1. ®
Making EFFECTIVE use of LinkedIn for
Professional Networking.
Presented by
Bryan C Webb, P. Eng.
www.linkedin.com/in/bryanwebb
July 2009 Copyright July 2009
Through your network you can:
Find potential clients, service providers, subject experts and partners
who come recommended.
Be found for business opportunities.
Search for great jobs.
Discover inside connections that can help you land jobs & close deals.
Post & distribute job listings.
Find high-quality passive candidates.
Get introduced to other professionals through the people you know.
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2. LinkedIn can be used to support your
professional objectives
Bryan C Webb, P. Eng.
Grew network to 780+ in 3.5 years (~7.3M):
connected with long-time colleagues
is actively networking with new colleagues.
Obtained 18 recommendations:
recommended 11 people.
Recognized for 585+ Best Answers & 1,520+ Good Answers.
Energized job search by contacting people through LinkedIn:
made contact with hiring managers.
contacts included HR, experts in other areas.
Helped to establish the HAPPEN LinkedIn Group.
Helped me land my previous job!
You can too!
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TOP 10 Ways to Use LinkedIn (Thanks to Kathy Batz):
10 Increase your visibility
9 Improve your connect-ability
8 Improve your Google PageRank
7 Enhance your search engine results
6 Perform blind, reverse & company reference checks
5 Increase the relevancy of your job search
4 Make your interview go smoother
3 Gauge the health of a company or industry
2 Ask for advice
1 Track startups
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3. Communicate your Personal Brand
Message
This is Who I Am and …
this is What I Do
Use LinkedIn to communicate your Personal
Brand Message
Your personal brand is one of the key reasons clients choose to do
business with you and an employer hires you
Create a Powerful Profile:
Start with a compelling elevator pitch / summary.
Include every job, school, course, etc.
Leverage contract assignments.
Highlight accomplishments; not responsibilities.
Add relevant search terms to your profile for recruiters,
clients, colleagues and hiring managers.
Solidify your “Reputation” using LinkedIn:
LinkedIn’s concept of a personal reputation system
is similar to eBay’s ‘trusted seller’ program.
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4. Make your online profile visible and memorable
Link to your personal or company
websites and blogs
Complete your profile with key
information:
Add all relevant keywords to your profile.
Change the default web page address to
your name.
easier to find via Google.
easier to remember.
From:
www.linkedin.com/pub/0/956/a84
To:
www.linkedin.com/in/bryanwebb
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Develop YOUR network
through LinkedIn Groups
Expand your reach:
Connect inside your groups
without knowing emails
Improve your visibility:
Be seen by others
Get cool icons (badges)
Retain control over your
personal contacts
As of May/09, there are
300,000+ groups...
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5. Solidify your reputation by requesting and
giving Recommendations
Identify from who you want recommendations:
Take charge, request a recommendation
Ask for recommendation only from people with whom
you have worked; e.g. from your past bosses
Let people know which areas you want them to highlight
Don’t post recommendations right away:
Review and ask for changes (ie: typos)
Post only when you have a ‘critical mass’
Give Recommendations:
Be willing and, in some cases, offer to reciprocate
Consider a LinkedIn Recommendation as you would
any letter of recommendation
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Build visibility & reputation: share and request
knowledge through LinkedIn Answers
Ask Questions:
Ask Good Questions – be clear!
Add clarifications.
Send questions to your contacts
directly and privately.
Answer Questions:
Read Questions to learn.
Share your expertise – be noticed.
Clarify your Answer.
Send a personal response.
Start a conversation.
Get to know people.
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6. Build your Network
“It’s not what you know…
or just who you know,
but who knows you!”
Establish a Networking strategy that makes
sense and is comfortable
Why are you joining LinkedIn?
Find a Style that works:
“Personal” connections.
“Common interest” connections.
“Opportunistic” connections.
“Facilitative” connections.
Build your Connections:
Target people who know you and your work.
Bosses | Co-workers | Suppliers | Partners | Users | Classmates
Special Case - Linking with Recruiters:
• Active / Passive job search?
