“The Fence, the Letter, the Phone, the Roladex,

the Internet, and now Social Media...

What You Need to Know About LinkedIn!”

Michael W. Young

Vice President, Alliance Management

PPD, Inc.

A Presentation for The Boardroom:

A job search resource, support and network groupJune 1, 2010

http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwyoung4marketing

Speaker‟s Safe Harbor

There is not just One Way

to get the most out of LinkedIn®.

I do not work for or receive

and remuneration from LinkedIn or it‟s affiliates.

I am sharing some of the many things I have learned

after using LinkedIn intensively since early 2008.

I encourage you to share your successes with me:

mwyoung_confidential@yahoo.com

Social Networking

Social Networks have been evolving since people

began talking to one another.

The “chat over the fence” was one of the earliest

ways to gather news and…find work.

And in many ways, it hasn‟t changed

much at all….

Social Networking

Then came the letter

And even better, the Pony Express letter

Followed closely by the telephone

Which began to make

networking more complicated

Social Networking

“Party lines” and “the phone book” were how our networks stayed linked

And we started to organize our contacts. The Roladex® , marketed in1958, was an indispensible part of social networking and “getting a new job”

Social Networking > Social Media

And most recently, the advent of the Internet has changed the very way in which we know people, communicate with them, and even meet and marry them.

It was only a matter of time before the Internet changed the way we get employed and manage our careers.

What is LinkedIn?

LinkedIn® is the leading business-oriented social networking Internet site.

Used primarily for business networking the site has over 65 million users worldwide in 200 countries*

32+ million in the US

12+ million in Europe

4+ million in India – the fastest growing demographic

The unique value of LinkedIn comes from its “gated-access approach" (where contact with any professional requires either a preexisting relationship, or the intervention of a contact of theirs)

*TechCrunch. Retrieved 04-11-10.

What is LinkedIn, Really?

The single most powerful career-advancing tool available

to you at absolutely no cost.

It is the most comprehensive professional relationship map

– making your connections visible.

And, like most things in Life: It‟s only worth as much as

you‟re willing to put into it.

It has become synonymous with online Job Creation.

= Active Career Management Tool

Hire Me @ LinkedIn.com

People with more than 40 connections are 68 times more likely to be approached with a job opportunity than people with less than 20.

All 500 of the Fortune 500 are represented in LinkedIn. In fact, 499 of them are represented by director-level and above employees.

LinkedIn Talent Advantage program includes “LinkedIn Recruiters”, “Talent Direct”,and other uses of the database to help recruiters find “passive applicants”.

SimplyHired.com announced a mashup with LinkedIn to “share” new job listings.

I got my job as a

brain surgeon

on LinkedIn!

You know you need to throw your hat in the ring BUT:

What should you be trying to accomplish with LinkedIn?

What are realistic expectations?

How do I make sure my connections can learn about me in a way I want them to know me?

What’s the real value of the hours I’ll spend on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn Strategies

LinkedIn Strategies

Increase your online visibility.

By adding high-value connections, you increase the likelihood that people will see your profile first when they‟re searching for someone to hire or consider.

In addition to appearing at the top of search results (which is a major plus if you‟re one of the 59,000 marketing managers on LinkedIn), people would much rather work with people who their friends and business partners know and trust.

You might only “know” 100 people but if they each know 100 others…well, you get the idea.

LinkedIn Strategies

Improve your Connections

Many users only list their current company and last education in

their profile. By doing so, they severely limit their ability to

connect with people. You should fill out your profile like it‟s an

executive bio, so include past companies, education, affiliations,

and activities.

I recommend including a link to your profile as part of your email

signature. The added benefit is that the link enables people to

see all your credentials without having to ask for them.

LinkedIn Strategies

Improve your Google PageRank™

LinkedIn allows you to make your profile information available for search engines to index. Since LinkedIn profiles receive a fairly high PageRank in Google, this is a good way to influence what people see when they search for you*

To do this, create a public profile and select “Full View.” Also, instead of using the default URL, customize your public profile‟s URL to be your actual name. To strengthen the visibility of this page in search engines, use this link in various places on the web. For example, when you comment in a blog, include a link to your profile in your signature.

*Google Ad Search Optimization, 2009

LinkedIn Strategies

Improve your position in search engine results

In addition to your name, you can also promote your blog or

website to search engines like Google and Yahoo! Your

LinkedIn profile allows you to publicize websites. On your

page, there are a few pre-selected categories like “My

Website,” “My Company,” etc.

If you select “Other” you can modify the name of the link. If

you‟re linking to your personal blog, include your name or

descriptive terms in the link, and Ta-Da! instant search-

engine optimization for your site. In order to make this work,

be sure your Public Profile setting is set to “Full View.”

LinkedIn Strategies

Increase the relevancy of your job search.

