Creating a linked in power profile

Creating a LinkedIn Power Profile
Michelle Post, Ph.D., CSMS

Video: What is Linkedin

Video Link: http://bit.ly/whatislinkedinvideo

The Stats
Founded in 2002 - Launched in 2003
World’s Largest Professional Networking Site
200 Million Professional Users as of Jan 2013
CEOs from all 500 Fortune Companies are on
LinkedIn
• Every 2 seconds a new member joins Linkedin
• 97.3% of recruiting professionals surveyed
reporting they used LinkedIn for recruiting during
2012
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Before you begin or edit . . .
• Before you begin creating your
profile or editing your profile,
Take it offline so that you are not
bombarding your connections
with every minor change.
• To do this go to Privacy &
Settings
• Turn off activity broadcasts
• Change profile visibility so no one
can see it
• DON’T FORGET TO TURN THESE
BACK ON AFTER EDITING

Resume to LinkedIn
Resume
• Name
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Personal Information
Qualifications
Job Experience
Education
Special Skills
Professional Organizations

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LinkedIn
Headline & Tagline
Keywords
Contact Information
Summary
Experience
Education
Skills
Professional Organizations
SO MUCH MORE

Content Size Requirements
Headline - 120 characters
Status Field - 140 characters
Summary - 2000 characters
Specialties - 500 characters
Company Name and Position (Job) Title - 100
characters
• Position Description – 2000 characters
• Interests – 1000 characters
• Standard Logo - 100x60 pixels (image will be
resized to fit), PNG/JPEG/GIF format, Maximum 2
MB
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What you can do with your Profile
Editing Your Profile: http://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5

Create a Powerful Headline
• You need an exciting Headline below your Profile Name
– This is the first place to begin using your top keywords

• Create a headline that is unique to you, and one that really
catches a hiring managers eye
– Use the headline as the first line of the story you are about to
tell – about YOU!

• Don’t forget your Alphabet behind your name

Professional Photo
DO
• Use a professional headshot
• A professional headshot creates TRUST
DO NOT
• Leave the photo blank
• Use a logo
• Upload “action” or “family” photos
• Have furniture or scenery that takes away
from you
• Be far away to where you cannot be seen
This is your calling card, make it about your
professional image

Public Profile URL
www.linkedin.com/in/michellepostphd
• Make sure your public profile is simply your full
name, do not try to be cleaver with this, just simple
and straight forward

– Default - URL with lots of Numbers, Letters and Slashes
at the end

• This URL needs to be under your name on your
resume before any other information

Summary Section: Who Are You?
• The Summary Section
is your Billboard to tell
your story
• Use strong keywords to
tell your story of who
you are
• This is your greatest
white space on your
profile – be confident,
not arrogant
• Ask yourself, “Who am
I?”
• If you don’t know then
ask others, take selfassessment tests

Experience: What Do You Do?
• Really think about the Job Titles
you are using, these could be how
you are searched on
• Use strong keywords that show up
a lot in searches
• Really think about what you are
going to write in each section,
especially what you did for past
and current employers
• Look at other LinkedIn profiles in
your areas of experience and see
how each section looks like
• Look up job descriptions of what
you have done, are doing, and
want to do in the future

Education, Certifications, Courses
• Education

– Current degree
– Highest to lowest
– Add links to schools

• Certifications

– Current & active

• Courses

– Courses in your
current degree
– Self-Development
– Industry specific

Projects, Publications, Interests
• Projects

– What are you working?
– What have your worked
on?

• Publications

– Books
– Conference
Presentations
– Blog

• Interests

– Passions
– Points of interest about
you

Skills & Expertise: Endorsements
• LinkedIn has added a new
Skills / Expertise section
and it is more easy to seek
endorsements for your skills
and expertise
• If you receive
endorsements, you should
give endorsements
• Only endorse others if you
know they can do the skill
• Your connections play a
critical role in your Skills &
Endorsements

Recommendations
• Seek out recommendations
for current and past
employers
• Seek out recommendations
from your professors or
university administrators
• It is good to have at least
one recommendation for
every job you list; however,
the more the better

Group Membership
• Join groups in the areas you are interested in
• Be active in your group, start with one and listen and
engage
• Start a group
• It is easier to connect with influencers if you are in the
same groups, for you can request connections from group
members

Put Your Best Forward –
Order of Sections
Order of Sections
• You do not have to keep the
sections in the way LinkedIn
lists them
• Move your best sections up
• Example:
– Lacking in experience, but
have great skills & abilities?
– Move Skills & Abilities before
Experience

• This is your story – WRITE
IT!

Publishing Your Profile
• You can determine what
you want the public to see
when they click on your
public profile
• Example:
– You can just show the titles
from your Experience section
and not the details

• This is your Online
Professional Persona –
Make it Stand Out!

