Finding Your Next Job Using LinkedIn

1. Finding Your Next Job Using LinkedIn

2. YOUR HOST
• Digital Marketing Manager for American Family
Insurance (my dream job)
• Experienced Blogger, e-marketing/technology
columnist, and author
• Experienced LinkedIn networker
• Experienced with both sides of the LinkedIn
equation
Created my ‘Dream job’ using LinkedIn

3. Why LinkedIn?
• Using LinkedIn effectively as part of your job-
seeking strategy creates opportunities that you
won’t get from the classifieds or job sites alone.
• No matter your industry. No matter your
circumstances. LinkedIn is the most powerful
business networking site.
• It is the world’s largest professional network
with 35 million+ members and growing rapidly.
• LinkedIn averages a new LinkedIn user every
second of every day.
• According to LinkedIn, executives from all
Fortune 500 companies are members

4. What is LinkedIn?
• LinkedIn allows professionals to post a business
profile (online resume).
• It lets you connect to colleagues and friends.
• It allows you to find and CREATE business
opportunities.
• The concept of creating business opportunities
is important. It requires a mind shift.
• Once you make the shift however, you’ll be able
to fully harness and utilize the power of
LinkedIn.

5. Create a Killer Profile
• A good LinkedIn presence means having a good
profile.
• The LinkedIn profile you create will be
discoverable through the millions of searches
on search engines and on LinkedIn. Since you
are in complete control over what others see, it
is vital to showcase your skills and talents so
the right people and opportunities find you.
• While it only takes a few minutes to create a
LinkedIn account.
It takes a dedication, time and a level of added
effort to create a good LinkedIn profile. You
need to give it 100 percent – quite literally. Fill
in as much information as possible.

6. A Good Profile Works Hard
• It will act as your first impression,
appearing in the results for thousands of
searches on LinkedIn, Google, and other
Internet destinations.
• It supplements your resume. When
sending a cover letter and resume by
email, include a link to your LinkedIn
profile. Given the opportunity to view
your profile, most recruiters will take it.
They’re more likely to spend time
exploring your LinkedIn profile than any
attachment.
• It serves as your resume. Since your
LinkedIn profile can be saved in PDF
format, it’s possible to use it in lieu of a
resume. It’s current. It’s customized.
It’s professional.

7. Harvest Recommendations
• Since LinkedIn profiles are public, they
also imply a level of credibility and
authenticity that resumes often lack.
To take full advantage of this, you
need to harvest recommendations:
– For each employer, try to include
three or more recommendations
from coworkers, clients, or
supervisors. Recommendations
from people you have worked with
carry a lot of weight.
– For each educational institution, try
to include at least one
recommendation from an
instructors, advisor, or peer.

8. Harvest Recommendations
• Solicit recommendations from
contributors who can describe aspects
of your working relationship that will
benefit any potential employer.
• Choose individuals who have a flair for
writing.
• Don’t be afraid to ask colleagues to
write about specific characteristics:
your creativity, your ability to solve
problems, your leadership, etc.
• Ideally, you’ll want a series of
recommendations that compliment
each other.

9. Be an Expert
• Standout on LinkedIn by becoming
known as an expert.
• To do this, visit the ‘Answers’ area
of LinkedIn to view questions from
other LinkedIn subscribers on a
variety of topics.
• Answer questions related to your
area of expertise. When you
provide the best answer to a
question, the submitter can identify
your answer as ‘best.’
• If you provide the best answer
enough times to a topic, you’ll be
designated as an ‘expert’ by
LinkedIn.

10. Build Your Network
• The power of social networks is founded on
its size and strength.
• The trick is balance these two aspects of
your network. When it comes to networking,
size matters.
• LinkedIn is a great place to connect with
everyone you know professionally and
personal contacts that are willing to share
connections with you.

11. Thinking about adding someone as
a LinkedIn connection?
• Ask yourself:
– Would I feel comfortable contacting this
individual on behalf of another friend?
– Would I be willing to introduce this individual
to someone else I know so they can do
business together?
– Am I comfortable letting this person use my
name as a business reference?
– Will this person know me if he’s approached
by others who use my name?
• If you’re currently employed, take care when
inviting coworkers, supervisors or company
executives to join your network.

12. Build Your Network
• LinkedIn users with a free subscription can
search and access a portion of social network’s
34 million members based on their connection
count.
This includes: their immediate connections;
second degree contacts (friends of friends); and
third degree contacts, and people with a mutual
connections.
• You don’t have to have a huge network to reap
results. For example, people with more than
twenty connections are thirty-four times more
likely to be approached with a job opportunity
than people with less than five.

13. Work It!
• Write unsolicited recommendations for people you have worked
with. This generates goodwill on behalf of each recipient – which
strengthens your network. As an added benefit, you’ll often get a
recommendation in return.
• Update your status on LinkedIn. If you’re looking for a job, let
people in your network know.
• Learn about companies prior to each interview. Conduct keyword
searches on the company name. Identify employees who work
for the company.
• Identify companies you want to work for. Then, use the inside
connections you have at potential employers to build
relationships and create new opportunities.
• Prior to job interviews, obtain a list of individuals you’ll be
meeting. Use LinkedIn to identify their responsibilities, interests,
previous employers and other relevant information.

14. Use Groups to Extend your Reach
• Joining a group provides an
opportunity to meet individuals
outside your existing network.
• Groups related to your industry
or profession include relevant
news, including job postings.
• LinkedIn also allows you to
communicate to members of
mutual groups.
• Need to contact someone you
don’t know? 1) View their profile.
2) Join a group they’re a member
of. 3) Contact them as a member
of the group.

15. Get to Know Recruiters
• Contact recruiters using LinkedIn.
• According to Kay Luo, director of corporate
communications at LinkedIn, Companies are using
LinkedIn to find passive job candidates.
• It’s a good idea to connect with recruiters in your region,
industry and profession BEFORE you’re looking for a job. If
you do, there’s a good chance they’ll contact you when a
job comes along that matches your skills

16. QUESTIONS?