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Linked in for career development MBA Talk (08.12.11)
- 1. Using LinkedIn Strategically as a Career Development Tool Walter Akana
- 2. Agenda • • • • What this session is NOT The Need for Strategy Five principles for LinkedIn Strategy Social Media Adoption Cycle February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 2
- 3. NOT About Common LinkedIn Tips • • • • • • Complete your profile, including a photo Build your connections Personalize invitations Use job postings Include key words in your profile …etc… February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 3
- 4. Why strategy for LinkedIn… February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 4
- 5. February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 5
- 6. February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 6
- 7. Key Words / SEO February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 7
- 8. February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 8
- 9. February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 9
- 10. “We're moving away from "users," "customers," and "shoppers": social media is bringing back the human element to all digital interaction. People now deliberately seek meaningful connection, self-expression, and a relevant and receptive community.” -Ravit Lichtenberg (ReadWriteWeb) February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 10
- 11. Relationship Economy February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 11
- 12. February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 12
- 13. Results Strategy February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 13
- 14. st Principle 1 February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 14
- 15. You’re not merely a painter.... ….but you offer clients vibrant color February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 15
- 16. Complete Your Profile Tell your story Describe your specialties Show your experience February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 16
- 17. Use the summary to tell your story I am a strategist who... …I place high value on helping clients achieve greater self-direction – perhaps because I’ve done that for myself. In high school, I took control when I started skipping classes to read whatever I wanted…. I love what I do and am thrilled when I see clients stand up, shake off the status quo, and achieve more personal and professional satisfaction. February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 17
- 18. Make your specialties specific Coaching and consulting in career transition, personal branding, and online identity. Writing and speaking on social media, professional presence, and networking. Collaborating with ad hoc teams on a range of personal branding and career management projects. February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 18
- 19. Keep your experience… Relevant February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 19
- 20. nd 2 February 24, 2014 Principle Using LinkedIn Strategically 20
- 21. Friends Followers Fans February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 21
- 22. They Get It... so, they… Get You! February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 22
- 23. Organize and tag your contacts… February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 23
- 24. …Personal Branding… February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 24
- 25. 3rd Principle February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 25
- 26. One of us… February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 26
- 27. Show Up February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 27
- 28. Use LinkedIn Apps February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 28
- 29. 4th Principle February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 29
- 30. February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 30
- 31. Write recommendations… February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 31
- 32. Use updates page to engage … February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 32
- 33. Join / participate in LinkedIn Groups… February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 33
- 34. 5th Principle February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 34
- 35. Reach out…and touch someone February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 35
- 36. February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 36
- 37. February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 37
- 38. February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 38
- 39. Implement your strategy… over time… February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 39
- 40. Social Media Adoption Cycle Listen Share Engage February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 40
- 41. Known,…. Liked,… Trusted... February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 41
- 42. “[Business] … happens in the small, personal interactions that allow us to prove to each other who we are and what we believe in, honest moments that promote good feelings and build trust and loyalty. Why? Because when it comes down to it, the only thing that will never change is human nature. When given the choice, people will always spend their time around people they like. When it's expedient and practical, they'd also rather do business and buy stuff from people they like. And now, they can. Social media has made it possible for consumers to interact with businesses in a way that is often similar to how they interact with friends and family.” ~ Gary Vaynerchuck, The Thank You Economy February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 42
- 43. Opportunities Ultimately Flow From Trusted Networks February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 43
- 44. Questions February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 44
- 45. Thank You! Walter Akana: walter.akana@gmail.com February 24, 2014 Using LinkedIn Strategically 45
Editor's Notes
