LinkedInJob Search 101

Using toUsing to

to build, maintain, & grow your personal career

DisclaimerDisclaimer

I am an active user of LinkedIn. As a former HR Information Systems

manager I appreciate the high tech backbone of the site that provides a

very low tech, user friendly, fully customizable, instantly updated,

user defined presence.

Travel with me throughTravel with me through• The shift of networking from when you

need it to being part of your workweek

• The acceptance of LinkedIn by the mainstream

• Why you need to use LinkedIn

• How you can use LinkedIn (nuts & bolts)

• Development of strategies that suit your need AT THE TIME.

Presentation ConsiderationsPresentation Considerations• This presentation, less the Word docs, is available on my

web site, www.TampaBayHR.com, so take notes or not accordingly.

• While I’m open to Q&As during the presentation, there’s a lot to cover. This subject tends to be very interactive with Q&A, because there is so much that you can customize.

• We’ll combine PowerPoint, Word, with a web site tour & some selected searches.

• We’ll cover why there’s value in pursuing this effort, different strategies, & some nuts & bolts on how to do it. (Wide & deep presentation scope)

• Are we ready to roll?

Up Front ConcernsUp Front Concerns• For those still employed, determine if your company

has a policy on LinkedIn. If prohibited you can still have an anonymous account.

• With the only limitation of the number of character spaces, you can customize nearly every aspect of the site to fit you.

• To get your profile to 100% you’ll need at least several job instances (can be vague if necessary), your education, a few recommendations, and possibly joining a group or two

Job Hunting Paradigm Shift

The rules for job hunting have changed Abridged: The News Tribune

TACOMA, WA -- Forget just about everything you think you know about finding a job. "Many changes have happened in the job market since 20 years ago, since 10 years ago - since last October," said Paul Anderson, a former hiring manager for Microsoft and Expedia. He believes that job hunters need to understand human behavior and outfox this new system. He offers a few ways to tackle a job search in the new world.

First, scrap the elevator pitch. "Why the elevator pitch doesn't work," Anderson said, "is that nobody cares about you. They care about themselves. You have to change your mindset from self-serving to serving others." That means finding out what need you can fill for the recruiters. Second, at job fairs, don't bring a sheaf of resumes and hand them out to recruiters like Halloween candy. Instead, get business cards from the recruiters. Ask them what kinds of jobs they need to fill and what kind of candidates they like.

Third, leverage online social networks, such as LinkedIn.com, to connect with as many people as possible. Online networks allow you to find and seek advice from contacts who work for the companies you have targeted for your job search, it allows others to endorse you, and it allows you to post specific information about the job you want, Anderson said.

Third Party Validations

NYTimes To Customize Headlines For LinkedIn Usersby Michael Arrington on July 21, 2008

Adults and Social Network Websites1/14/2009 | Memo  | Amanda Lenhart The share of adult internet users who have a profile on an online social network site has more than quadrupled in the past four years -- from 8% in 2005 to 35% now, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project's December 2008 tracking survey.

LinkedIn CollaborationLinkedIn Collaboration

• LinkedIn has a partnership with BusinessWeek.com that includes a tool that lets users find LinkedIn connections at companies mentioned in BusinessWeek articles.

The move The move from thinking from thinking

about places to people about places to people

Think brick and mortar to internet as an analogy

2nd Paradigm Shift

It started with kids & now is part of business. R U taking advantage of it?

