Olga. “How Do You Use LinkedIn for Business?” The Washington Post. The Washington Post, 06 May 2012. Web. 23 June 2012. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-small-business/post/how-do-you-use-linkedin-for-business/2012/05/04/gIQAmWPg6T_blog.html.
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Just as with personal profiles, setting up a Company Page is only the beginning.
As with any social media, businesses get the most out of their efforts by providing
relevant content and engagement. Here are some strategies for establishing your
company presence on LinkedIn:
• Many companies join groups within their industry to participate in
“internal” discussions about issues facing the industry, but for the
purposes of lead generation, a company should consider identifying
and joining groups that its potential clients are members of. By
sparking external discussions about what it can offer those companies
and periodically offering useful information that can help them solve
a problem, a business can put itself in the position of being the one
potential clients seek out.
• Post e-newsletters, white papers and other content to targeted
audiences. This helps a company establish itself as a thought leader and
helpful resource for potential clients.
• Start and manage a group to attract leads and solidify your brand as a
problem-solver for clients.
• Add a company blog RSS feed to automatically keep the page current.
• Answer questions in the LinkedIn Questions and Answers page to
further expand your problem-solving reputation and post questions
that deserve a broader audience. Find this page by clicking on
“Answers” under the “More” dropdown menu.
• Create an event on LinkedIn. This easy feature is also found under
the “More” dropdown menu.
Beyond the bas icsLinkedIn offers all sorts of tricks, techniques and shortcuts to help individuals
maximize the platform’s features with little effort. Did you know you could …
Edit a website URL in your profile to reflect the website name or a keyword
rather than a string of characters. When you are in “Edit Profile” mode, choose
the edit button after the website URL. The trick is to choose “Other” from the
dropdown menu headed with the word “Choose …” and enter the name of your
website or a keyword.
Reorder the categories under your profile snapshot. For example, if you prefer
that your recommendations appear above your educational profile, just drag the
header!
Reveal a maiden or former name to help people find you, or display only a last
initial to people outside of your network if you prefer a higher level of privacy.
© 2012 4imprint, Inc. All rights reserved
Make these choices when you set up your profile. If you are editing an established
profile, choose the “edit” button after your name.
See how many people have viewed your profile and how many search results
you have shown up in. This is displayed in a box on the right of the screen on
your home page. However, seeing exactly who has viewed your account is trickier.
A premium paid LinkedIn account is required to see the full list of who has
viewed your profile. And the people who view your account can choose to remain
anonymous.
Share and print your profile, and download a PDF resume version of your
LinkedIn profile. These choices appear under your profile snapshot.
Tag your connections and add notes to help you remember how you know a
connection. Under the “Contents” drop down menu, choose “Connections” and
then choose a connection. Click on the “edit details” and “edit tags” options to
add this information. Tagging helps keep your connections organized for times
when you want to send a message or share information with a targeted group.
Sync your LinkedIn account with your Twitter feed. Access this in the “settings”
option under the dropdown menu under your login name. However, be mindful
of the general guideline to keep most of your personal life off of LinkedIn,
especially if a majority of your tweets are not business focused. Settings within
the Twitter account management feature will help you control this.
Read and share news specifically related to your industry by customizing your
news on LinkedIn Today. Click on LinkedIn Today under the “News” dropdown
menu of your home page and find the “Customize Your News” option on
the right. From there, choose the industries and media sources that are most
beneficial to you, your network and your potential clients.
Share and save articles you find at LinkedIn Today. Share the link with a group or
individuals, or save it so that you can easily and quickly retrieve it later.
Get apps for your profile page. These third-party apps offer all sorts of features,
such as sharing your professional reading list and business travel plans, helping
you find professional events that may benefit you, helping you connect with your
network at those events and more.
Use SlideShare to share documents, PDFs, videos and webinars. LinkedIn acquired
professional content sharing platform SlideShare in May 2012. If you already have
a SlideShare account, you can import existing presentations into LinkedIn.
© 2012 4imprint, Inc. All rights reserved
Access the LinkedIn Learning Center (choose “Learning Center” under the
“More” dropdown menu). In addition to explaining site features and offering
general training resources, LinkedIn offers user guides for specific groups and
individuals, such as small businesses, students, attorneys, venture capitalists and
nonprofits.
F inal ly, a few don’tsLike a typo on a printed resume, there are plenty of ways to negate
all of your LinkedIn efforts with easily avoidable mistakes. Geoffrey
James of Inc.comSM outlines a few LinkedIn “don’ts” to be aware of:
1. Don’t post an unprofessional photo. Follow the suggestions
of Louise Fletcher above.
2. Don’t solicit fawning recommendations. “Only approve the
display of recommendations that describe actions that you
personally took, along with the specific, quantifiable effect
of those actions on the organization where you worked,”
James says.
3. Don’t link to an overly personal Web page. Keep this corner of your
social media activities as professional as possible.
4. Don’t provide a trail to youthful indiscretion. James counsels that
information on a LinkedIn profile could give an individual doing
a background check enough clues to be able to perform a wider
Web search to find more information about you from other social
networking sites. “First, only provide information that’s relevant to
where you’re taking your career,” he says. “That may or may not
include your academic background (and definitely should not include
your high school information). Second, experiment with different
search combinations based upon what’s in your profile. If undesirable
stuff pops up, either figure out how to expunge it or change your
profile.”
5. Like a printed resume, don’t misspell anything. Have someone with a
good eye for grammar and spelling review your profile. Pay for this if
you have to.15
The tips and tricks outlined in this Blue Paper may seem like a lot to take in at
once, but LinkedIn has created an easy-to-use platform to help expand your
professional network and grow your business. Like anything that is good for you,
a little up-front time and effort learning about everything LinkedIn has to offer is
15 James, Geoffrey. “LinkedIn Mistakes: Top 5 Ways to Kill Your Credibility.” Inc.com. Mansueto Ventures LLC, 13 Dec. 2011. Web. 23 June 2012. http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/linkedin-mistakes-top-5-ways-to-kill-your-credibility.html?nav=next.
© 2012 4imprint, Inc. All rights reserved
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bound to pay off in the long run in one way or another. Most of the “rules” are
no different than old-fashioned business networking: be courteous and social,
share valuable information, help others solve problems, don’t wait until you need
something to make a connection, and so on. “Business networking is planting
seeds of opportunity that will emerge at the right time,” says small business
consultant Jeff Korhan. “LinkedIn allows you to accomplish that with minimal
effort.”16
16 Korhan, Jeff. “3 Invaluable LinkedIn Tips.” 3 Invaluable LinkedIn Tips. Jeff Korhan, 12 Oct. 2011. Web. 23 June 2012. http://www.jeffkorhan.com/2011/10/3-invaluable-linkedin-tips.html.