- Here are some common ones….you can find them in many articles… These are from a Forbes article on using LinkedIn to advance your careerThis is good advice, but very, very basic…What most articles an speakers miss is using LinkedIn strategically … especially as a career development -- or as I sometimes like to say a success tool! ---------------------http://blogs.forbes.com/susanadams/2011/06/28/nine-ways-to-use-linkedin-to-advance-your-career/
- This is probably the first question we need to answer….Think of it this way: Social media, today is the way to get your message out to the people you want/need to connect with….and in the big, big world of the internet, lack of a strategy is a little like…
- Putting your message in bottle, and hoping it somehow reaches the people you need to connect with…Problem is, it’s random, unfocused, and time consuming in getting the results you’re after…Worse…Your message must compete with a virtual sea of messages… so, ultimately, you do not stand out…Unfortunately, putting a message in a bottle has a lot in common with how many people attempt to leverage technology to get noticed for new opportunities…
- Putting your message in bottle, and hoping it somehow reaches the people you need to connect with…Problem is, it’s random, unfocused, and time consuming in getting the results you’re after…Worse…Your message must compete with a virtual sea of messages… so, ultimately, you do not stand out…Unfortunately, putting a message in a bottle has a lot in common with how many people attempt to leverage technology to get noticed for new opportunities…
- Drive Traffic… Get Found….Many career coaches advise people to use keywords and SEO in online profiles and resumes to drive traffic and generate interest. People think of it as a social media strategy, though we’d argue it’s not. In any event, it’s a passive strategy that relies, as does submitting a resume to a job board, driving traffic, generating interest, and being found… and it rarely works well… And even if you know the kind of decision makers you’re trying to attract, this does nothing to help you develop a relationship with them……and if that’s not bad enough, THIS kind of “find me, find me” broadcast approach often does something else…It creates a wall of BUZZ …that can eve work against you…Ultimately, it’s about becoming …
- It can create a WALL of BUZZWORDS that can: obscure what people actually do; and still worseimpede more natural human contact; and often, the words you use are the words others use…Unfortunately, people don’t respond well to that…Instead, they often seek more specific and human information… they ask…----------------------------------------------------------Example (from Jan 23 e-mail with Carol – See especially specialties! ):Mark L. Smith’s SummaryI’m an executive who makes software products successful. My strengths are in project resourcing, technical architecture and algorithm design, composing product stories, and telling those product stories through demos. I act as a consultant to firms of all sizes who need products/projects created or shepherded to the next level in addition to my own software products that I create and market. I thrive on defining and refining problems and market opportunities and then executing a plan to address that need. I have a deep understanding of information technology and its many layers and am an experienced team builder and process implementer. From basic computer science, including published works in prestigious software development journals, to successful, global systems implementation, I have the background knowledge and experience to make technology driven products successful. I founded a successful startup in 2000 and sold it in 2005. Prior to that, I was a chief architect for the Enterprise Shared Services team with UnumProvident, the worldwide leader in disability insurance.Mark L. Smith’s Specialties:Project management and resourcing, technical architecture and algorithm design, buy vs. build analysis, composing product stories and telling those product stories through demos. I’ve served companies in the real estate, insurance, banking, healthcare, media, technology, and construction industries.
- This is the foundation for the new model of for career success… Let’s face it, at a social gathering, people don’t ask for your key words…nor do you rattle them off… No, you tell stories! It’s more of a know me, like me, trust me approach!Story is the glue in human society, and has been around since a time when the predominant social media platform was the tribal campfire….Story is a vehicle for meaning, and it’s now beginning to show up even more on the web…Here’s a view of that nicely captured in an article on ReadWriteWeb:----------------------------------------------------------Note GA Tech Authentic Leadership course uses story. Students have to uncover and tell theirs…
- In part this means that you need to determine what in your career or business is MEANINGFUL for you and RELEVANT to your community… …today, it’s meaning that drives connection…We used to say, if you don’t show up on Google you don’t exist. The new standard is rapidly becoming: if you don’t have a story you don’t matter.In fact, thereality is, we’re now living in a …------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10 Ways Social Media Will Change in 2009, http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/10_ways_social_media_will_change_in_2009.php
- So, the context for social media strategy is NOT in the technology that drives it….but the broader, global relationship economy… THIS is what you social media strategy needs to be built on! Built on top of the relationship economy…And it all starts with your goals! ----------------------------------------------------This is not entirely new. In many respects this is like relationship selling, people buy from the people they know like and trust… (Contrast: not like selling vacuum cleaners door to door…) It applies to reaching all kinds of goals. In his book, Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi makes the point that all things are achieve through relationships … to the point that he recommends creating a relationship action plan.Yet, before you can do even that, you need to begin drafting your…----------------------------------------------Source for Relationship Economy (a new world of opportunity) comes from Scott Allen, Jay T. Deragon, Margaret Orem, andCarter F. Smith in their book, The Emergence of The Relationship Economy: The New Order of Things to Come(which “…discusses how relationships form through social networking tools and the economies they create in the process.”)Another perspective: To not see and respond to it, its to get stuck in the past… Today, value is created inside of relationships… Back up quote: “Those who get caught in the past and resist change will be forced deeper into commoditization. Those who can create value through leadership, relationships and creativity will transform the industry, as well as strengthen relationships with their existing clients.” - L. Gary Boomer, CEO of Boomer Consulting
