Is LinkedIn Performing for You?

Getting Value from LinkedIn

Using LinkedIn can be an effective way for hiring managers, recruiters, prospective business partners, and prospective customers or clients to find us; if we do our part. LinkedIn is not a passive activity; we need to work at it. It is like anything we do; our LinkedIn presence will reflect the effort we put in.

This effort or lack of effort is also what readers of our profile see. If our profile is weak and incomplete; is it representative of our effort in other areas of our lives? What does that tell those that find us in a search?

With that said some people think that they would be better off without a LinkedIn presence. That way they will not have to worry about their presence. This is faulty thinking! Our LinkedIn presence, our viral presence is a necessity in today's world; it is a must have. Our LinkedIn and viral presence show that we are current on today's technology, that we accept and adopt change, and that we are willing to put ourselves out there.

Key Elements to Your LinkedIn Presence

To be effective using LinkedIn these basic elements must be present in your profile:

1. The use of keywords.
2. Use keywords in our current and past job titles.
3. Personalize our profile.
4. Have a professional (not necessarily professionally produced) picture.
5. Use applications to represent who we are and what we can do.

If you are having difficulty with your profile or would like a professional review of your profile that is a service offered by UP^PROACH. Contact us and let us help you make your LinkedIn Profile work for you.

Effectively using LinkedIn

I talk about using LinkedIn to help in your networking and job search activities. Here is the text of an article/interview published by CIO Magazine with Jason Alba. Jason is an expert on LinkedIn and how to take advantage of the features. Read and study to enhance your use of LinkedIn.

In the midst of the recession, many job seekers have spent more time on LinkedIn to connect with colleagues, customers and partners in an effort to land a new gig. Unfortunately, many people commit common errors in their LinkedIn profiles that cost them new opportunities, says Jason Alba, CEO of JibberJobber, a company that provides web-based tools for managing your job search.

Alba, who recently released a DVD called LinkedIn for Job Seekers, shared with CIO.com the five most common mistakes he sees on LinkedIn profiles. Here's how to spot trouble in your profile and fix it.

1. Don't Get in Picture Trouble

Many people choose not to use a picture on their LinkedIn profiles. While some of you have your reasons, it's a mistake for the typical user, Alba says. Some common concerns: Perhaps you don't want to disclose your ethnicity, or you don't consider yourself photogenic.

"Some situations are justified in not using a profile picture, but in the end I encourage people to include one because it shows you're comfortable with yourself," Alba says. "It also makes your profile a lot more personable."

Alba recommends a professional headshot for LinkedIn, rather than the picture of you in front of a mountain or lake that you utilize on Facebook. In addition, if you're a job seeker, odds are that you will meet your prospective employer in a face-to-face interview, so that picture of you twenty years ago that you like to leave up there — that needs to be replaced.

"Sometimes people are floored when they see the person if they left a really old picture up there," Alba says.

2. Write a Descriptive Professional Headline

When you edit your LinkedIn profile, you have what Alba calls a "professional headline" right beneath the name. The common mistake here (as shown in the picture below) is to simply put your name and title. He believes you should use something catchier. Instead of saying, "project manager for X company," say something more specific: "I manage complex projects involving IT and marketing."

When people search for you, they will see this professional tagline, and it might decide whether or not they feel compelled to click on your name and see your profile, Alba says.

"Think of yourself as a marketer, and this is where your big ad appears to the world," Alba says.

3. Properly Label Websites Displaying Your Work or Blog

LinkedIn offers you the ability to list the websites where your work might be displayed. This is a great option if you keep a personal website with a resume or a blog. But when you go to edit the website descriptions, Alba recommends dispensing with LinkedIn's default descriptions of "my website" or "my company." Those descriptions aren't a compelling read for employers, he says.

Instead, when you edit your "websites" section, LinkedIn provides a drop down menu (see picture below). Click "other," and you can upload the link and describe it as you see fit. Instead of "my blog," you might write, "my blog on complex project management."

4. Consider a Vanity URL

Maybe you haven't changed the default URL that LinkedIn provides for your profile. Especially if you have a common name, this will make your name after the LinkedIn address appear with a bunch of ugly code and numbers. If you have to give your LinkedIn profile address over the phone, or you wish to print it on your business card, it should be as concise and self-explanatory as possible, Alba says.

"It literally takes 30 seconds, and it makes your profile look more on purpose," Alba says.

(When you edit your LinkedIn profile, go to the "public profile" section to create your LinkedIn URL of choice).

5. Finish with a Strong, SEO-Friendly Summary

The "summary" section of your LinkedIn profile could be the biggest missed opportunity for the majority of job seekers, Alba says. While this section has a 2,000 character limit, Alba suggests packing as much about you and your abilities into it as possible.

In reality, the ability for people to find you will depend on LinkedIn's search engine linking your name to certain search keywords. So (staying with our repeated example), a project manager might want the term "project management" to appear a few times throughout the summary.

"Most summaries are a couple sentences or a couple paragraphs, and they're missing out," Alba says. "The more you put in the summary, the better your SEO is."

Remember that you're in a crowded field of applicants. Alba recommends that you put in short "problem, action and results" stories that show how you contended with challenges that helped your business succeed.

© 2008 CXO Media Inc.

Why I Stopped Avoiding Social Networks

I watched my teenagers become involved in these social phenomena and I was very critical. I felt that they were wasting their time and efforts, when they should be studying. I'm not sure I have changed my mind regarding where their efforts are best spent, but I have changed my mind on the social networking phenomena.

