A basic overview of LinkedIn and sample ways to optimize your profile

1. LEVERAGING LINKEDIN
Practical Uses and Account Optimization
St Anne’s Networking Group
October 22, 2014

2. Joe DeMicco
CEO
AIMG.com
Email: jdemicco@aimg.com
Twitter: @demicco
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/
Company www.aimg.com
Business www.demicco.com

3. Housekeeping
Concept of why LinkedIn is important
YOUR USP - The Differentiator
Profile Optimization
Brand / Resource Building
Real-World Review
Q&A
Keep it Interactive Please :)

4. "Small World" study
Stanley Milgram (Harvard social psychologist)
Year: 1967
Letters to 300 random people in
Omaha, Kansas
64 Nebraska REACHED and Wichita,
THE
Simple instruction TARGET
to relay the
letter to a ("Over target person", stockbroker in Boston, 21%)
a
through
their friend network

5. Present Day
Yahoo | Facebook Team Up
http://smallworld.sandbox.yahoo.com

6. THE THEORY
IS SOUND Don’t miss the
opportunity to connect…

7. WHAT IS IT & WHY
IS IT VALUABLE TO
ME?
•Robust Professional Social Network
•Over 313 MILLION member Worldwide
•Over 3 Million Company pages
•Over 1.5 Million Groups
•Network
•Research
•Job Post / Seek
•Discussions
•Reputation Development / Thought Leadership

9. For the Job Seeker
Getting Noticed and
Building YOUR
PERSONAL BRAND
For the Tactical Business
Getting Noticed and Building
Your Company Brand

10. •85% of employers say online reputation influences
hiring decisions
•70% of employers polled have rejected applicants
because of information they found online
~Microsoft Study, 2011
For those looking for
Careers

11. What is YOUR USP?
WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT?
ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS
Know WHY you are doing this …
KNOW your audience and intended outcome

12. FIRST THINGS
FIRST
Begin to build a worthwhile personal “brand”...
People bet on the Jockey, not the horse!

13. COMPLETE YOUR PROFILE
• Must master LinkedIn as an Individual (before leveraging for
your business if applicable)
• Incomplete profiles litter LinkedIn and do not serve anyone
• More often than not, a clear, well developed profile is
beneficial for:
qualification,
and potential opportunities
reputation management,
* regardless of industry segment or position *

14. Your Complete Profile
Increase odds of
showing up in
Job Recruiter
Searches

15. FULL NAME & HEADLINE

16. First Impressions Matter

17. Personalize Your Headline
If openly looking for a job
and are VERY clear on the specific job you
want = opportunity to leverage this area
Develop a strong, keyword focused headline

18. ADD WORK HISTORY
• Build out Experience Section
• If Company is in drop down click
to be linked with co-workers
• Tailor your experience toward your
professional life and less to
clubs / societies

19. Think In Keywords BUT
Remember Readers are
HUMAN
Add Sections that make sense
to Enhance Your Profile

20. SUMMARY
Humanize your story
Who you are - not
just what you’ve done
First Person
Provide Contact
Outlet

21. EXPERIENCE
Summarize your role
and KEY contributions
Avoid a resume-like
breakdown of
everything you have
accomplished

22. SKILLS & EXPERTISE
List at least 10 of your
core skills to set up
others to endorse
you
Start to endorse
others for reciprocity

23. EDUCATION
Expand on your
degrees to tie in
relevant keywords /
KWP (terms)
Include executive
education
No High School listing
regardless of age

24. PUBLICATIONS
List your blogs, papers
and anything
published

25. Feature Your Volunteer Work
Show employers you
find time
In a poor job market,
showing you remain
active is a key trait

26. CUSTOMIZE YOUR URL
• Create a Personalized URL
using the editing tools
• Avoid using your company
name in your individual
URL
No one wants to see:
www.linkedin.com/pub/YourName-%22Your%22-LastName/55/39/793

27. Custom URL
Add to your personal marketing
Business Cards
Resume
Email Signature

28. CUSTOMIZE YOUR LINKS
• Don’t settle for “Blog” or
“Website”
• Be Specific
• Great opportunity to
drive quality traffic

29. CONNECT YOUR TWITTER
ACCOUNT
• Display Twitter handle
• Share tweets
• Tweets allow you to add a
personalization to LinkedIn
that many do not take
advantage of
• Great for business owners
and job seekers alike
Select to only share tweets
with #In if you post non-business
tweets with that
account

30. ASK FOR
RECOMMENDATIONS
• If you are good at what you do,
proudly ask for recommendations
• Be specific in your requests
• Never Spam or try to “game”
Recommendations
• Quality * Quality * Quality
• Min. 1 per position held

31. BE ENDORSED
• Endorsements
offer a quick
visualization of
how your network
envisions your
value in select
professional areas

32. Profile Rocks... I’m done right?
Not So Fast...

33. Once Your Profile is Ready you must
drive quality traffic to your new brand
Looking for
Opportunities OR
Building Your Brand...
The ROI potential is
huge!

34. GROW YOUR NETWORK
• Upload your contacts
• Look around, leverage
Groups etc.
• Build over time and based
on quality not quantity
• Don’t be shy and give
people a reason to
Connect with you
Thoughtful, well-worded
and
tactical copy

35. 70% of jobs are found
through networking
But you must be diligent
1. Reach out to everyone you know
Don’t forget those closest to you!
Don’t assume everyone knows what you aspire to do
Do it INDIVIDUALLY ~resist blast email
Take the time for one-on-one interactions

36. 2. Leverage Your Groups,
Associations and Alma
Maters
Tips:
Focus on Manager’s Choice as they are the most
influential and get highest views
Jobs Tab WITHIN Group (more selective)
Be Active

37. 3. Find NEW Connections
Leverage Your Connections and Advanced Search
for those you seek to connect with
~ Groups they belong to
~Their profiles, keywords, etc.
~Engage if OpenLink Member
TIPS:
Be honest in how you know the person
DELETE the stock invite text
Show that you have reviewed their profile
Build Rapport & Offer to help THEM

38. Update Your Status
(AKA Your Professional Billboard)
Attending Industry Events
Articles you are reading, resources you are leveraging
Seeking introductions... (Use rarely and carefully)
(But know everyone you are connected with will see it)

39. Options to get noticed
with some investment $

40. Featured Applicant: Job Seeker Premium

41. Leverage InMail or @company?
Recruiters state
best to receive
POST application
submission
“30% higher
opens than cold”

42. Job Seeker Premium
Exclusive
Search based
on Salary
Range
3rd Party Data
and is range
based - not
guaranteed

43. Job Seeker Premium Exclusive
Job Seeker
Network Group
(Includes LinkedIn
Staffers)

44. More than Networking.....
LinkedIn is a valuable, and
oftentimes underutilized
Research TOOL

45. Search Jobs by Keywords

46. Research BEFORE your interviews
Follow Company
Executives and Employees
Groups and Causes
Do Your Due Diligence

47. YES, I DID IT!!!
What step did we reach today?…
I WILL DO IT
I CAN DO IT
I’LL TRY TO DO IT
HOW DO I DO IT
I WANT TO DO IT
I CANT DO IT
I WONT DO IT

49. Joe DeMicco
CEO
AIMG.com
Email: jdemicco@aimg.com
Twitter: @demicco
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/
Company www.aimg.com
Business www.demicco.com