- Before you can reasonably craft an effective strategy, you need to have some idea of what you goals are…AND, it requires much more specificity than seeking out a particular job title or more leads to a particular type of customer. AND it requires getting beyond presenting yourself as the solution to every potential problem that seems to fall within the scope of your profession or industry. Today, you need to think about who you are seeking to serve in terms of your specific niche. So, as a first step, you need to sketch out what you want to do, the value deliver and to whom (who you want to serve). Yet, you also need to figure out how you are going to let them know that you have expertise that is relevant to them – and this means:Putting it on display;Engaging your audience in relevant conversation.--------------------------------------For example, you can no longer say you are an accountant seeking an accounting job, especially if your skills are in forensic accounting and fraud detection. If that’s what you do best, and love doing it, that’s exactly the way you need to focus your goals. If you are an accountant with her own practice, you’d do less well seeking out any client you can get, if the niche you want to work with is entrepreneurial women who are corporate refugees…
- So, if you have an idea of the results you need to produce, you can then get to the business of figuring out how you can best navigate LinkedIn (or other social media platforms)… Here are five principles to help you do that…
- Your FIRST task is to figure out the clear and differentiated value you offer….and by value we mean what people not only appreciate but are willing to HIRE you to do!You may have core transferable skills, yet differentiated value is more… Let’s take accounts for example. All the same, right? Here are two: One works for a Big Four firm, and his value is this: I push beyond the the limits of an acceptable audit to show the business implications of seemingly minor findings;The other is Owner of a Private Accounting Firm: “I put my clients at ease by using my positive and upbeat personality to make the process non-threatening and even fun.”-----------------Backstory, including past actions and results:Big Four Accountant: Having grown up violence and turmoil of in Northern Ireland, I great clarity about what the worst that could happen, which led in turn to a certain brashness/fearlessness in my work with clients…;Owner of a Private Accounting Firm: I always felt constrained in corporate life. Being a naturally fun loving and creative person, I learned found my sweet spot in working with women entrepreneurs who are as suspicious of corporate trappings as I was…Your specialties to provide focus on what people can expect from youSoftware Test Engineer: Testing complex software for critical systems, including 911, with short deadlines….Industrial Engineer/Organization Development Specialist: Provide credible leadership with a non-judgmental, inclusive style, and good humor to build and bring out the best in teams.
- Differentiated value means “how you do things and the outcomes you produce…delivered to the people who are seeking that value.”Let’s look at actions you can take to help you achieve that focus… These are already on your strategy planning form, so, you may want to make notes that will help you implement these steps later…
- Summary I am a strategist who helps executives and professionals gain more control of their careers and lives. I am adept at guiding clients to insights into personal attributes and competencies that make them stand out and excel. I place high value on helping clients achieve greater self-direction – perhaps because I’ve done that for myself.In high school, I took control when I started skipping classes to read whatever I wanted…. It was my version of an independent study in things that mattered more to me than to my teachers. I didn’t seek permission. I just did it. In college, I designed an independent study in an emerging field in psychology; and while pursuing a masters in social work, I broke ranks with the more psychoanalytic bent of the school to look at behavioral approaches to change. I started a social work career, but soon found it an unfriendly environment for self-directed people. So, I launched a corporate career in training and development, where I felt I’d have a better control of my destiny, and ultimately became a professional development manager in corporate and investment banking. I loved training and development! As a self-motivated, life-long learner, it was a natural fit. Not only did it empower me, but also showed that I could share ideas and tools that could empower others.After my third corporate restructuring, I decided it was time for another big change. So, I moved on to career coaching as a vehicle to help others make their own game. I also worked to develop my personal brand. When I saw its power, I became a certified personal branding and online identity strategist, providing more tools to help clients gain control of their careers and lives in a rapidly changing world.I love what I do and am thrilled when I see clients stand up, shake off the status quo, and achieve more personal and professional satisfaction. SpecialtiesCoaching and consulting in career transition, personal branding, and online identity.Writing and speaking on social media, professional presence, and networking.Collaborating with ad hoc teams on a range of personal branding and career management projects.
