Linkedin Tutorial

Linkedin Tutorial

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  (Original Source forLinkedIn Tutorial is About.com) LinkedIn General Overview What do Microsoft, Ebay, Netflix, and Target have in common? All these companies (and many more) have used LinkedIn to recruit candidates for employment. Why is LinkedIn such a successful professional development tool? Kay Luo, (former) Director of Corporate Communications at LinkedIn, explains why, "The main reason that companies are using LinkedIn is to find passive job candidates. Another reason why companies are using LinkedIn, is because referrals from their employees are highly valued because they typically have a higher success rate (hence the popular "employee referral bonuses"). LinkedIn helps companies leverage the networks of their employees." How Employers Use LinkedIn One LinkedIn member (who will remain nameless because his company doesn't know he's job seeking) I spoke to received an inquiry less than 24 hours after posting his profile. He was amazed at how fast a former colleague found him. Steve Goddard obtained his current job through LinkedIn. Recruiters working for his employer, VMware, Inc., searched LinkedIn's database of information for people with relevant skills sets and experience pertaining to VMware's existing requirements. Search LinkedIn Take a few minutes to search LinkedIn and I'm sure you'll find lots of contacts from your current and prior employers, clients, vendors, and schools. All those contacts have the potential to help you grow your career or find a new job. In addition, it can be a good source of employment references, as well as reference checking. Job Search You can search by going to your Jobs tab and clicking the “Find Jobs” button. Can can search for jobs in LinkedIn by primarily by keyword searches, company name, job title and location or use the Advanced Search option to search by more specific criteria.
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   Create aProfile. Create a detailed profile on LinkedIn, including employment (current and past), education, industry, and websites. This will serve as your virtual resume on LinkedIn. Here are tips for creating a profile on LinkedIn. o Consider a Photo. You can add a photo (a headshot is recommended or upload a larger photo and edit it) to your LinkedIn profile. Statistically accounts that have a photo are given preferential treatment by prospective recruiters. Note that it should be a small photo - no larger than 80x80 pixels - for the LinkedIn server to optimally configure your profile picture. o Professional Summary. The Professional Summary section of your profile is a good way to highlight your experience. Select an Industry, because
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  recruiters often usethat field to search. Don't forget the Headline, because that's right at the top of the page when someone views your profile. o Contact Settings. Your contact settings let your connections (and recruiters) know what you're available for. Options include: career opportunities, consulting offers, new ventures, job inquiries, reference requests. Even if you're not actively seeking a new job, it's beneficial to be flexible about your interests, because you never know when a good opportunity might come along. o Keywords and Skills. Include all your resume keywords and skills in your profile, so your profile will be found. o Links. The links section of your profile is a good way to provide even more information to potential employers and to your contacts. I have links to my company web site, my blog, and my About.com site. o Get Recommendations. Recommendations from key contacts (i.e. your LinkedIn “connections”) that you have worked with carry a lot of weight. o Public Profile URL. Don't forget to make your profile public - that's how the world can find it. Also, customizing your URL will give you a link that's easy to share. Mine, for example, is http://www.linkedin.com/in/alisondoyle. o Grow Your Network. Connect with other members and build your network. The more connections you have, the more opportunities you have, but don't randomly connect with people you don't know. All that does is annoy them - you won't gain anything by attempting to connect with someone who never heard of you. o Update Your Profile. Don't forget to update your profile when you change positions or companies. Your profile should be current and up-to-date.  Build Your Network. Connect with other members and build your network. The more connections you have, the more opportunities you have, with one caveat from Kay Luo, "Connect to people you know and trust or have a business relationship with, no need to go crazy and connect with everyone."  Search Jobs. Use the job search section to find job listings.  Use Answers. The Answers section of LinkedIn is a good way to increase your visibility. Respond to questions, and ask a question if you need information or assistance.  Stay Connected. Use LinkedIn Mobile (m.linkedin.com) to view profiles, invite new connections, and access to LinkedIn Answers from your phone. Editing Profile Page To edit the profile page, simply click the “Edit Profile button located near your profile picture.
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  Once you clickthat, you will be able to edit or add on new information to your profile page. There are special blue icons that look like pens for each section which you need to click on in order to activate the editing function for each section: In addition to adding your experience, it is also very important to add your technical expertise or skills. Simply type in keywords and LinkedIn pulls up relevant skills that they
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  have archived intheir database. These are meta tags that are meant to help employers find your profile page more easily when they search for relevant terms: Once you are done making your new changes, don’t forget to save all those changes by scrolling up to the top of your LinkedIn profile and clicking the “Done Editing” Button:
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  Benefits of ProfessionalNetworking (professional community forums) LinkedIn Groups are a good way to stay informed and keep in touch with professionals in your field. It is a place to share thoughts, concerns, and ideas to advance certain concepts in your industry. Types of LinkedIn Groups Once you have signed up for LinkedIn, there are many LinkedIn Groups you can join – job search groups, company groups, alumni groups, college groups, and networking groups. Groups are good sources of networking contacts, job search advice, and job listings. Best of all keeping tabs on the latest developments in your industry can help you stay on your competitive edge. How to Find LinkedIn Groups to Join To find LinkedIn groups, check to see if there are groups for the college(s) you attended and companies you have worked at by searching for the name of the school or organization. Then search groups to see if there are other groups that might be useful.  Click on Groups  Click on Groups Directory  Search by keyword and/or select a Category to see groups listed in that category.
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  You can alsoclick on "Groups You May Like" to get group recommendations from LinkedIn. Get Group News and Updates When you join a LinkedIn group, you'll be able to sign up on your using your personal settings for the group to receive email notifications and announcements. You'll be able to receive advice and new jobs posted to the Jobs section of your groups.