• Help colleagues & friends?
• Expand your Network?
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7. Invitations are key to building your network:
Upload your contacts
Leverage Automated Tools:
Bring your contacts into LinkedIn using the Outlook and/or webmail tools.
Use the Find Contacts or download the free Outlook Toolbar.
LinkedIn will tell you whom you already know on the system.
Start inviting those contacts to join your network.
Contact (email) information may not be required to connect.
Always Customize Invitation messages:
“Follow up to our conversation yesterday at HAPPEN”.
Create a compelling opportunity.
Respond Appropriately:
Archive | Reply | Accept | Reject (pick reason)
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Maximizing Use and Benefit of
Features and Functions
Take Charge

8. Personalize your Communications settings to
work for you
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Use LinkedIn to find the contacts YOU need…
Everything you need is at the top of the page:
Advanced Search is worth the effort:
Specify geographic limitations.
Include Company, Industry, Interests, etc.
Limit results to Current companies and/or titles only.
Sort results by:
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9. Find the info on LinkedIn YOU need…
Regularly review LI corporate links at the bottom of the
page:
New! Check out the Learning Center to learn at your
own pace: e-learning modules and free classes…
http://learn.linkedin.com/training/
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Make the most of your online profile and
network: Use LinkedIn’s free tools
Browser Toolbar:
Quickly search LinkedIn anytime
Supports IE, Firefox and Mac (Tiger)
Search LinkedIn at any time from your browser.
Use Bookmarks to remember key people.
Jobsinsider shows connections at any hiring company when using Monster,
HotJobs, CareerBuilder, Craigslist, Vault and Dice (not Workopolis, yet).
OUTLOOK Toolbar:
Quickly build and maintain your network:
Use the Dashboard to manage your Outlook contacts.
Grab email signatures to create Outlook contacts.
Email Signature:
Supports Outlook, Outlook Express and Thunderbird.
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10. Promote Yourself…
HAPPEN Group Logo on LinkedIn Profile:
Connect and communicate with all HAPPEN Group members.
To add the logo to your Profile:
Click on HAPPEN logo on Will HAPPEN Profile to request to join.
LinkedIn Logo on HAPPEN Profile:
Let people know you are LinkedIn!
Can be found at “Promote your Profile” on your Profile page.
Add this kind of text to HAPPEN Profile under Skills:
<a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanwebb" ><img
src="http://www.linkedin.com/img/webpromo/btn_viewmy_160x25.gif" width="160" height="25"
border="0"></a>
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Learn from LinkedIn’s Profile Views
What this tells me:
If my profile being viewed by
Recruiters.
If my profile being viewed by
companies I have never
contacted.
If I’m being considered for local,
regional or global positions.
If my invitations & messages
being looked at or considered.
If any of my connections are
reviewing my profile.
Note: The free LinkedIn subscription
limits you to see only 5 names.
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11. LinkedIn’s new “News” section
Company news is now available on your homepage:
Based on your profile info.
Encourages discussion.
Good:
Stay up to date.
Configurable in the future.
Bad:
Not always relevant as yet.
Cannot yet be removed or
relocated.
Read It & Know!
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Learn more about
specific Companies…
Profile generated from Capital IQ
and links to Business Week
Company employees in my
network
Recent Hires (announced in profiles)
Recent Promotions (announced in
profiles)
Popular Profiles (found in press, blogs
or frequent searches)
Related Companies
Typical / Popular Career paths
Most connections of employees
Key Business Statistics
Open Jobs
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12. New Applications that take LinkedIn to new
levels…
Amazon Reading List: a reading list
Blog Link: create and link your blog to LI
Box.net: share your important data and files
Company Buzz: get timely info about the company
Google Presentations: create/upload short presentation
Huddle Workspaces: free private & secure collaboration
My Travel by TripIt: track where your LI connections are going
Slideshare: upload your presentations
WordPress: create your own blog
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Some Additional Features…
Connected News m.linkedin.com
LinkedIn has partnered LinkedIn’s new Mobile service
with Business Week to (in beta) is available in English,
show off its new APIs German, French, Spanish,
that connect you to Japanese and Chinese.
news stories.