Use LinkedIn‟s advanced search to find people with

educational and work experience like yours to see where

they work. For example, a Life Scientist might search “co-

transfection, genomics, or HPLC” to find out where other

scientists with these skills work.

Develop a specific Key Word “Job Description” to enhance

visibility to the electronic searches many recruiters use [I‟ll

show you later in “Pointers”].

Key Word Search

LinkedIn Strategies

Build material for upcoming interviews

You can use LinkedIn to find the people with whom

you‟re interviewing. Look for conversation bridges or

links who might serve as good references. Knowing that

you went to the same college, you share a love of

sailing, you both lived in Columbus, OH, or share

acquaintances can help create a smoother interview.

This basic interview research can also show you‟ve done

some additional homework and are serious about the

job.

LinkedIn Strategies

“Take the Temperature” of a Company

Not as detailed as Hoovers or D&B but a heck of a lot

cheaper, basics can be gleaned on prospective

employers by looking at company profiles.

You can do an advanced search on a company name

and uncheck the “Current Companies Only” box. This

will enable you to evaluate turnover rate and if key

people are bailing out. Former employees usually give

more candid opinions about a company‟s prospects

than someone who‟s still working there.

LinkedIn Strategies

Educate Yourself

LinkedIn gives you a ready-made Mini-Wikipedia

where you can poll your network, get real-world

advice, and seek out expertise you don‟t have.

One of LinkedIn‟s newest product, LinkedIn Answers,

provides this online. The product allows you to

broadcast your business-related questions to both your

network and the greater LinkedIn network. You‟re more

likely to get valid and more specific responses from the

people in your network than open forums.

Hopefully the coffee has kicked in by now:

These are tips and ideas for you to use to enhance

your LinkedIn profile and get the most out of the

time you spend with LinkedIn.

In most cases, these have been gleaned from

good sources

but I’ve also included some from my Experience.

LinkedIn Pointers

A Winning Profile

Simple Tutorials Incorporated into Site

Use the pull down menu

To get to the

LinkedIn Learning Center.

This section provides a wealth

of knowledge and instruction

on how to maximize your

LinkedIn experience.

LinkedIn Pointers

ADD YOUR PHOTO TO YOUR PROFILE

A photo of you with a “business appropriate” smile actually “personifies” your page. It makes you more approachable and memorable.

Branding and career marketing are about creating emotional connections. People believe content more when it‟s accompanied by the author‟s photo. An online profile with no photo is a missed opportunity to reinforce your brand and engage people.

Make the photo align with the job you‟re seeking. If the job requires or most frequently causes you to wear a business suit, wear one. If you‟re in the lab, think about how a clean lab coat might help place you “at work”. Note that the photo can be no larger than 80×80 pixels.

Make the photo about business. No boats, mountains, or Chinese New Year hats. They‟re distracting and may give the wrong impression.

LinkedIn Pointers

USE YOUR BUSINESS NAME ON YOUR PROFILE

Think about how prospective employers, networkers,

and business contacts who don‟t have your business card

will search for you.

Your LinkedIn name should match your resume / CV

LinkedIn Pointers

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A GREAT PROFESSIONAL

SUMMARY…AND KEEP IT CURRENT!

The Professional Summary section of your profile is a

good way to highlight your experience. Select an

Industry, because recruiters often use that field to search.

The Summary has a 2,000 character allowance. Use it to

help maximize your SEO by including critical key words.

Don‟t forget the Headline, because that‟s right at the top

of the page when someone views your profile. It‟s your

first chance to make a clear impression. Don‟t just list your

title or worse, “Looking for My Next Opportunity”.

Your Headline and Summary Announce You

Headline

Summary

LinkedIn Pointers

CUSTOMIZE YOUR URL

Making sure your LinkedIn URL is memorable and

connected to you is an important branding step,

especially if you have a common name.

There are over 6800 Michael Youngs in the US.*

*www.howmanyofme.com

LinkedIn Pointers

ADD A PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS

Profiles which don‟t have email addresses are annoying

when trying to invite you to join someone‟s professional

network.

You should be making sure you‟re maximizing the

likelihood of being contacted. Make it easy.

I don‟t recommend using a work email in case you leave

that company…

LinkedIn Pointers

WRITE RECOMMENDATIONS

For key connections who deserve them and for people you really can recommend who ask you. Be generous and try to include meaningful attributes.

“She‟s a really sweet person and you ought to hire her.” will not be valued by the connection nor the employer or recruiter.

Use your recommendations to enhance your management (with direct reports) or relationship (with peers and superiors) experience by linking your involvement in their recommendation.

LinkedIn Pointers

REQUEST RECOMMENDATIONS

By selectively requesting recommendations, you enhance your profile significantly. You reinforce management skills and, clearly, endorsements by executives who are well-thought of in your arena, is a plus.