Use of Keywords
• Keywords are not just for
websites, but for individuals
too
• It is important to add the
keywords of the jobs your
are looking for --- recruiters
search by keywords
• Add keywords to the
following sections: Headline,
Summary, Specialties, Job
Titles, Job Skills, Projects,
and Interests

Use Keyword Tools
• Google Ad Words
• Soovle
• UberSuggest

Share an Update

• The status bar is the box that is directly below your name,
and if you do not stay current, then hiring managers do not
think you are looking
• A status update can be a simple post once a week about
what it is you are learning, a special project, your volunteer
work, a blog post you liked, a video you found inspiring

Cross Promote Yourself
• Social media is your friend
and can be critical in
finding your “dream” job
• If you have more than a
LinkedIn account make
sure your other social
media accounts are
professional in look and
content
• Do not post anything you
would be embarrassed to
have a hiring manager
read

Resources
• LinkedIn Intelligence - http://linkedintelligence.com/
• 20 Tips to Becoming Successful on LinkedIn – Refreshed and
Expanded - http://linkedintobusiness.com/linkedin-tips-tricks/
• 6 Tips for Using LinkedIn the New Endorsements http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/linkedin-endorsements/
• LinkedIn Profile Tips: The 10 Mistakes You Want to Avoid and Why http://bit.ly/lzEbx
• Video: How to Job Search on LinkedIn http://video.about.com/jobsearch/Job_Search_LinkedIn.htm
• Simple ways to get your resume on top of the pile http://usat.ly/Z57Idh
• 27 LinkedIn Tips: LinkedIn Best Practices for Entrepreneurs http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenkrogue/2012/06/29/27-linkedintips-linkedin-best-practices-for-entrepreneurs/

Resources, Cntd.
• Linked University - http://linkeduniversity.com/
• 11 Tips to Find the Best LinkedIn Groups - http://www.inc.com/jeffhaden/11-tips-to-find-the-best-linkedin-groups.html
• How to Use LinkedIn Powerfully: 10 Tips to Know http://socialmediatoday.com/tracycgold/479022/how-use-linkedinpowerfully-10-tips-know
• Fancy Yourself as a LinkedIn Expert? Better Add These 4 Tips & Tricks to
Your Toolkit - http://www.business2community.com/linkedin/fancyyourself-as-a-linkedin-expert-better-add-these-4-tips-tricks-to-yourtoolkit-0253998
• Are you “In”? 10 Reasons To Use Linkedin http://www.islandconnect.net/are-you-in-10-reasons-to-use-linkedin/
• How to Add Video, Images to Your LinkedIn Profile http://www.cio.com/article/732876/How_to_Add_Video_Images_to_Your
_LinkedIn_Profile

Resources, Cntd.
• Recruiters Say, “Avoid LinkedIn at Your Peril” http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-inprogress/2012/05/11/recruiters-say-avoid-linkedin-at-your-peril/
• New Expert Tips For Using LinkedIn http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2012/05/08/newexpert-tips-for-using-linkedin/
• LinkedIn Labs - http://engineering.linkedin.com/linkedinlabs/
• LinkedIn Strategies - http://linkedstrategies.com
• LinkedIn To Business - http://linkedintobusiness.com/
• Climbing Your Way Out of a Professional Rut http://blog.linkedin.com/2013/03/01/climbing-your-way-out-of-aprofessional-rut/?sf10060462=1
• Best Advice I Ever Got http://www.linkedin.com/today/se/bestadvice?trk=nus-mktgbestadvice-0301-gen&sf10040899=1

The LinkedIn Experts

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Sahar Andrade: http://linkedin.com/in/saharandrade
Bernie Borges: http://www.linkedin.com/in/bernieborges
Wayne Breitbarth: http://www.linkedin.com/in/waynebreitbarth
Melonie Dodaro: http://www.linkedin.com/in/meloniedodaro
JD Gershbein, http://linkedin.com/in/jdgershbein
Lewis Howes: www.linkedin.com/in/lewishowes
Rick Itzkowich: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ritzkowich
Nathan Kievman: http://linkedin.com/in/nathankievman
Colleen McKenna: http://www.linkedin.com/in/colleenmckenna
Flynn Penoyer: www.linkedin.com/in/flynpenoyer
Neal Schaffer: http://www.linkedin.com/in/nealschaffer
Jan Vermerien: http://be.linkedin.com/in/janvermeiren
Viveka von Rosen: http://linkedin.com/in/linkedinexpert

References
• Bernstein, B. (2012). How to write a killer LinkedIn profile. . .And 18
mistakes to avoid. Wise Media Group. Kindle Edition.
• BroomCouncil.com. (n.d.). Volunteer logo [Image file]. Retrieved
from http://www.broomecouncil.net/Images/Volunteerlogo.gif
• ConstantContact.com. (n.d.). 22 [Image file]. Retrieved from
https://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs048/1104150309108/img/2
2.jpg
• De Weaver, G. (2012). How to use LinkedIn… 10 secrets the LinkedIn
experts don’t share. Kindle Edition.
• LinkedIn. (n.d.). Company page. Retrieved from
http://www.linkedin.com/company/linkedin

References
• Maziemedia.com. (2013). Social media concollage [Image
file]. Retrieved from http://maziermedia.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/06/SocialMediaIconcollage.png
• NeenJames.com. (2012). Recommendation stamp photo
[Image file]. Retrieved from http://neenjames.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/08/recommendation-stampphoto.jpg
• Press.Trustev.com (2013). Work-experience [Image file].
Retrieved from http://press.trustev.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/08/Work-Experience.jpg
• Qualman, E. (2012, November 7). Social media revolution
2013 [Youtube Video]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUCfFcchw1w

References
• SearchOptimize.co.uk. (2013). Keyword-research [Image
file]. Retrieved from http://www.searchoptimise.co.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2013/04/keyword-research.jpg
• Socialmediahouse.nl. (n.d.). Linkedin_button [Image file].
Retrieved from
http://files.socialmediahouse.nl/2000001019dc279ebd1/linkedin_button.jpg
• Webnodes.cz. (n.d.). Debnice [Image file]. Retrieved from
http://files.svet-jazyku-cz.webnode.cz/2000000179a6089b598/u%C4%8Debnice.jpg
• Wowchasers. (n.d.). 2 [Image file]. Retrieved from
http://wowchasers.com/wp-content/uploads/2.png

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