Using LinkedIn 2013 presents many practical tips on this powerful networking tool. Thanks to Andy Priestner and Meg Westbury for 20 Top Tips and Tricks for 2013 and to Charles Hardy for Optimize Your Career using LinkedIn

1. How to Look Great, Get Noticed
and Get Hired
Paul Barber
Golden Career Strategies Roundtable
September 16, 2013
Thanks to Andy Priestner & Meg Westbury for 20 Top Tips & Tricks for 2013
and to Charles Hardy for Optimize Your Career using LinkedIn

2. Five Reasons Why the World’s Best Professionals
Join and Visit LinkedIn…
Personal
Branding
1
Sharing
knowledge
3
2
4
1,250,000+ groups
Biotech &
Pharma
Networking
with peers
.NET
Developers
Finding a
new job
5
Creative
Design Pros
Innovation
2

3. LinkedIn: How to Join
Becoming a Member is Easy
Go to
www.linkedin.com
Enter:
Your First Name
Your Last Name
Your Email Address
Create a Password
Click “Join Now”
Page 6

4. Check out
new Profile
sections
Go to Profile/
Edit Profile &
use pencil icons
to edit
20 top tips & tricks
• Upload files – showcase presentations,
white papers, etc.
• Add a link – blog, Twitter, etc.
• Volunteer Experience
• Rearrange profile order

5. LinkedIn: Build Your Profile
The Personal Identification Box – Your “15-Second Bumper Sticker”
Identifies your key
information:
 Your Name
 Your Headline
 Your Photograph
 Your Location
 Your Industry
This key info travels with
you, and is displayed
when you participate
in discussions with Groups,
Answers, or are connecting with new people
Page 21

6. LinkedIn: Build Your Profile
The Summary Section – Your “60-Second Commercial”
The Heart of Your Profile
Think of this section as your cover
letter – a short time to grab the
reader’s attention
Can contain up to 2,000 characters –
use every one!
List quantifiable accomplishments,
STAR statements
Load with keywords of your profession and specialties
Keyword searches give extra weight
to Summary content
Include common misspellings of
name so you’re easy to find
Page 26

7. LinkedIn: Build Your Profile
Write Summary to communicate Brand / Value Proposition
Personal Branding – Three Paragraph Summary
1. Aspiration – Where do you want to go?
2. How you add value – key facts
3. Why you are qualified – relevant career experience
7

8. LinkedIn: Build Your Profile
The Experience Section – The “Meat and Potatoes”
Most resembles the
traditional resume
Information from this section is
also summarized in the top box –
to edit info in top box, must go
to the Experience section below
Include volunteer activities
Describe in detail with relevant
keywords – the position you held,
what you accomplished, what
unique experience you gained
Highlight present expertise, as well
as specialties relating to previous
positions – combination of keywords
will increase your chances of being
found
Page 27

9. LinkedIn: Build Your Profile
The Skills & Expertise Section – “Keyword Heaven”
Another chance to be found
Skills & Expertise “search page” provides
new ways to enhance your profile and be
found through keywords
Example: “Branch Banking” skill
Skills search results:
 Description of the skill
 Professionals with that skill
 Relative growth of skill
 Related skills that you may be
able to include in your profile
 Companies in that skill market
 Groups associated with skill
 Jobs utilizing that skill
Page 28

10. LinkedIn: Your Skills & Expertise
To Endorse or Not to Endorse…? Please Use Good Discretion
Add skills
Your top ten
endorsed skills
appear with a
photo of the
endorser, then
other skills that
you “know
about”
Get
endorsed
Pop ups now appear
when you open
someone’s Profile.
(not shown here) You
can choose to endorse
others and they can
endorse you.
NOTE: “Endorsements” are really searchable key words for skills
Pros: Strong endorsement of your skills makes you more findable by recruiters
Cons: Endorsements may be given without a true knowledge your skills
To manage your endorsements go to Profile/Edit Profile/Edit Skills & Expertise.
10

11. Public Profile
Typically viewable by
28+ million users
Does not include: your
connections,
recommendations or
personal details
May include: photo,
skills, career history,
education, websites,
interests, groups, etc. 
Manage
both
of your
profiles
Manage
In Settings
Top right corner
under your photo
Private Profile
Seen only by
your first level
connections
Includes
everything that
you populate
using Edit/Profile.

12. Enhance
Your
Networking
Using
LinkedIn
Best Practice Networking Approach
Informal (events)  Formal (1:1 meetings)  Online (LinkedIn)
Use LinkedIn to follow up meetings and build relationships

13. LinkedIn: Making Connections
How NOT to Build Your Network
You can go to the Add Connections menu
If you provide your password LinkedIn
will search your email contact list for
new connections. Don’t do this!
Clicking “Connect” on any of
the results will send a mass,
generic LinkedIn invitation
It is better to add
connections individually –
see next slide
Page 30

14. LinkedIn: Making Connections
How to Build Your Network
Best Method: Personalized
invitations – two options:
1. LinkedIn suggests people
based on companies
you’ve worked for and Groups
that you’ve joined
2. Search to find people you
want to connect with
Click on the name of the
person you want to connect to
Click on “Connect” on their profile page
Personalize the message so that the person
knows who you are and why you want to connect.
Make it easy for them to accept!
Page 31

15. ‘I’d like to add you
to my professional
network’
Personalize
your
invitation
to connect

16. Really
Connect
with Your
Connections
Reach out and share value-added information.
Tip: Save this Alphabetical Index link as a favorite on your browser
https://www.linkedin.com/connectionsnojs (not on LinkedIn GUI)

17. Find a
role model
networker
and learn
from them
Those with the most
connections
Those with the most
endorsements
Those who share
useful news and tips
Those who build the
relationship

18. Join a group
and actively
contribute
to it
“…as of March 29, 2012
there are 1,248,019 groups
whose membership varies
from 1 to 744,662…”
Wikipedia

19. LinkedIn: Group Memberships
Position yourself as a center of excellence in your area
Groups
Join Many
(up to 50)
Participate in a 2 or 3
1,250,000 +
Be highly active in 1
Biotech &
Pharma
.NET Developers
Design
Pros
19

20. If there is
not a group
around your
area of
interest or
expertise,
start one

21. Connect
your
connections
(if you think
they could
collaborate)

22. Update your
status with
meaningful &
appropriate
content (this is
a professional
network)

23. Use an
established
connection
to ‘get
introduced’

24. When jobsearching,
find a
company
insider to
give
you the
lowdown

25. A complete
profile and
smart use of
keywords
will improve
your
findability

26. Write a
Recommendation
or Endorse a skill
Pay in forward.
Don’t sit and wait
to be recommended.

27. LinkedIn: Recommendations
Written Recommendations mean more than Endorsements
Ask for Recommendations from Managers, Clients & Partners
Pay it Forward: Offer to recommend others
27

28. Promote
your profile
In Settings:
• Customize your URL
• Link to Twitter
• Add LinkedIn to your
email signature

29. Check out
contacts
at your
alma mater,
via the alumni
search facility

30. Download
and explore
the sleek
new mobile
apps and use
LinkedIn on
the go.

31. Check out
company
pages
(they’re
cool)

32. Make your
home page
feel less
cluttered by
customizing
your News
Feed

33. Connect...
Share...
Like.
Become a
‘good
LinkedIn
citizen’

34. Connect with me on
www.linkedin.com/in/paulbarber