LinkedIn 101 2015 April

LinkedIn 101Kevin Dumcum

Employment and Community Outreach Specialist

Central Arizona Shelter ServicesRevised April 2015

LinkedIn is not…

•Your online resume

•“Facebook for professionals”

•A race to make the most connections

•Used only when job searching

LinkedIn is…

•A tool to help you manage your career

•Your online professional profile

Why use LinkedIn?• To help you manage your career• To control your own professional profile• To demonstrate subject-matter knowledge• To connect with others who can help you do

your job better / advance your career• Manage your professional network• To give and receive recommendations and

endorsements• To research companies and organizations

But really, why?

•Over 347 Million users world-wide• Over 107 Million in the US

As of February 2015

•90% of employers review a candidate’s online profile(s)• 70% have based a hiring decision on what

they find, or don’t find, online

The power of weak connections• LinkedIn no longer reports the

Size of Network.• Estimated Average # of

Connections from 140 to 360

If your total connections equal

140

And each of your connections is connected to

140

Then the total size of your network is

19,600

If your total connections equal

360

And each of your connections is connected to

360

Then the total size of your network is

129,600

How to use LinkedIn

STEP 1: CREATE AN ALL-STAR PROFILE

Sign up for free

• Create a profile at www.linkedin.com• Manage your Privacy Settings:

Create an All-Star Profile:Header

Overwrite the title:120 characters max

Customize URL

Headshot

Create an All-Star Profile:Summary

2,000 character limit (approximately 450-500 words).

Tip: find “top-view” summaries and use a Word Cloud for key words.

Create an All-Star Profile:Experience

Include all experience (minimum 3 previous).

Maximize the descriptions (1,000 character limits)

Create an All-Star Profile:Skills

Select up to 50 Skills.

Default order is the number of endorsements, but can re-order manually.

Create an All-Star Profile:Recommendations

Request recommendations.

Give recommendations to get recommendations.

Other Fields

Can also:

•Add media

•Attach publications

•Specify foreign languages

•New options added frequently

STEP 2: ADD CONNECTIONS

Who do you know: Search your address book(s)

Tip: Always connect from the Profile of the person with whom you want to connect

Who do you know:Search for current / former

colleagues / classmatesTip: Always connect from the Profile of the person with whom you want to connect

Connect with people you meet

Tip: Always connect from the Profile of the person with whom you want to connect

Connect with people you meet

Always personalize the invitation to connect.

Do you know any of these?

Tip: Always connect from the Profile of the person with whom you want to connect

Shows how many common connections

Four Connection Strategies

1. Don’t connect with anyone (Non-users)

2. Connect with only those whom you know (Rule Followers)

3. Connect with everyone (LIONs)

4. Selectively connect

STEP 3: SHOW YOUR EXPERTISE

Concentrate on driving people to view your profile

Status Updates

Post a blog

Join and Participate in Groups

Follow, to Participate

Follow Influencers, News, Companies…

…to get updates on your Pulse

STEP 4: FIND WHAT YOU NEED

Search for jobs

Filter by Location, Company Size, Industry

Search for connections within companies that are hiring

Follow companies where you want to work

How to reach out and connect with someone you don’t know

• Search by company

• Are you connected at all?

How to reach out and connect with someone you don’t know

• With whom do I want to connect?• How am I connected with them?• What can I know about them? Mr. Wenzel worked at Liberty

Mutual Insurance from 2005 to present, with a break in 2009-2011.

Member of the Local First AZ LinkedIn Group.

Graduated from Ohio State University.

We have one mutual connection.

How to reach out and connect with someone you don’t know

• Options:

1. Join LinkedIn Groups to create a commonality.

2. Send LinkedIn “Get Introduced” request to our mutual connection.

3. Craft a carefully worded LinkedIn Connection request, pointing out some commonalities from their profile.

4. Go Old School – pick up the phone and call a mutual connection and ask to be introduced.

Kevin R. Dumcum

kdumcum@cassaz.org

linkedin.com/in/kevindumcum

@kevin_dumcum