This document discusses developing and optimizing your professional identity on LinkedIn. It recommends having a complete profile with a photo, headline, summary and work experience details. It also stresses the importance of connecting with your network both internally and externally, as your extended network of connections and their connections can provide opportunities. The document advises engaging with your network by liking, sharing and commenting on posts, as well as publishing your own content to develop your professional brand.

1. Developing and Optimising
Your Professional Identity
Charles Hardy
Education Engagement Lead
LinkedIn
#SocMedHE15
December 2015

2. Create economic opportunity for
every member of the global
workforce
Vision

3. https://press.linkedin.com/about-linkedin
The World’s Largest Professional Network
400,000,000+ members

4. S C H O O L SC O M PA N I E S K N O W L E D G ES K I L L SM E M B E R S J O B S
T H E E C O N O M I C G R A P H
Members Companies Jobs Skills Schools KnowledgeS C H O O L SC O M PA N I E S K N O W L E D G ES K I L L SM E M B E R S J O B S
T H E E C O N O M I C G R A P H
S C H O O L SC O M PA N I E S K N O W L E D G ES K I L L SM E M B E R S J O B S
T H E E C O N O M I C G R A P H
S C H O O L SC O M PA N I E S K N O W L E D G ES K I L L SM E M B E R S J O B S
T H E E C O N O M I C G R A P H
S C H O O L SC O M PA N I E S K N O W L E D G ES K I L L SM E M B E R S J O B S
T H E E C O N O M I C G R A P H
S C H O O L SC O M PA N I E S K N O W L E D G ES K I L L SM E M B E R S J O B S
T H E E C O N O M I C G R A P H

5. LinkedIn for Higher Education
Data Insights Content People
Marketing, Learning, Employability, Alumni Relations
Career
Paths
Academics ProfilesHiring University Networking
Developing a brand that attracts and retains the best

7. 7

9. Your Professional Identity
is more than just a CV or profile
9

10. Developing and Optimising your Professional Identity
What you knowWho you knowWho you are

11. Being Found
the importance of keywords

12. First impressions
The importance of:
• Your Photo
• Your Headline
• Your Summary

13. Being impressive
Your Career
Your Achievements
Your Work
Your Passion

14. Who you are
1. Have a good professional profile Photo
2. Use your Summary to explain who you are and your career
aspirations (“Elevator Pitch”)
3. Complete your full Work Experience and Employment details
4. Include your Education and Qualifications history
5. List your Skills and include Keywords throughout to ensure you are
found by the right people

15. The Power of Your
Extended Network
15

16. Opportunities do not float
around like balloons.
Grow your connections – in-house, your wider peer group, employers, alumni
They’re tied to people.

17. You don’t know the future
Someone you connect to today could be the key to a future unknown opportunity
Be Open

18. Your actions define how
people perceive you

19. Your Professional Brand is defined by how you interact with people
19
Engage your network
Like, Share,
Comment
Post your own
Content
Publish a Blog
Post

20. Who you know
1. Invite people you know to connect to you on LinkedIn
2. Think Future – Do not just connect for today – people you know might
become very useful contacts in the future (unknown opportunity)
e.g. you discover someone from your class 3 year later is working at that company where
you want to go
3. The more connections you have, the wider your Extended Network
e.g. you have 50 connections, they all have 50, you have 2.500 in your network
4. Join relevant Groups on LinkedIn – Sector Groups, Company Groups,
Alumni Groups
5. Share useful information, news and jobs out to your connections – your
professional brand is determined by your actions and collaboration

21. Leveraging Knowledge
21

22. The most relevant professional
insights, news, knowledge and people
Groups Organisations People Channels

23. 23

24. What you know
1. Use LinkedIn to perform research on Companies, People, Jobs
2. Explore Career Paths and find Mentors using the Alumni Data for
your university
3. Explore and Follow Companies you are interested in working at, or
which share useful content
4. Use LinkedIn Pulse to follow Influencers and Channels so you are
aware of the latest news in your specialist area
5. Access Lynda for online learning video courses to expand your skills

25. 3 things you should do now:
1. Complete and enhance your personal professional profile
2. Connect and grow your network…
3. Post / Publish / Share content on your specialist topic

26. ©2015 LinkedIn Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Find out more:
university.linkedin.com
students.linkedin.com/uk