Pressed For SuccessMerrimack College

October 19, 2009

“The average person knows at least 250 people. Then each of those 250

people knows 250 people. So instantly, you have access to 62,500 people.”

--Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen, authors of “The One Minute Millionaire”

A business social network to◦ Expand your network◦ Access information and resources◦ Communicate to many professionals◦ Search for job opportunities

It is not:◦A social network◦Replacement of face-to-face networking

Accounts: Personal and Premium What to do with LinkedIn?◦Build and maintain a trusted professional network◦ Find and reconnect with colleagues and classmates◦Request and provide recommendations◦ Create a professional presence on the web◦Request up to 5 Introductions at a time◦ Search for and view profiles of other LinkedIn users◦Ask and Answer questions in the Answers section◦ Search for jobs seeing how you are connected to the

person offering the job or employees at the company

The more information, the more likely you will be found

Your profile is your brand – keep it business-focused Account & Settings◦My Profile◦My Profile Photo◦ Public Profile◦Manage Recommendations◦ Status Visibility◦Member Feed Visibility

Personal Information◦ Name and Location◦ Email Addresses◦ Change Password◦ Close Account

Privacy Settings◦ Connections Browse◦ Profile Views◦ Profile and Status Updates◦ Partner Advertising◦ Authorized Applications

Email Notifications◦ Contact Settings◦ Receiving Emails◦ Invitation Filtration

Home Page Settings Groups Personal Information Privacy Settings

Home page = LinkedIn dashboard◦ Review connection activities

Navigation◦ Top Category Navigation

◦ Site Service Navigation

◦ Side Navigation

Left side = You◦ Your content navigation◦ Statistics

Middle = Your Connections◦ Inbox◦ Your Status◦ Network updates = Content on your connections

Right Side = Modules◦ People You May Know◦ Sponsor Ads◦ Who’s Viewed My Profile?◦ People Module◦ Answers Module◦ Job Search Module

Top Box◦ Your name◦ A Photo◦ Your summary◦ Status update

Middle Box◦ Current/Past/Education◦ Recommendations◦ Connections◦Websites◦ Personal URL

Summary◦ Elevator Pitch◦ Key Words for Searches

Applications◦ Presentations◦ Reading List◦ Blogs

Experience◦Most Recent to Oldest◦ Company, Title, Dates of Employment◦ Description of your role

Not a job description What impact did you have? What strengths did you exhibit?

Education Additional Information Personal Information Contact Settings

Create Your Brand!!

My Connections Imported Contacts Profile Organizer Network Statistics Add Connections◦ Invite Contacts (file upload)◦Outlook Toolbar◦ Colleagues◦ Classmates

Remove Connections

Build your network!!

Get recommendations◦ From Managers◦ From Peers◦ From Subordinates

Give recommendations More recommendations = More visibility

Get noticed for your accomplishments !!

My Groups◦ 50 maximum

Following◦ Discussions or news articles

Groups Directory Create a Group

Get Exposure to a wider network!!

Home page◦ Search for companies◦ Add a company

Search results Company Detail◦ Description◦ Employees◦ New Hires◦ Popular Profiles◦ Key Statistics◦ Related Companies◦ Career Path / Most Connected To◦ Recent Promotion and Changes

Research before the Interview!!

Answers Home◦ Summary page◦ Ask a Question◦ New Questions from Your Network◦ This Week’s Top Experts◦ Featured Category◦ My Q&A◦ Browse

Advanced Answers Search My Q&A Ask a Question Answer Questions

Demonstrate your expertise!!

Jobs Home◦ Simple search

Advanced Job Search◦ Job function◦ Company◦ Industry

Search results◦ Sort◦ Detail◦ Get introduced◦ Apply Now

Find jobs and Get Introduced!!

Research Companies Research hiring managers and potential employees Enhance and build your network Get reconnected with former peers, managers,

subordinates, alumni, groups, etc. Increase your ability to be found by recruiters Build your brand Get recommendations (they are visible!) and make

recommendations Ask & Answer questions – show your knowledge Find Jobs