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Creating an Effective LinkedIn Profile Carolynn Friesch Director of Employer Relations

Linkedin - How to create an effective profile

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Creating an Effective LinkedIn Profile

Carolynn Friesch Director of Employer Relations

What is LinkedIn?

Eleven Sections of Your Profile• Headline• Summary• Education• Experience• Organizations• Volunteer

Experience

• Skills• Honors/Awards• Courses• Projects• Recommendations

Five Golden Rules of LinkedIn Display a professionally appropriate photo

Five Golden Rules of LinkedIn Create the right headline

Tell people what you’re excited about and what you want to do

Use keywords that will attract recruiters Example: Skilled Social Media User, Aspiring

Public Relations Professional NO: Student at Carthage College, Barista at

Starbucks

Five Golden Rules of LinkedIn Write a keyword-rich summary that “sells”

your skills and experience Be concise, specific, and typo-free Describe what motivates you, what you’re

skilled at, and what’s next Write the summary in the first person Include a link to a blog, portfolio, etc

Five Golden Rules of LinkedIn Get strong, helpful recommendations

Professors, employers (i.e. current supervisor), and internship supervisors

BEFORE you send a request, make sure that you speak to the recommender first

No minimum or maximum number of referrals One of each category would be helpful

Five Golden Rules of LinkedIn Add samples of your work

Course PowerPoint Presentations, Prezi, blog, e-portfolio, senior thesis

Sections: Summary, Education, Work Experience

Five Golden Rules of LinkedIn Tie your LinkedIn profile to your other

efforts Personalize your LinkedIn URL

Example: www.linkedin.com/in/carolynnmfriesch Add the URL or badge to your email signature

Example: Include the URL on your resume Business cards

How to Customize Your URL

1.Move your cursor over Profile at the top of your homepage and select Edit Profile.

2.Click the URL link under your profile photo. It will be an address like www.linkedin.com/in/yourname

3.Under the Your public profile URL section on the right, click the Edit icon next to your URL.

4.Type the last part of your new custom URL in the text box.

5.Click Save.

Completing the Experience Section• Include all of the jobs and internships from

your resume• Focus on your accomplishments • DO NOT retype your resume • Example: Assisted in the implementation of

new donor outreach program OR Helped to raise $200,000 for XYZ program

• Include an example of your work, if possible

Completing the Education Section

• Include all of your educational programs, as well as, summer programs

• List your major and minor• Include your GPA if you want to

Completing the Skills Section

• Add at least 5 key skills• Your connections can endorse you for

more skills• Professional tip: Endorse others for their

experience

Completing the Course & Projects Sections

• Add courses that show off your skills and that you are most excited about

• Talk about class projects that you led include what you did and how you did it

Additional Ways to Enhance Your Profile

• Add additional sections: Language, Test Scores, Publications, Certifications, Posts (i.e. blog)

• In edit mode, drag sections to re-order them; most important sections first

• Add Twitter link if appropriate to contact information section

• Industry & location – aspirational or current