The Web 2.0 way to connect to The Web 2.0 way to connect to those who need your servicesthose who need your services

• There are over 80 million people on Facebook and over 40 million on LinkedIn

• LinkedIn is a searchable database• You can develop a network where you are

recognized as a respected source of information

• You can develop a network that utilizes the exponential growth of multi-level marketing

Wikipedia Traffic by Age: Four weeks ending 8/26/06

                                                                                                                                                                               

     

Social 2.0: MySpace Dominates as Geocities Crumble

Pew Research Center Publications

The Geocities vs. MySpace comparison not only demonstrates the commonalities between the internet of 1996 and 2006, but it also provides a point of departure for understanding concepts of online presence in the Web 2.0 era. While the Geocities model relied on the metaphors of a place (cities, neighborhoods, homepages), MySpace anchors presence through metaphors of a person (profiles, blogs, links to videos, etc.). Geocities encouraged us to create our own cities and neighborhoods as points of entry to our personal worlds; MySpace cuts to the chase and enables direct access to the person, as well as access to his or her social world. And whether we call the current world 2.0 or 10.0, there's no question that the internet of today will look positively beta to future generations.

Pew Research Center Publications

The Bottom LineThe Bottom Line

Four major use cases for LinkedIn

Let’s look at the four major use cases for LinkedIn and use that to assess how well their direction fits the market needs:

LinkedIn's Young & Rich Demographic - Does Today's Announcement Do Enough For Them?Written by Bernard Lunn / December 10, 2007 11:03 AM

Use Case # 1. Be found. If you want a better job or you want clients for your consulting business, updating your LinkedIn profile is one of the better uses of your time online. Yes your online presence is scattered across multiple sites, but for the business user LinkedIn is probably the number one site you have to pay attention to. You can also link from there to your site and Blog if you have one, so this works for early adopters as well as late adopters whose only presence is LinkedIn. There is one subtle benefit compared to job boards, which also plays to the next use case, which is that you don’t have to declare that you are looking for a job. You just say “Hi, this is me”. This strengthens your negotiating position with a new employer and does not upset your current employer.

Use Case # 2. Recruit. LinkedIn is used by recruiting firms but also by internal hiring managers. The one big benefit of LinkedIn vs job boards is that you can use LinkedIn to search for the candidate that is not actively looking. This is critical in a tight job market (which we have today). This kind of database is a key reason we have used external recruiters in the past. I asked if LinkedIn was a threat to recruiters and got the usual answer about “the ones who use LinkedIn to add value are doing great” - which means it is a threat to their current way of working. I imagine LinkedIn is a significant threat to traditional job boards.

Use Case # 3. Selling through contacts to avoid cold calls. My experience, amplified by speaking to a few other people who have used LinkedIn for this purpose, is that it is highly valuable up to Level 2 but no further. It is very useful to me to search for a particular company that I want to sell to, refine that by job title, and then see which of my contacts knows somebody there. Or I can search for a specific person as in “who do I know who knows Joe Bloggs”? This is the use case that got me interested in LinkedIn and I wrote more about the experience here. The point is it is useful only up to that level of separation. If I see Level 3, it is usually not worth the bother. That is when I am asking “who do I know who knows somebody who knows Joe Bloggs.” So this use case is limited to people with already strong networks that work across multiple domains.

Use Case # 4. Finding an expert “just in time”. This is a potentially big use case that LinkedIn is exploring, but it does not seem big today. There are many specialists doing this. For example, Gerson Lehman Group does this primarily for investors (Hedge Funds, Private Equity, Venture Capital) looking to find an expert in a market or technology; Gerson Lehman acts as a form of broker and the expert gets paid per hour. There are also examples in specific niches. This use case seems small today but it has big potential and it also impacts the other use cases as follows:a) if I am looking for a job but don’t want to advertise that fact, I will be motivated to answer questions that show off my expertise and get me noticed.b) ditto if I am a consultant or working in a consulting businessc) ditto if I am selling something where I want to engage in a conversation first that shows I know what I am talking about

Networking in the Networking in the 2121stst Century Century

Networking is no longer something Networking is no longer something you do only when you lose your you do only when you lose your

job,job,it’s something you do while you’re

working, to work smarter, get known by people who can help your career, and minimize downtime if you have the misfortune of stepping into “in

transition” land. It is the current way to stay in control of your career.