- Your EXPERIENCE section should be built on your past accomplishments, but also support your differentiated value, and your specialties..DO NOT cut and paste all of the bullets from your resume…be selective…Ideally you want to convey information to the people who are relevant to you…and for whom you’re relevant……which takes us to our next principle…
- We think the most relevant and receptive group to what you offer is your Brand Community… So, you need to be pretty deliberate about figuring out who your relevant contacts are…starting with your current ones…Defining them, is the second principle of social media strategy… …and when we say specific, we mean specific…
- Many people in social media would have you believe you need to connect with your Friends, Followers, and Fans…….and the more of them you have the more likely you are to be successful…Actually NOT for most people!!! ------------Exceptions may be artists, celebrities, politicians…
- Rather ……your audience is more likely to be people who are relevant to what you do…because they GET IT! And they GET YOU!Your strategy should be to present to the value you offer to the groups of people: who do what you do; work with people who do what you do; supply people who do what you do; hire people who do what you do. So, how to do that?
- To start identifying your brand community, start organizing and tagging the your contacts on LinkedIn…As you add contacts from your on-line and meet up activities make sure to tag new contacts based on where they fit in your brand community…Making this a habit will help keep you focused on the different audiences you need to attend to … and the relationships you want to nourish…Also make sure to tag for cross platform…So, if you are on Twitter and have contacts to are, tag ‘em and make sure you’re following them… so this when you add Twitter Followers to your LI contacts…
- Actually, if you’re familiar with Google+., you’ll realize that this is the functionality that is behind “Circles”
- Social media offers a lot of “noise,” so people are use to seeing lots of folks on social media platforms and they have learned to filter most of them OUT… Your job is to get filtered IN…You get filtered in, when people see you as One of Us… You need to get on people’s radar…… if people don’t know you’re there, social media offers very little, if any, advantage…Remember, to be seen as “one of us” people need to first SEE you – but they also need to BELIEVE you…And there is lots you can do,…though, be sure to start with what your comfortable with… Here are some ideas you may be able to integrate into your strategy…
- ….you want your brand community to see you as “one of us”… Yet, just because people reside in your brand community, doesn’t necessarily mean that they will be ready connect with you…
- You need to get on people’s radar…… if people don’t know you’re there, social media offers very little, if any, advantage…Remember, to be seen as “one of us” people need to first SEE you – but they also need to BELIEVE you…And there is lots you can do,…though, be sure to start with what your comfortable with… Here are some ideas you may be able to integrate into your strategy…
- LI Apps provide you with several ways to display your interests and expertise… (and in the case of HUDDLE to even collaborate with your LI connections)…Perhaps as important…they provide other people hooks they can use to reach out and connect with you…e.g., Amazon Reading List….-------------------------Also, don’t forget to list links to a website or blog in your profile…
- Getting noticed and valued often results when people see you as generous…
- One way to be generous is to ACKNOWLEDGE OTHERS…SHARE IDEAS…It’s a generous act, and is one path to becoming visible, credible, and (frankly) appreciated! As well, it builds good will and predisposes them to acknowledge you in return! Being acknowledged positively by others is a path to credibility…Just consider LinkedIn Recommendations… It’s said that one of the best ways to get them, is to give them… Partly, this is because you’ve sown the seeds of acknowledgement …and partly, I suppose, because you establish obligation…Aside from recommending others, it can be challenging to know exactly how to acknowledge others… Yet, social media provides rich opportunities to do just that! And to do it in small doses, over time… ------------Yet, there’s something else you need to do…over time, share ideas…Find a way to give away your expertise in small doses. This may seem counterintuitive. Why would you give away what you want to charge people for? Still, it seems that people who develop the best reputations in the social media world are the people who give away the most. Chris Brogan, co-author of “Trust Agents,” has a daily rate in excess of 20,000 dollars…yet, he continues his long-standing practice of giving stuff away…! So, in implementing this strategy, you want to consider both how you can acknowledge others and how you can share your expertise…
- Make sure to check the Updates Page to interact with people you know… Gives you a way to stay on their radar while acknowledging them, engaging them, and contributing to conversations… It also raises your “ambient awareness” of their activities so you can engage others meaningfully.