The reality is that it's all about branding. You know establishing an identity for yourself. I've finally figured it out, no one is going to sell me like I can sell myself. No one is going to look out for my family and me, like I will. No one is going to care as much about my success or even failure for that matter as I will. So why not call it like it is and start marketing yourself in the same way that any organization promotes and sells their products.

To some of you that may sound pretty commercial but the reality is that we are a product that we attempt to sell to the highest bidder, as long as everything is legal and ethical there really is nothing wrong with that philosophy.

So why am I in so many places. That's a great question and the answer is because there are so many networking places. If you are truly concerned about networking and branding you need to cover all of the bases. There are many people with the same name as yours and one, some, or many of them will be in all the different networking places on the Internet. It is important to your networking and branding process that you establish yourself in all of those different locations so no one confuses you with someone that may not share your same values and ethics.

Managing your Social Networks:

1. Create a consistent brand - use identifying verbiage and pictures.
2. Create a strong profile, don't simply put place holders out there. Tell people something of value.
   
3. Establish a presence in all the right places, but don't try to keep up with all of them - focus your energy.
4. Make sure that your comments and discussions are uplifting and supportive. Don't be known as a negative contributor.
5. Participate in and start discussions, especially in those areas where you have a passion.
6. Join relevant groups to establish and promote yourself.
7. Add valuable comments and contributions that help others and in-turn raise your value.

Networking will work for you, when you do it correctly. Happy Networking!

My Networking Library Recommendations

Your Networking Library is not complete without these books. I haver read all of these books and I recommend them wholeheartedly. Understanding Networking and being great at it is a skill: learn from some of the best.










I have to admit that I haven't read this one by Keith Ferrazzi, because it doesn't release until May, 2009.




This networking book has been released and it is on my "To Read" list. Smart Networking has received consistent excellent reviews.

Networking While Traveling

I've always been one to sit by the window or on the aisle when I travel. I'm the one with the noise reducing headphones and have a book or magazine as a constant companion.

What's wrong with that picture? If you consider yourself to be a networker looking for opportunities to expand your network you couldn't be doing anything more to dissuade conversation. You have done everything within your power to make yourself unapproachable.

As a networker you need to be looking for networking opportunities to get to know people and for job seekers more importantly get people to know you. Starting those first networking conversations while in a plane, train, or bus can be an uncomfortable experience for many people, but this is where you start stepping out of your comfort zone.

Begin by asking the simple questions:

1. Is the departing or destination city their home?
2. No, then where do you live?
3. Are you traveling for business or pleasure?
4. What is your final destination?
5. If for business; what type of business are you in?
6. What is your position?
7. If for pleasure; do you go there often?
8. When was the last time you were there?
9. Are you visiting family?

This should create a give and take networking session that will last for much of your flight. If these questions can't get something started, because you are in the middle seat, turn to the person on the other side of you.

Don't forget to get a business card and follow up with at least an "It was nice chatting with you during our flight to (wherever)."

Happy traveling and happy networking!

When Should You Build Your Network?

The truth is that you are building your network every time you meet someone, the question is whether you are recording the information or simply letting the opportunity pass.

Networks are a resource to be managed and nurtured. Your network is not something that you should think of only when you have a need. When you read a thoughtful article or a good book you should be thinking about who in your network would benefit from the information. If you hear of a job opportunity you should be thinking about who you could refer or recommend. Not that you want to be mercenary, but your network will appreciate you more when they know that you care about them.

If someone in your network is promoted or takes a new job, congratulate them, let them know that you are happy or excited for them.

Take care of your network.

1. Send congratulatory notes on promotions, new positions, or honors received.
2. Follow up with new contacts or referrals immediately, try to send them a relevant piece of information.
   
3. Immediately thank anyone that helps you in building your network.
4. Set a personal goal to add five to ten contacts each week.
   

Networking for fun, opportunity, and employment

Are you a networker? Or ... does the idea of networking scare you?

If you're unemployed one of the constant things that you have or should be hearing is that 70% - 90% of jobs are found through networking. It's a fact, there is a comfort level in hiring people that you know or have been referred to you.

Our lives are driven by the referral process, whether it is the movies we watch, the books we read, the places we eat, the vacations we take, or whatever; referrals play an important part in the choices we make. Why should we expect hiring to be any different?

You need to reach out and constantly be networking.

Networking will take most people outside their comfort zones. To be a successful networker, however, that move outside your comfort zone is critical. Most people think that networking is talking to the people that they are always talking to, but nothing could be further from the truth. You need to extend your networking efforts beyond those you already know.

If your current contacts cannot move you beyond people you already know, you are not moving forward in your networking.

Steps to take:

1. Identify your purpose for networking: i.e. a new career, new contacts, learning opportunities, reading recommendations, etc. You need to understand your purpose to make your networking purposeful.
2. Talk to each of your contacts and ask for two or three names that could help you achieve your networking purpose. See if they will arrange an introduction or if you can reference their name.
3. Follow up with the new individuals and explain your purpose, let these individuals get to know you. Don't ask for a job, again explain who you are and what you have done and ask if they may know of someone that could use your talents. As with your initial contacts, the idea is to get more contacts and follow up again.
4. With each contact you make look for some way within the next day to e-mail them a thank you and provide them with some information that will be beneficial to their business or situation.

Networking is a skill to be developed. Happy networking!