What is Social NetworkingWhat is Social Networking• While the term can mean any interpersonal interaction, it

has come to mean the use of the Internet to connect with people, anywhere, at any time. There are sites that emphasize the “social,” & those like LinkedIn that emphasize “business relationships & business intelligence.”

• Several sites, like LinkedIn, have incorporated a twist on what used to be called “multi-level” marketing, originally designed to sell products & earn monetary percentages of those within your “down chain” network who made sales. In the social networking context, you are able to reach the contacts that your first level contacts make, as well the next level of contacts, 2 generations away from you. This compounding of numbers can generate a large network of contacts that you can communicate with on any subject.

Validation of Networking Validation of Networking ConceptConcept

Networking QuotesNetworking Quotes• One reason (among many) that women may well

take over the world of "virtual enterprises" is that they seem to have a greater instinct for networking. And the unfettered-by-machismo males who have taken to networking will do better than those who shun it as "sissy stuff." But truth is, it has always been the age of "networkers"; and in an era where organizations depend more and more on tenuously connected outsiders to get the job done, it will only become so. -Tom Peters

Networking QuotesNetworking Quotes• “Networking is an essential part of

building wealth” Armstrong Williams• “The currency of real networking is not

greed but generosity” Keith Ferrazzi• “The successful networkers I know, the

ones receiving tons of referrals & feeling truly happy about themselves, continually put the other person’s needs ahead of their own.” Bob Burg

book: Keith Ferrazzi – Never Eat Alone

Let’s Take a Quick TourLet’s Take a Quick Tour

What LinkedIn is notWhat LinkedIn is not

• It is not another version of Facebook or Myspace– Without care these sites can do your personal

reputation harm • (non-professional behavior indicators – reasons to consider

you less than professional) (think sexy or wild party photos)

– Google yourself. If you find something that is unflattering to your career do whatever you can to remove it from the web.

• It is not a waste of time• It is not frivolous

Why use LinkedIn?Why use LinkedIn?

• LinkedIn brings your contacts closer• It exposes/connects you to more people• It helps you get answers to difficult issues of the day• It allows you to advertise not only your existence, but

your unique value proposition• You can establish a reputation as an expert in your field• You become searchable, (if U choose) even when you’re

only passively interested in other career opportunities• It enables you to stay in touch with those you network

with in the physical world.– It helps cement the relationship

Profile of LinkedIn usersProfile of LinkedIn users• Anderson Analytics study – 2008

– Nearly 60% of users have incomes of $93K or more.

– People with lots of connections tend to make more money, according to the study - those with incomes between $200-$350k were seven times more likely to have at least 150 connections than lower income users.

(I’m not validating these numbers or assumptions, just sharing them.)

How do you begin LinkedIn?How do you begin LinkedIn?• Sign on at LinkedIn.com, provide your e-mail address & a

password.• Create your profile

– Customize to market yourself & present those skills you want to highlight

– Customize to show the fuller you by connecting to groups that help a paint a picture of you that you choose

– Customize by establishing links to your own site, notable items about you on the net, etc.

– Change the last portion of your LinkedIn profile from the random assigned alphanumeric sequence to your name, with a numeric after it, if necessary, to make it more professional & memorable in appearance.

E.g. http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/SteveFreedman007

Use of a photo in your profileUse of a photo in your profile• If you use one, make sure it’s a professional one, not a party

shot. Using a graphic instead accomplishes little.• Pros

– It will definitely help the viewer remember you from networking events or previous LinkedIn mail transmissions. It’s the equivalent or a real world, tangible (warm & fuzzy) connection. We help remember each other by our faces.

• Cons – Our society is full of biases, sometimes recognized,

sometimes beneath the surface. They can include race, age, sex, weight, and even attractiveness.

• Ultimately this is a very personal decision you have to make. On age, you can leave off some old jobs and the year you graduated college, but other biases are less easy to work around. Think the issue through and do what feels right for you. You don’t have to use a photo, but it does adds a layer of depth.