Broadcast Activities
Status messages can be set daily to
provide additional communication options.
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13. Premium Business LinkedIn features…
Business Accounts
Great if you are a:
recruiter entrepreneur
HR manager researcher…
sales professional
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Making the Most of your Online
Networking Investment
Take it to the Limit

14. Let your LinkedIn network open doors to a vast
realm of new opportunities
See where other people with similar experience
work, or what their skills are:
Search by Job Title, skill, designation, school, etc.
Read LinkedIn Answers for relevant
discussions:
Who is answering?
Where do they work?
What are they saying?
Check out folks in your Groups:
Where do people work, what jobs do they have?
Who’s viewing your profile?
Find Opportunities
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LinkedIn can engage a huge virtual community
to find your next opportunity
Tell people you are looking:
Current position “Actively Seeking XYZ”.
Select interested in “Career Opportunities”.
Ask for a referral:
We all know someone who is hiring.
Ask for help.
Build a network of referrals:
Search for people who can help find the next opportunity.
Find key people in your 2nd and 3rd level and get introduced.
Create and deploy a Search Team
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15. LinkedIn can connect you with people inside
your target companies
Hunt down hiring managers:
Target the likely suspects and get connected
with the hiring manager.
Talk to company insiders:
Talk to people in the same department.
Get the “real deal” on the culture and the job.
Connect with potential colleagues:
See who you might be working with.
What can you learn?
Connect with HR:
Follow-up online submissions with live people
who want to know about you. Get on the inside track
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Use Linkedin to get the Interview and close the
offer
Work with GateKeepers:
Communicate success through experiences
and relationships.
Personalize your candidacy.
Pre-Qualify with online recommendations:
Send a PDF of your Linkedin Profile.
Support your efforts:
Common connections.
Who has / had this role or position.
Relevant experience.
Great co-worker, employee, leader.
Get Access and WOW them
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16. Use LinkedIn to find and land your Ideal Job
Use the “Search Jobs” function within LinkedIn:
Exclusive job postings.
Jobs listed on the tab "The Web" (5+ Million jobs listed).
Use LinkedIn’s tool:
Find connections in companies posting on Monster,
HotJobs, CareerBuilder, Craigslist, etc. (not Workopolis yet…).
Search job descriptions, skills or tools.
Follow-up on your submissions:
HR.
Find the hiring manager.
Connect with potential staff.
Chat with other company insiders.
Find it & Get it
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LinkedIn also empowers passive employment
and opportunity searches
LinkedIn has over 150,000+ recruiters online
who are looking for talent.
Establish and communicate your
Personal Brand:
Get recommendations or referrals.
Answer Questions.
Grow your network:
Connect to, and be seen by, more people.
Be open to career opportunities, ventures.
Receive unadvertised opportunities.
Stand out, Get ahead!
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17. Final Thoughts
Nurture your network while you don’t need it
Begin Today!
Make the time to build and know your network:
Maintain it even when you don’t need it.
15 – 20 Minutes per day
Spend time on your Profile:
Make your Profile sparkle.
Pre-Qualify for opportunities.
Compel others to want to meet you.
Communicate your Personal Brand Message.
Online networking doesn’t eliminate other professional activity:
Meet people face-to-face in your region/industry.
Publish white papers or write a blog.
Participate in online discussions, blogs or usenet groups.
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18. About the Presenter
Bryan C Webb, P. Eng.
Technical Product Marketing Professional
A seasoned technological product marketing and sales professional,
Bryan brings a global marketing and sales perspective to assist the
growth of technology companies.
Bryan is highly skilled at creating & implementing strategic marketing
plans while delivering effective corporate messages online, in print
and in presentations.
Bryan is actively seeking a permanent marketing position, and
currently offers his services on a consulting basis…
Marketing YOUR Technology
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Thank you for your time…
Bryan C Webb, P. Eng.
bwebb50@cogeco.ca
www.linkedin.com/in/bryanwebb