Post on 15-Mar-2021
Making the Most of LinkedInGrowing Your Personal Brand via the World’s Top Professional Networking Site
Why LinkedIn matters
Top social networking site for business professionals
154 million US workers have LinkedIn profiles
50% of Americans with college degrees use LinkedIn
45% of users are in upper management
91% of executives rate LinkedIn as first choice for professionally relevant content
Read more: “16 LinkedIn Statistics That Matter to Marketers in 2019”
LinkedIn and the job search
LinkedIn is the 24/7 virtual home of your professional brand 3 million jobs are posted on LinkedIn each month 94% of recruiters rate LinkedIn as their primary recruiting tool At least 70% of job openings are not advertised
Networking matters; LinkedIn is the top professional network
Most hiring managers will view your profile – whether you apply via LinkedIn or not
Introduction card
Introduction card: Headshot
• Professional-looking headshot• Business attire, neutral background• Great lighting, great resolution
• Obvious selfie• Casual or attention-grabbing attire• Poor lighting, blurry
Read more: “What Should Your LinkedIn Headshot Look Like?”
LinkedIn profiles with headshots are 14x more likely to be viewed
Yes
No
Introduction card: Headline
A phrase meant to sell you in 120 characters Customize … don’t accept the LinkedIn default Headshot + headline is what recruiters see when they search,
so these have to be compelling Keep it short, punchy; add details and keywords No buzzwords (e.g., creative, strategic, energetic, responsible)
Read more: “Fifteen of the Best LinkedIn Headline Examples Around”
Headline examples
BBA in marketing | experienced in Adobe CS | aspiring brand manager
Isenberg sport management major | Game-day operations intern
Bloomberg-certified finance major, leader, interested in private equity
Experienced hospitality major, delivers 5-star customer service experience
Future management professional with Salesforce & SAP experience
List both Isenberg and UMass in your education
Include Isenberg and UMass in your education section so that you appear as “in-network” for both; this will give you access to a larger network when LinkedIn makes its education-based recommendations (and make sure Isenberg is listed first)
Add education to your introduction card
Under edit profile, select Show education in my intro
Isenberg School of Management
Note: be sure Isenberg is listed above UMass in your education section so that it – rather than UMass – appears in your introduction card
Introduction card: Custom URLs
The default URL for your public profile page is long and messy, but you have the option to customize it
To customize your URL:1. Go to your profile page2. Click Edit public profile & URL on the right rail3. Click the icon next to your public profile URL4. Edit the last part of your URL to create a custom version
Your “About” summary
First person narrative, 100-word minimum, short paragraphs A version of your core pitch? Be creative, personable, engaging … tell your story:
• Why you chose Isenberg• How you came to be interested in your major• What you have to offer• What you’re looking for right now• Where you see yourself long-term
Experience
List all relevant experiences, paid, volunteer, etc. (you don’t have to list all experiences)
Add descriptions, but DO NOT cut/paste bullets from resume When describing experiences, use brief narratives or a list of
tasks and accomplishments stated very briefly
Skills & endorsements
Be sure to add at least 8 skills to your profile LinkedIn reports that members with 5 or more listed skills are
contacted up to 33 times more by recruiters and othermembers … and receive up to 17 times more views
Endorsements are fine, but they don’t carry much weight
Read more: “Top Skills to List on LinkedIn”
Networking
Connectwith at least 50 peers
Followat least 2 companies
Joinat least 2 groups
Personalize your requests to connect
When connecting with business professionals, be sure to personalize the request
A personal request shows effort, interest, and respect; and provides useful context for the professional
On professional’s profile page, click Connect and Add a Note … then, type your personalized message
Dear Mr. Agassi,
I’m an accounting major at the Isenberg School of Management and a fan of E&Y’s work in forensic accounting. I’d love to be able to add you to my network of accounting professionals.
Best,
Alison Farner
Searching the LinkedIn network
For networking, click in the search bar and choose People, then select All Filters
Search connections by school, location, current and/or past companies, industry, etc.
For job searching, click in the search bar and choose Jobs and use the “sort” dropdowns
Recommendations
Having a recommendation or three is something to strive for At the end of an engagement, request a recommendation from
individuals who can speak knowledgeably about your work To make a request: On introduction card, click on More and
select Request a Recommendation Note: you must be connected with the individual first Quality is more important than quantity
Read more: “Are LinkedIn Recommendations Important? Here’s What Ten Hiring Managers Say”