The Keys to Your New LinkedIn Profile by Daniel J. Smith (Sourcers Apprentice™)

©2012 thedanieljsmith

Linked In is a very powerful networking tool if used correctly. More and more I see a lot of people filling

in only the bare minimum of information, and then wondering to themselves why their professional

network is not growing, even after multiple invitations have been sent. These are a few of the tips I have

found helpful with the website, things that have worked for me, but realize that like many other sites,

success is in the amount of effort put forth by the user. May this inspire you to grow your network more

efficiently…. :Daniel™

One of the first locations for networking usually looked at by the “New Blood” is LinkedIn. LinkedIn

handles probably 90-95% of networking opportunities with businesses, Fortune 500 companies,

independents, consultants & contractors, basically anyone who needs either an introduction to a new

connection, job opportunity, or that ‘Ace’ when someone you deal with regularly has questions outside

your expertise- you probably have a contact for that!

I find most people look at setting up a unique profile as a tedious process; because it does take time

away from ‘Making Money’; however, without a personalized profile, you may find that first impression

either lacking or non-existent as you are passed over under the category of ‘Amateur’ because you show

little care on how you are presented in Cyber-space. First impressions are incredibly important,

especially with all the ‘Virtual Positions’ being created. To be considered one of the best- you have to

learn to walk, talk, communicate, and present yourself like you are THE top dog; and to look at another

consultant or job-seeker would be pointless.

One of the best features of a complete profile; be it LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter etc; is that they are

COMPLETELY EDITABLE and are expected to be changed, modified, updated as you change and progress

through your career. Too many people either do half the job (at best) or when the do move on, don’t

update the information to show you in a new (more prestigious) position. If you can, write on your

whiteboard or IPad the words “Are My Profiles Current Today?” and if you answer ‘NO’ then something

needs to be changed. Spend the 5 or 10 minutes required to spruce up the image and show the true

professional you are.

‘Now’ you may ask, ’How do I do such a time-intensive task?’ I would recommend leaving it for the

weekend, when you have a lot of private time with your thoughts; or in the short break between jobs;

possibly even during a lunch-hour….Little bites, until the whole task is done.

Daniel J. Smith Daniel J. Smith -Social Media Consultant| Blue Belt Sourcer| Sales & Leadership Expert| Writer| Peer Support Counsellor

The Keys to Your New LinkedIn Profile by Daniel J. Smith (Sourcers Apprentice™)

©2012 thedanieljsmith

Ontario, Canada

Human Resources

Current

1. Mohawk College

2. , Good Shepherd Non-Profit Housing

3. , Mental Health Rights Coalition

Previous

1. SocialHR

2. , RBS Staffing Consultants

3. , The Source by Circuit City

Education 1. Psychosocial Rehabilitation at Mohawk College

500+connections

ca.linkedin.com/in/thedanieljsmith

Contact Info

Above is section 1. Please notice a professional photograph front and center. A lot of people think that a

family photo from the last barbecue is okay. Professional Appearance leads to professional attitude;

spend the extra $75 or $100 dollars necessary to look your best. Black and White seems to work better,

as it lasts longer than colour, looks like you, keeps you feeling young…you get the ‘picture’

Gentlemen should try and get a profile style photo; something where they are not directly looking at the

camera, for some reason this makes us look more studious- I’ll leave that up to you (personal

preference) and for the Ladies, looking at the camera (believe it or not) is highly recommended as it

shows off one of your prime assets, and makes you look smarter and more engaging.

Under the photo is your name or “Headline”- Let the people know how you wish to be addressed when

communicating. Completely editable should you gain a different name, or professional credential. With

the “Headline” comes a place for your “Job Title” Stay current with this section and make sure it is one

of the first things changed as you move to a new company, school, or begin a new venture. There is a

certain SEO advantage gained with the Job Title, so try and stay generic and increase chances of being

found through an internet search- example: someone listing themselves as an ‘Opportunity

Locater/Placer’, or ‘Employee Locater’ would probably be better to call themselves ‘Recruiters’. Try to

list your position in the simplest of terms; you can beef up your qualifications later, and at that point list

your strong points. You have roughly 160 characters to work with; so Name and a couple of specialities

would suffice right here.

Below that, share your prime location (easier to book face-to-face or interviews by computer) and your

main industry. As you move on or move up, change this to reflect the new position or part of the

country.

List your last 3 positions; these can be concurrent or in chronological order. People like to know what

you are doing now- Keep it current.