Utilize your LinkedIn profile Utilize your LinkedIn profile linklink• By clicking on your LinkedIn profile link anyone

can be brought to a slightly abbreviated version of your LinkedIn profile, & subsequently click on your full profile, if they choose.

– Put it on your business card

– Use it on your resume & cover letters

– Use it in your e-mail signature block

• Yes. Shameless self promotion. If not you, who will tout your accomplishments?

RecommendationsRecommendations

• In order to get your profile to 100% you will need to get some recommendations.

• Contact your past supervisors, peers, and previous business partners and ask them if they would be willing to provide you with a recommendation

• If so, ask them to develop a “minimum” LinkedIn account and let you know when it’s accomplished. Subsequently send them a recommendation request through LinkedIn.

Using LinkedIn groupsUsing LinkedIn groups(Pick your strategy)(Pick your strategy)

• Strategy A – Join groups with a large number of members– This will boost your network quickly.

• Strategy B – Join groups that reflect your different interests– Presents you as a complete person.

• Strategy C – Join groups that reflect what you would like viewers to see to mold their perception of you.– Presents you as you would like others to see you.

• Be aware of the new LinkedIn limit of 50 groups.

Using LinkedIn groups Using LinkedIn groups (cont)(cont)

• Discussion groups– Post & answer questions– Develop recognition among your peers– Utilize the multitude of opinions available

from around the world to help gain a macro perspective to local issues.

• Join physical world groups where you have a connection to enhance relationships, when they have their own LinkedIn groups.

How can you improve your visibility How can you improve your visibility on LinkedIn?on LinkedIn?

• In the “Question” area find your area of expertise, look for questions that you’re comfortable with, and answer them with as much care and generosity of your time as you can.

• Get previous supervisors, peers, &/or subordinates to “recommend you.” This is definitely needed to build your profile to 100%.

• The former helps label you an “expert” and the latter helps substantiate what you say about yourself, giving third party reviewers more comfort in accepting what you present.

Recognition as “Expert”Recognition as “Expert”

• To become an Expert on LinkedIn you answer posed questions. If your answers are deemed to be the best answers by the person who posted the question, that person designates you as an Expert. Repeated occurrences leads LinkedIn to designate you as an Expert.

What can you do on LinkedIn?What can you do on LinkedIn?• Search for people who work in the company that

you have targeted and engage them in conversation – company culture, intro for an informational interview, leads on company research to enhance your interview.

• Talk with people who left a company you’re interested in and try to get the reason they left or some insider information. Remember, everyone has different values & hot buttons, what upsets John may roll off Tom’s back.

What else can you do on LinkedIn?What else can you do on LinkedIn?

• Reconnect with people you haven’t seen in 20 years

• Engage your peers in subject matter focused blogs

• Talk to people in other countries about cultural differences & similarities

Quality versus Quantity discussionQuality versus Quantity discussion• Quality – connect only with those you know &

trust– Pros – Messages you send can be quality enhanced

by having your contacts praise you, along with your message, it adds power and interest to your message.

– Cons – It’s slow to develop your network in this manner.

• Quantity – connect with as many people as you can– Pros – Develop your network quickly– Cons – You have to rely on strangers to pass your

messages along, …. or do you? • (paid account upgrade alternative)

What is a “What is a “LIONLION””• One acronym, two translations, same meaning

– Leading International Open Networkers– LinkedIn Open Networkers

• The meaning is clear:– Individuals who self identify themselves, usually

in their own LinkedIn name “title,” do so to convey the fact that are willing and eager to accept invitations. They may still self-police the incoming requests, but in general their purpose is to build their network quickly, accepting most invitations. They want to network aggressively.

A Blended ApproachA Blended Approach• Like good scotch, a blend of the quality and

quantity approach can help you achieve the positive aspects of both approaches.– Pro – You build a large network in a fraction of the

time– Con – You have to “rely on the kindness of strangers”

• You’ll find that 70% of members want to help each other, either for karma or graciousness

• If your network is large enough, you can attempt contact with many people in one company, increasing chances that one will respond to your request, even if they don’t know you or your contacts.

