This document provides tips for optimizing your LinkedIn profile. It recommends treating your profile like a cover letter rather than just a resume. Key tips include using headlines and a professional photo, customizing outreach, joining groups, and engaging with connections by offering value. The document also suggests using keywords from job postings and the Department of Labor, embedding your profile on other sites, and helping others to build opportunities through karma. The ultimate rules are to be interesting, use LinkedIn with Twitter for ongoing conversations, and help others.

1. { Make Your LinkedIn Profile Rock }
It’s Facebook with ties.

2. advertising | social media | brand intel | shenanigans

3. Who Is This Chick?
Rachael G. King
Social Media Account Executive at iostudio
President of Social Media Club – DC (@SMCDC)
Gen Y Blogger (rachaelgking.com)
LinkedIn: /in/rachaelgking
Twitter: @rachaelgk

4. Live Tweeting FTW
My Twitter Handle:
@rachaelgk
Hashtag:
#CrushIQ

5. Say it with me:
Your LinkedIn profile
should NOT be a copy of
your resume.

6. Think of it more like a cover
letter, or an elevator pitch…

7. It’s the story of your
professional journey…

8. with plenty of
personality

9. …and a healthy dose of
BRAGGING.

10. This is still a social site,
albeit a professional one!

11. Is LinkedIn Worth It?
Why?
• Great niche alternative to Facebook
and Twitter
• More professional, less noise
• People expect to be contacted cold
• Showcase cool campaigns/projects
• Separate professional/personal networks
• Organize professional contacts

12. Building It
• HEADLINES ARE EVERYTHING, YO.
• Professional picture (yes, of YOU)
• Flesh it out
• Consistent branding/copy with other profiles
• Get input from different people
• Get personal
• Vanity URL
• PROOFREAD.

13. Getting Serious
• Upgrade account to send InMail,
especially while job hunting
• Personalize all outreach
• GROUPS.
• Connections!
 Be transparent, but not desperate
 Offer value in return
 ABC: Always-Be-Coffeeing
• Meaningful recommendations (quality vs. quantity)

14. Optimize It
Keywords are our friends! …But how?
1. Google AdWord’s Keyword Tool
2. US Dept. of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook
3. Search similar professionals and “borrow”
4. Copy from appropriate websites and job postings
5. Use your brain
6. Narrow down to your top 10

15. Grow It
If you build it… they won’t just come.
1. Grab your vanity URL for easy referral
2. Embed a button on your websites and link on your other profiles
3. Add to business cards and email signatures
4. Direct potential business contacts to your LinkedIn
5. Cross-promote

16. On the Job Hunt?
• Use your headline
• Tell the world
• Upgrade
• Contact settings
• LinkedIn’s Resume Builder
• Team up with other hunters
• Have a call to action
• Identify ideal companies and stalk get coffee with an employee

17. Getting Fancy
What will set you apart from the rest?
1. Creative, attention-grabbing copy
2. Post consistent (and quality) content
1. Integrate your tweets (#li)
1. Downloadable PDF of resume
2. LinkedIn Answers
3. Use apps (Slideshare, Wordpress, TripIt)
4. Inject personality and humor

18. My 3 Ultimate Rules for #Winning at LinkedIn
1. Be interesting
Don’t be another dry, boring resume. Put some paint on your profile’s
proverbial walls – have some fun with it and show the world what makes
you YOU.
2. Use in tandem with Twitter
Connect via LinkedIn with a personalized note, and then continue the
ongoing conversation on Twitter to build the relationship. Somewhat
sneaky, yet effective.
3. Help others
Karma is without a doubt the most powerful tool you have when it
comes to creating job, client, and other opportunities. Go out of your
way to help other people, and it WILL come back to you tenfold.

19. LinkedIn is the gateway
network to building a
relationship with the
people and companies you
want to know.

21. Questions?
Rachael G. King
Email: rachael.king@iostudio.com
Twitter: @rachaelgk
LinkedIn: /in/rachaelgking
Company site: iostudio.com
Personal site: rachaelgking.com