Garrett Ira | Community ManagerWeb: bonfiresocialmedia.comEmail: gira@bonfiresmm.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/garrettira

• Determine the REAL value of LinkedIn as a job seeker

• Learn the steps and best practices for completing your profile

• Discover how to leverage LinkedIn after profile completion

Goals For Today

What is the value of LinkedIn as a Job Seeker?

“If you don’t like change, you’re going to like

irrelevancy even less”- General Eric Shinseki

• Take control of your personal brand

• Up to 86% of recruiters use LinkedIn

• Most valuable social media tool for job seekers

Have you Googled Yourself?

LinkedIn ranks very well

How Do I Learn to Use LinkedIn?

1. PRACTICE

2. Attend events and workshops

3. Get help from your mentor

4. Keep up with changes:

1. Read your weekly LinkedIn Network Update email

2. Follow Viveka von Rosen: http://linkedintobusiness.com/

3. Use often

LinkedIn Steps to Success

1. Customize your LinkedIn URL

• Edit Profile > Edit Public Profile > Edit URL

2. Complete your profile

A. Summary

B. Specialties

C. Experience

D. Education

E. Recommendations

F. Additional Information

3. Join at least 3 groups

4. Get Recommended

5. Add all RELEVANT, PROFESSIONAL connections

6. Be Proactive

Use the LGJS Resume Format

1. Summary = Use “Career Profile” from resume

2. Specialties = Use “Areas of Excellence” from resume

3. Experience

1. Use “Professional Experience” descriptions from resume

2. Add relevant points from “Professional Accomplishments”

3. Do not exceed 6 lines underneath each past position

4. Seek assistance from your mentor

4. Education = “Education” from resume

[Grab the employer’s attention quickly. Don’t “dump” data.

Complete Your Profile

• Complete 100% of Your Profile

• Put yourself in the position of a recruiter

• Complete profile vs. incomplete

• Complete profile = complete employee

• Don’t be overly detailed. Must be complete, but scanable. Link to your resume if necessary.

• Don’t skip the profile picture

• Why?

Keep 100% Professionally Relevant

Join at Least Three Groups

• Keyword search will find groups with the name in the title AND other relevant groups

• Some groups are very beneficial and meet in person periodically

• Some are simply to share information, and show interest and association on your profile

Get Recommended

• Most powerful tool for building credibility

• Shoot for 1+ recommendations for each position

• Give the person you’re asking 3 points to highlight

• Increases the likelihood that they will follow through

• Prevents an unusable recommendation and wasted time

Additional & Personal Information

• Use your best judgment

• Leaving this section blank is OK

• “Professional & Relevant” still apply to this section

• LinkedIn is NOT Facebook

New Feature: “Add a Section”

• These will be displayed much lower on your profile

• They are redundant to your summary and specialties

• Don’t spend much time on these at this point

Add All Relevant, Professional Connections

• The QUALITY of your network is more important than the QUANTITY

• Add anyone who you have connected with in a professional setting

• Do not accept requests from people you don’t know

• Don’t worry about having the most connections

Be Proactive

• Follow your target organizations

• Find secondary connections from your target companies

• Get introductions

• Be bold and reach out to people

• Worst case scenario = no

Don’t Freak Out.

• Start slow & take one step at a time

• Have a mentor review your profile

• Find this presentation at http://www.slideshare.net/rlewis1686

One Last Thing

Questions?

Sources

• http://bradwhitt.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/My-Name-Is-Irrelevant.png

•http://hd-wallpaper.org/70__Baby_with_Laptop.htm

•http://www.personaltrainingbusinessschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/bigstock_Business_Introduction_1987735.jpg

•http://nmips.com/images/Rejected%20Image.png

•http://www.mikefraidenburg.com/images/Biting%20computer.jpg

• www.linkedin.com

• www.facebook.com

•http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/41700/41725/FC_NotEqual_41725_lg.gif

•http://easy-cashforever.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/steps1.jpg

•http://under30ceo.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/networking.jpg