Adding connectionsAdding connections• There is a degree of peril when inviting connections that

you do not know personally.• On the receiving end of a LinkedIn invitation the recipient

can choose any of the following:– Accept invitation– Archive– I don’t know (your name)

• If your invitations receive too many “I don’t know your name (IDKs)” responses, LinkedIn may cut off your ability to acquire new connections. Accordingly, always include some language in your invitation similar to “… if you are not interested in connecting with me, please click the archive button, otherwise I will be penalized and not be able to connect with great people like you.”

Invites, what they don’t tell youInvites, what they don’t tell you• LinkedIn limits the number of invitations that you

can send to 3,000. Beyond that it prevents you from sending invites.

• HOWEVER, there is no limit on how many invites you can accept. There are people on the site who claim to have over 20,000 first level connections. Tactically seeking out who you would like to connect with, either by your invitation, or by asking them to send you an invitation, takes some thought and finesse. LinkedIn has just set a limit of 30,000 first level contacts.

If you want to make it easy for someone viewing your profile to send YOU an invitation, be sure to include your e-mail address somewhere near the top of your profile. Once you become a heavy user you will value your remaining number of invitations more highly. Upon request, LinkedIn may dole out another 250 invitations, but it is not an easy process to navigate.

OK. Profile built, network building, OK. Profile built, network building, questions answered, recommendations questions answered, recommendations

sought, you finally get to 100% profile build sought, you finally get to 100% profile build position.position.

• Reality check:– The profile can be built in a day– Being really aggressive you can build a big network in about 6 to 8

weeks– Getting old contacts to recommend you can be slow– Maintaining your network can take as much time as growing it, if you

choose to. There’s a train of thought that you need to maintain your network continually, because you never know what life event may change your circumstances.

Every day LinkedIn activityEvery day LinkedIn activity

• Get Linked with everyone in all of the organizations to which you belong. Ask your phone book contacts to join you.

• If one of your organizations has a “group” on LinkedIn, connect to it and participate in the discussion area.

Every day LinkedIn activity (cont)Every day LinkedIn activity (cont)• At EVERY networking event, at the end of your discussion with a

new connection, ask them if they are on LinkedIn & would they like to connect. If they do:– Send them a LinkedIn invite & ALWAYS customize it,

referencing where you met them and any details of your conversation to help them remember you. (Business card discussion)

– To cement the relationship further, after they accept, send them a thank you note. In the note, ask them if they know anyone, in or out of LinkedIn, who might be able to help you in your client search. The business pitch should be soft pedaled and the giving aspect of networking emphasized. It’s referred to as the law of reciprocity (a.k.a. the Giver’s Gain Principle also called Pay It Forward). Give first, receive second.

Periodic LinkedIn ActivityPeriodic LinkedIn Activity• Send low threat or warm correspondence

to your first level on a regular basis to stay in touch or make them aware of something new. Giving tends to get more respect & attention than asking.

• Send “Thank You” scripts to those who accept your invitations or those who invite you

• Send “Occasion” correspondence to keep in touch

Business Intelligence on LinkedInBusiness Intelligence on LinkedIn

• Premise: either because you have an interview or you want to prepare for your encounter with a new contact in a particular company– Go to Search “People”

• Type in “company name” or “company name + geographic location”

– Go to “Companies”• Search industries• Get company specific information & information

concerning your contacts who have left or joined the company

Business Intelligence on LinkedInBusiness Intelligence on LinkedIn(cont)(cont)

• When you’ve found one or more person who work(s) or worked for the company that you’ve targeting, send them LinkedIn mail, either through your connections, or directly, if you’ve paid to upgrade your membership.