Below that you may list the previous positions of relevancy. Keep this current as well, as these may be

called upon as references of your stellar workmanship and leadership (potential).

The Keys to Your New LinkedIn Profile by Daniel J. Smith (Sourcers Apprentice™)

©2012 thedanieljsmith

Education: what was the most recent courses you took, and were they relevant to your position? Do you

have College or University Degrees? Put them down, prove you have the education to match your

talent!

Directly below that is your LinkedIn profile address. Usually you will receive one with a lot of numbers,

which makes it kind of hard to remember, or list on a business card or letterhead. Since this is

customizable feel free to add your own unique spin; Guarantee that you are the only person being

looked at, and don’t lose that position to someone with both the same name and more experience.

Employers look for someone who they will benefit from, and get the most expertise: Let that be you!

Build the network slow and steady. Try to add connections that will aid you in your progress, or

connections that could educate you in your field. People like being asked for opinions, reaching out to

the right person may give you an edge and a heavier pocketbook. This isn’t Twitter, so please pay

attention to where you do the most business and focus on that area of the world. Focus also on the

movers and shakers of your industry.

Join Groups; then add members as connections. Grow your knowledge base, and get those key numbers

which will lead you to success.

Summary

"Daniel J. Smith is THE Consummate Professional!" Whether it is growing as "The Sourcers' Apprentice" in the

world of Social Media/Sourcing or sharing his skills acquired over the years as a sales and leadership expert; Daniel

knows how to get the job done. The best compliment given is when a finished project has been done so effectively

and precisely that you don't know what part was his. Daniel is a team-player and motivator in the true sense of the

words. Daniel never stops growing, as a student and family man, as a facilitator, as a Mental Health Advocate, as a

Writer/Copywriter/Blogger and as a Consultant. He looks forward to helping you and your company grow to new

heights through a blend of new thoughts mixed with techniques that have served him well over the years. Never stop

growing as a person and you will never stop learning.

Daniel may be reached at the following:

E-Mail: danieljsmith@hotmail.ca

Phone: (617) 939-9178 OR (877) 600-0605

On Skype: thedanieljsmith

Twitter: @thedanieljsmith

Google Plus: gotoplus.me/thedanieljsmith

Specialties

Personal Branding and Identity- Standing out in a crowd for the right reasons, Journeyman and Task Manager-

Looking outside any given box for the best answer for me& my employer. I don't fear failure, it rarely happens,

Sometimes the best ideas need to be reworked in the name of success. Leader and Advocate: My actions begin &

end with ME- no excuse given, none expected to be received. Social Media Education is my sandbox. "To get the

right answer; first one must ask the right question..."

Your Summary is next. Simply put, this is where the personal promotion begins. You know you are good,

and you probably have the skills to back it up, so tell the world. What sets you apart from any other

candidate, what can you do which your next employer or network connection cannot do without. This is

the first place where you may list contact information. What good is having the best profile and the

greatest of skills if no one can locate you or worse talk with you? I have seen many profiles missing these

The Keys to Your New LinkedIn Profile by Daniel J. Smith (Sourcers Apprentice™)

©2012 thedanieljsmith

fine points; and I have been unable to either connect or help them out by giving out this simple advice.

What are your specialties? See above: what special skills set you apart and what areas of the industry do

you excel at? Put yourself out there with what you feel are key ‘reputation makers’; become the player

or expert that you know you are. It’s all about connections- having the right ones and allowing them to

work for you. As you build the networking base, some people may connect more readily based on others

in your network; and how they are perceived by the membership. Find and connect with the Leaders of

Industry or the Opinion Makers/ Top Talent- the people I list as ‘The Cool Kids’. Do anything you can to

become one of them- it takes time and repeated effort; but the end-goal is well worth the work

entailed.

YOU ARE A SUCCESS IF YOU ACT LIKE ONE AND PRESENT YOURSELF AS THE BEST POSSIBLE CHOICE!!

Put all your tangible skills or specialties in the next section. As you improve or add skills to your bag of

tricks, update the list and show that you are a forward thinking person who is all about bettering

themselves and positioning higher with their career. You are allowed quite a number, and each of them

allows you to list your proficiency and years of experience with that particular skill. This is a little known

item; so take the time and be honest with your skill level- don’t list yourself as ‘professional’ at ‘website

design’ if all you have done is your Facebook Page. Employers will see through that, and move on….You

want them to STOP at you; giving you the new position.

All these sections can be moved around your page to places which highlight the skills/education/work

history to put you in the best light. No two profiles should be the same; as like people; they are unique

to the individual.

