Using LinkedIn to Market Yourself and Find a Job

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USING LINKEDIN TO MARKET YOURSELF AND
FIND A JOB

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Agenda
 What is LinkedIn?
 Why use LinkedIn?
 How to Use LinkedIn?
 Creating your professional brand and profile
 Building your network and turning relationships into
opportunities
 Following and researching companies
 Searching through job postings via your connections
 Joining and utilizing groups
 Using LinkedIn for career exploration and other
components of the job search (Optional)
 Additional resources

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What is LinkedIn?
 A social networking tool that allows you to strengthen and
extend your network of professional contacts
 A tool that helps you exchange knowledge, ideas, and
opportunities with a broader network of professionals, leading
you to career success
 http://learn.linkedin.com/what-is-linkedin/

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Why used LinkedIn?
 Allows you to market yourself and create your “brand” along with the other
things in your job search toolkit, which can contain the following:
 resume or CV
 cover letter
 research and teaching statements
 business card
 website or blog
 social media profiles: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
 Allows you to establish, build, and maintain a professional network
 Allows you to gain information about career
fields/industries, companies, and job leads
 Employers use LinkedIn to find candidates

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Build your professional brand using
LinkedIn
 http://learn.linkedin.com/students/step-2/

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Golden rules of your LinkedIn profile
 Display a professionally appropriate photo
 Create a headline with professional titles and roles
 Write a keyword-rich summary that “sells” your skills and
experience
 Get strong, helpful recommendations
 Tie your LinkedIn profile to your other efforts – i.e., add your
LinkedIn profile to your website or email signature; use
applications like Twitter
 Join groups
 Keep your profile up-to-date

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Turn relationships into opportunities
 http://learn.linkedin.com/students/step-5/

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Turn relationships into opportunities
 Build your network, connect to individuals, and network your
way to a job
 Identify and search career fields, job titles, or companies that
interest you
 Follow companies of interest to you
 Look through job postings
 Keep in touch and thank people

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Turn relationships into opportunities
 “Get introduced through a connection.” Ask your 1st degree
connections to make an introduction to others you’d like to
meet on your behalf.

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Sample LinkedIn networking letter
 Subject: Referred by Craig Chan - ME Advice
 Dear Mark,
I am a friend of Craig Chan. I'll be completing a master’s degree in mechanical
engineering next year, and I am considering working in either academia or industry. I would
love the opportunity to hear your advice on beginning my professional career in industry
versus academia. Gaining insight into your work at Medtronic would also be valuable.
Would you be willing to talk with me for a brief informational interview either in person or
over the phone? Please let me know a date and time that is most convenient for you.
 Thank you for you time in advance.
Best wishes,
Sarah
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Sarah Smith, M.S. Candidate, Mechanical Engineering
Stanford University
(650) 725-1234
ssmith@stanfordalumni.org

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Sample LinkedIn networking letter
 Dear Craig,
I hope this note finds you well. As you may know, I'll be completing a
master’s degree in mechanical engineering next year, and I am
considering working in either academia or industry. I see that you are
connected to Mark Jones who is a manager at Medtronic. I would love the
opportunity to get his advice on beginning my professional career in
industry versus academia. Would you be able to make an introduction on
my behalf? I would really appreciate it.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you in advance.
Best wishes,
Sarah
--
Sarah Smith, M.S. Candidate, Mechanical Engineering
Stanford University
(650) 725-1234
ssmith@stanfordalumni.org

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Demos of LinkedIn Features
 Following and researching companies
 Searching through job postings via your
connections
 Joining and utilizing groups
 Other sections of interest?

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Tools for career exploration and
beyond
 Career Exploration Tools
 http://www.linkedin.com/skills/
 http://www.linkedin.com/careerexplorer/
 Resume Builder
 http://resume.linkedinlabs.com/

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Suggested resources
 LinkedIn Resources: http://learn.linkedin.com/
(Includes videos and user guides for students, new users, nonprofits,
entrepreneurs, consultants, etc.)
 Stanford Career Development Center LinkedIn Group
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=3958818&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr
 CDC Networking Pages http://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/cdc/networking/
 Stanford Alumni Mentoring
http://mentoring.stanford.edu/
 Stanford Alumni Resources
 Stanford Career Connect
 Stanford Alumni LinkedIn Group
https://alumni.stanford.edu/