• As politely as you can, ask about their company culture, the style of management, the formality/informality of the organization, or any other piece of information not available through internet research. How does the decision making process work in this company? The more research you have on your target company the better your ultimate interview is likely to go.

LinkedIn as part of your self LinkedIn as part of your self promotion strategypromotion strategy

• Develop your profile as you would like other to see you.– If you get a positive performance appraisal ask your supervisor if

he/she would mind posting it to your LinkedIn profile (don’t be afraid to reach out to past supervisors)

– Highlight results oriented accomplishments as you would with a resume

– Identify your interests, volunteer activities, & leadership roles– Networking must be done all the time.– Link your company website to your profile so viewers get to know

you by your association with the company.– Consider creating your own web site. It doesn’t have to be grand,

but gives you an opportunity to post positive things about U.– If you develop your own web site, use LinkedIn to help drive

professionals to it, and promote it.– Remember the “Pay it Forward” mentality.

LinkedIn as part of your self LinkedIn as part of your self promotion strategy (cont)promotion strategy (cont)

• Use the new LinkedIn side applications– Amazon book list – helps add a color

commentary of your different interests, presenting a more well rounded you.

– Google Presentation – post some of your white paper/Power Point work

– Miscellaneous Apps for sharing and monitoring data

Time ManagementTime Management• LinkedIn is a wonderful tool. This presentation focuses

on its use in a career development. It’s also useful for establishing warmer cold calls. It’s great for gathering business intelligence. It’s great to stay connected with people as you move from job to job, or from state to state, because people want to maintain their connections & network. (Try to use it on the weekend or evenings)

• However it is only one tool. LinkedIn & on-line social networking should take no more than 20% of your week if you’re working. For those in transition, join LinkedIn with your networking events in the physical world, to solidify those contacts. A blended strategy is the most successful approach.

• Consider doing most of your LinkedIn work after normal working hours, so it doesn’t interfere with daily business or networking opportunities.

What advice would you give a person wanting to maximize the value of LinkedIn?

(I was awarded best answer on LinkedIn for this answer)

My top 10 list:

1. Utilize your LinkedIn profile link on business cards, resumes, cover letters, and e-signature blocks. 2. Hook to your personal web site or blogs 3. Answer questions so you get known. 4. Join groups that both reflect your interests (to show the color beyond the facts of experience) and to maximize your reach into the database of people.

5. Choose one or more apps to help people get to know you or get to know other aspects of you (like the Amazon reading list)

6. Conclude every physical world networking meeting with (a) "are you on LinkedIn?" and (b) "may I send you an invitation so we can stay connected?"

7. Get in touch with previous clients, supervisors, peers, coworkers, and subordinates off LinkedIn and (a) ask them if they'd be willing to say something positive about you online, (b) if so ask them if they have a LinkedIn account, if not explain the process and their minimum participation needed in order to post a recommendation, (c) have them notify you once the account is created, and (d) send them a request for a recommendation. Recommendations from people who can speak to the quality of your work are superior in the eyes of reviewers to those garnered from other LinkedIn associates who you may help in a pay it forward fashion, but are often looking for reciprocity. (I'm not discounting the value of the latter, just making a comparative analysis.)

8. Do research on companies where you might want to work or to sell a product. Work towards an informational interview or company culture information so you can either work into an insider referral for an interview or a warmer sales call. 9. ALWAYS send a thank you note to anyone on LinkedIn who has helped you in any manner possible. LinkedIn is all about developing relationships and we all like to think that our time is valuable and appreciated. 10. Create a marketing tag line for the top of your profile that helps to identify you with your occupation in a memorable fashion. The shorter and more meaningful the better.

Good Luck!Good Luck!

Feel free to download this presentation from the “white paper” section of my website: www.StevenRFreedman.com727-360-7049

Remember that once found, new Remember that once found, new contacts need to be nurtured.contacts need to be nurtured.

Get Connected, Stay Connected

Any Questions?Any Questions?