With Experience, the same with Courses or Education, list what is relevant to that position. On the ones

where there is a ‘bleed’ in skills or responsibilities, list them by school or employer. Everyone progresses

and there are certain things which will be the same as you progress.

This is also where you may ask co-workers, clients, employers, professors for ‘Recommendations’; think

of these as job-references highlighting particular skills, or in the case of clients, how well you understood

the task and performed the hired-task both professionally and exceptionally. Try to get meaningful

recommendations as these are the ones which will carry the weight of future opinion or job

opportunities. If you are good at what you do, and past clients agree- Broadcast it!

Same goes for courses; they will be associated with your position of choice (where they will do the most

good). Employers like to see that you are always bettering yourself, and looking to gain new skills for

your profession. No one wants someone who is not looking to become better, so keep the educations

going and list accomplished courses with your position. BE THE BEST CHOICE.

Do you volunteer or do meaningful work outside of your 9-5? If so LIST IT. It shows you as a well-

rounded individual who has passions outside of work. Supporting Causes or Charities paints you as a

caring member of your community; and a good representative for the Corporate Charity Committee.

The Keys to Your New LinkedIn Profile by Daniel J. Smith (Sourcers Apprentice™)

©2012 thedanieljsmith

After Employment comes Education (unless your education is more key to you finding work or

establishing a solid network) and again, list it from most current on back. Only use the education

supports that you see as relevant, and if you are currently in courses to support your work aspirations;

list them. The more complete, the more people will see how you maintain your employment/education

potential; and that you are constantly trying to better yourself.

LinkedIn gives you a spot to list websites that you contribute to regularly under ‘Additional Information’.

Simply go to the ‘Edit’ screen, select ‘Other’ and in the next box place the title of the first website or

blog. Anyone looking at your profile would rather see some personalization on the naming of sites,

rather than ‘Company Blog’ or ‘Company Website’- It’s all about you and presentation. Repeat this

procedure on the other two slots and voila- personalized website titles so people can see where you

regularly contribute.

Add your current Twitter handle after that, and invite your growing network to follow you there, again

so they can see that you are truly the Real Deal; and someone who will get involved in the industry in a

big way if given the chance.

The last bit of the profile that I see as key; are the ‘Groups and Associations’ you belong to. As time goes

on, you may become a member of various groups in your industry. You have the option of joining up to

50 groups- I do recommend that at least one or two of these groups be ones that you form yourself for

the purpose of information sharing and focussed networking.

How do I get listed as 100% complete: Fill in all the information and keep your profile up to date; as you

move and see promotions throughout your career, update your profile. Consider ityour “Professional

Resume”, something which will precede you when looking for new opportunities, or adding strategic

people to your network. Use a professional photo, it should show your ‘good qualities’ and try to obtain

at least 5 recommendations’ from recent employers/clients or teachers who thought you were the top

candidate for the task/job you completed. I cannot stress enough that your LinkedIn profile should be

personalized and as unique as you are in the workplace; and it should be updated each time there is

either a major change in your employment life, or you have received some sort of Honour or Award.

In closing, I would like to leave you with a free tip when it comes to adding members to your network.

LinkedIn does have a generic invitation which you may use to blanket-invite members of the various

groups you belong to in the hope of building your network- It has proven wise, and useful to customize

each and every invitation with a personal touch; that way, the potential invitee knows you are truly

looking at the assets they bring to your table, and not just adding another number from another country

where you will never do business. On the flip-side, respond to each invitation with a brief ‘Thank-You’

which is also customized to the invitee- this way they know you are not only becoming a member of

their network; but you have taken the time to look at their complete profile and see the benefit of

adding them to your organization.

Leaving out key information, a photo or contact information is both lazy and not professional at all; so if

you cannot take the time to do your profile correctly, hire someone (a Profiler, or Social Media

The Keys to Your New LinkedIn Profile by Daniel J. Smith (Sourcers Apprentice™)

©2012 thedanieljsmith

Consultant such as myself) to give you a hand and see that you are presented online properly, much

sooner than expected.

Thank you for attending the Social HR Camp, it was a pleasure to share this topic with you and I look

forward to adding you all to my Twitter network; or reach out through LinkedIn

(www.linkedin.com/pub/thedanieljsmith) . I hope this assists you in setting up your profile correctly and

I look forward to your future in whatever industry you choose; and possibly working alongside on any

projects which would be mutually beneficial.

Sourcers Apprentice™

The Daniel J. Smith