I recommend you post one or two WELL WRITTEN recommendations for each key position you‟ve held. I don‟t see real benefit to 20-30 recommendations like some profiles show. You want them to be read…not archived.

To a potential employer, a LinkedIn recommendation is an opportunity to read a reference in advance.

LinkedIn Pointers

ACTIVELY REQUEST CONNECTIONS

While you‟re adding each business card you get to your contact database (Plaxo, Outlook Contacts, CardScan), make a personal connection through LinkedIn.

Build your network like your “personal resource neighborhood”.

Don‟t settle for the default message of “„I‟d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn”. It‟s impersonal and not memorable. You want to connect, so do it like they‟re standing in front of you.

Connect Personally

LinkedIn Pointers

USE LINKEDIN APPLICATIONS

These web-based apps are a great way to enhance

your online presence and improve the “texture” of your

professional life as portrayed on LinkedIn.

Bloggers and Tweeters will appreciate that these apps

enable users to feed their blog or tweets directly to

their profile, so other LinkedIn users can see the most

current posts automatically.

LinkedIn Applications

And More Applications…

LinkedIn Pointers

JOIN LINKEDIN GROUPS and ROTATE THEM

Join appropriate groups, participate in discussions, and start your own conversations. Post articles and information that will be helpful to members.

Maximum number of groups is 50.

Consider the implications of joining certain “lifestyle” groups which may be viewed as non-business oriented. You can choose not to have them visible to others.

LinkedIn Pointers

MAKE SURE YOUR PROFILE IS COMPLETE

LinkedIn suggests that when your profile is 100% complete, your chances of rising toward the top of LinkedIn searches greatly improves.

Here‟s what you need to be 100% complete:

A current position

Two past positions

Education

Profile summary

A profile photo

Specialties

At least three recommendations

LinkedIn Pointers

UPDATE YOUR PROFILE REGULARLY

I recommend that you check your LinkedIn site no less than three

times per week and use that opportunity to make Network Status

updates.

Every time you update, your changes are pushed to your

connections. Refreshing the “What are you working on?” network

update as one way to stay top of mind with your network.

LinkedIn Pointers

Build a Key Word Search “previous position”

Search firms and employers are using electronic key word

search engines and aggregators to find candidates which

fit their job description qualifications.

Don‟t get left out by not coming “up on the radar screen”

Bag of More LinkedIn Pointers

Don‟t overlook the LinkedIn “Jobs” Tab.

LinkedIn often has exclusive listings.

Add your LinkedIn URL to your business cards! How easy is

that to direct Every Person You Meet to your profile?

Don‟t Link indiscriminately – make a point to actually know

each of your contacts. The exception is if you choose to be

an Open Networker.

Likewise, don‟t try to link with people you don‟t know yet.

Best to use an introduction.

Proofread you profile! Nothing kills a professional page

faster than errors and misspellings.

Another Bag of Pointers

Other popular business sites include

Plaxo, JigSaw, ZoomInfo, Facebook, and Ning

As good as LinkedIn is, as a career management tool, it is

NOT a replacement for Face-2-Face networking and

meetings.

As you gain proficiency with LinkedIn, you can:

Categorize and organize your relationships

Optimize your profile for LinkedIn SEO

Make sure your security settings balance the risk of identity

theft against being found by an employer or critical-path

connection.

What does it All mean?

It seems like Everybody‟s on LinkedIn…

But really only ~10%! Opportunity? Yes!

Most people don‟t apply a Success Strategy to their LinkedIn Profile so, their pages are poorly done…

Make sure Your Page is competitive! Opportunity? Yes!

Envision Yourself

Let your LinkedIn page represent what YOU WANT! Opportunity? Yes!

Everyday, See Your Dream! Yes!

Some Additional ResourcesCourtesy of Vince Ferraro, CMO http://www.linkedin.com/in/vlferraro

Official LinkedIn Blog: http://blog.linkedin.com/

LinkedIn LIONS: http://www.toplinked.com/top50.html

Xobni : Outlook Plug-In that merges social networking and email

http://www.xobni.com/

Outlook Social Connector: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c87e257c-

d76f-4785-a09b-af36babd6e32&displaylang=en

Top LinkedIn Gurus:

Neal Schaffer, Windmill Networking Blog: http://windmillnetworking.com/#axzz0hWr3LZKw

Chuck Hester, Pay It Forward Blog: http://chuckhester.com/

Barbara Tip, LinkedIn for Recruiters: http://www.risetrends.com/blog/how-to/easy-linkedin-recruiter-

resources/

Viveka von Rosen, LinkedIn to Business Blog: http://linkedintobusiness.com/

Personal Branding:

Reach Personal Branding: http://www.reachcc.com/

Kirsten Dixon: http://www.kirstendixson.com/

Personal Branding Blog: http://www.personalbrandingblog.com/

Brand Yourself: http://brand-yourself.com/