- Make sure to check the Updates Page to interact with people you know… Gives you a way to stay on their radar while acknowledging them, engaging them, and contributing to conversations… It also raises your “ambient awareness” of their activities so you can engage others meaningfully.
- …. And do so professionally, offering your point of view in a way that adds value to the discussion….DO NOT, as I’ve seen, use this as a place to slam others or come off as superior!!!
- It truly is about building relationships… it’s not about loading up on “Facebook Friends,” Blog Readers,” “Twitter Followers,” or (the ever popular) “LinkedIn Contacts.” Your challenge is to not only begin but to grow relationships with people you who find are predisposed to knowing, liking, and trusting you…And to do that, they have to find you…and find you approachable… So, the … make sure you connect across the platforms…
- Once upon a time AT&T hit on an ad that evoked a powerful image… using the telephone to connect and touch others… Of course, it also helped if the people you reached via telephone were people who saw you around…say at the park, at a community festival, at a family gathering, on the way to work, shopping…Social media expands the possibilities for people to “see you around” if you show up on different social media sites… and interact with the same people, say on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, for example. Doing so, can actually strengthen your bonds…Still, it gets even better when people see you, face-to-face at meetups, trade shows, conferences…and even speak with you on the phone….As you show up in multiple ways with members of your brand community, you gain inside information and referrals because people see you as an insider!
- Sure, you can connect on multiple, cloud based social media platforms, but make it a point to get out to see people eyeball to eyeball!
- Sure, you can connect on multiple, cloud based social media platforms, but make it a point to get out to see people eyeball to eyeball!
- Sure, you can connect on multiple, cloud based social media platforms, but make it a point to get out to see people eyeball to eyeball!
- You’ll still need to implement your strategy over time…For that, we’d suggest a model for organizing your activities over time… We call it the…
- This cycle is something we’ve typically recommended for beginners, yet it provides even experienced folks, an organized way of thinking about activities over time. It is especially useful in making sure you balance your activities…It may take some conscious effort at the beginning, but soon you’ll be able to use it intuitively …Here’s how it works…
- Gary Vaynerchuck, in his recent book, The Thank You Economy, has a marvelous quote….that essentially boils down thisSo, you need to shape your LinkedIn presence in a way that helps people see you as work know, liking, and possibly trusting…Here’s Gary’s quote:“[Business] … happens in the small, personal interactions that allow us to prove to each other who we are and what we believe in, honest moments that promote good feelings and build trust and loyalty. Now imagine that you could take those interactions and scale them to hundreds, thousands, or millions of people …. Now, … it's necessary. In fact, those companies and brands that refuse to try could jeopardize the potential of their business, and in the long term, even their very existence.Why? Because when it comes down to it, the only thing that will never change is human nature. When given the choice, people will always spend their time around people they like. When it's expedient and practical, they'd also rather do business and buy stuff from people they like. And now, they can. Social media has made it possible for consumers to interact with businesses in a way that is often similar to how they interact with friends and family.”
- Gary Vaynerchuck, in his recent book, The Thank You Economy, has a marvelous quote….that essentially boils down thisSo, you need to shape your LinkedIn presence in a way that helps people see you as work know, liking, and possibly trusting…Here’s Gary’s quote:“[Business] … happens in the small, personal interactions that allow us to prove to each other who we are and what we believe in, honest moments that promote good feelings and build trust and loyalty. Now imagine that you could take those interactions and scale them to hundreds, thousands, or millions of people …. Now, … it's necessary. In fact, those companies and brands that refuse to try could jeopardize the potential of their business, and in the long term, even their very existence.Why? Because when it comes down to it, the only thing that will never change is human nature. When given the choice, people will always spend their time around people they like. When it's expedient and practical, they'd also rather do business and buy stuff from people they like. And now, they can. Social media has made it possible for consumers to interact with businesses in a way that is often similar to how they interact with friends and family.”
- Some people bemoan the fact that they don’t have the contacts they need to move their careers forward…and can be desperate when circumstances force them into a job search…However, for long-term Career Management, you need to keep in mind that you must nurture your network in small increments daily…It’s like the proverb says: There are two good times to plant a tree: 20 years ago… and right now!! …and the time you invest in social media is a step in building yours…