1. Building an
Effective LinkedIn
Profile
Tips that work to improve your return
in searches and views
Part 1- Your Profile as A Trap
2. Understanding how LinkedIn works
• LinkedIn is another tool that allows the WWW to find
you
• LinkedIn allows you to find and communicate with
other like minded individuals and companies
• LinkedIn is useful as a research site and allows for you
to participate in educational and professional groups
• LinkedIn has many ways of finding job and network
opportunities
• LinkedIn is not a resume but a resume can be a good
beginning for this tool. Start with this data (it’s out
there anyway) and build from there.
4. Objectives for Getting Found
• Building the better traps
– Profile is not a resume
• Profile =Billboard= Trap
– Location, Location, Location
– “If you Build it , they will come”
• Need to have activity, keyword, and content to be seen
– Put the right bait in your trap
• Headline=Ideal Job= Bait
• Check your traps to get your results
– Monitor your results
– Adjust your bait, location
6. LinkedIn Home Page Basics
• Finding Key Tools
– The arsenal of LinkedIn Menu Bar
• Provides for access to home page –The Happy Hunting Ground
• Profile – Your Snare or trap
• Connections –The Hunting Party
• Groups- The Hunting Club
• Companies- Herds/Flocks/Schools
• Jobs, etc- Tracks and Trails
7. LinkedIn Home Page Basics
• Finding Key Tools
– Search Tools
– Trails/Tracks are available and left to access
– Persons
– Companies
– Groups
– Note advanced tab used to check your traps
8. LinkedIn Home Page Basics
• Finding Key
Tools
– Trailing and
Tracking the prey
with Notifications
• Keeps you up on
network activity of
• your connections,
• followed
companies or
people as well as
interests
9. LinkedIn Home Page Basics
• Finding Key Tools
– Statistics
• Means of tracking your
profiles performance and
strength
10. LinkedIn Home Page Basics
• Finding Key Tools
– Suggestions from your
Hunting Party
• Many available including
network identified
connections
• Jobs
• Groups
• other related data of
interest
11. Building Your Profile
• To be searchable your profile needs to be 100% Complete
Requirements for 100%
Basic Settings will need to be adjusted
Valid Email/Alternate Email
Profile Headline
Summary
Current/Past Positions/Companies
Photo (can be a graphic)
3+ recommendations
14. Privacy settings
•For a Trapper/Jobseeker
•Place the trap where the
prey will find it
•Use the recommended
Privacy Setting, If you
posted a resume on any
Job Board your there
anyway
•Others such as Hiring
Managers, Recruiters may
chose the “Someone …” Tag
•Total anonymity will get no
passive returns
15. Name , Location and Headline
• Important Information
that will be used to
identify you . Write
carefully
17. Profile Basics
• Determine where in the world you wish to be
• Location, Location, Location.
– Too trap your prey you have to pick a field
– Too large an area means too much competition
– LinkedIn allows you to pick only one postal
code or one country (USA is probably too pick)
– Suggest moving your Postal Code to Center of
Metro Area where you what to work (Houston
77002)
18. Profile Basics
• Provide contact data
– Keep this to a minimum as it may be shared with
everyone
– Remember rules for professional E-mail Address
– Do Not provide home address (privacy concerns,
limits your opportunity
– Don’t forget to say why you are on LinkedIn (basic
list provided)
19. Profile Basics
• Your Headline will be the window to the world as
searchers look for you.
• IE This is the bait in your Trap
– Limit is 80 Characters Choose wisely (game warden has
rules to)
– Suggest that you real off as many variations of your
proposed job titles as possible in this length (make it
sweet to your prey)
– If you are looking for work, Do not use Job Seeker,
Between Jobs, retired, ETC ETC. Hiring managers
rarely look for someone to fill the position of Job Seeker.
– Stale Bait gets you nowhere Refresh as needed
20. Profile Basics
• Keep in Mind that your prey may be in the next field
(Google or some other Search Engine) and will need to
be attracted by something other than a headline.
– These search engines vary and are trapped by
relevance. Key Profile sections include
– Professional headline
– The title of your current role
– The title of your past roles
– Summary statement
– Specialties
21. Profile Basics
• Advantages of providing basic data of your
history
– Prior and Current Employers should be listed as it is
a window to searching and connecting. Make sure
you use the right name of prior engagements as
many similar names may exist.
– Provide all educational opportunities to access your
connections with class mates
22. Getting Recommendations
• Need Three to make profile 100% make this
step a priority
• Talk with prior coworkers, clients, and other
professional contacts to get meaningful
recommendations.
• Give to get. Sucking up at this stage never hurt
anyone
23. Other Profile Enhancements
• Get Comfortable with this process
– You will be tweaking this considerably as you go. Improving
words, adding section, adding data, and keeping active
– Use the maximum effective words to describe each position.
This will improve your returns in searches as hiring managers
seek their candidates. Forget the two page resume rule
– Make certain you list the objectives of your profile (Job
Seeker)
– Have fun with this . You will quickly be in contact with
persons you have forgotten and new contacts across the
globe
24. Add Alternate Searchable Sections
• Consider using the other sections of LinkedIn to
expand your profile
• Remember the sweeter the bait, the more
searches will be trapped and ultimately viewed if
the quality of the data stands out
26. List any projects
• This allows you to link your data to others in the
workgroups directly
• Also provides for details of your accomplishments (2000
Characters Limit)
27. Use Alternate Applications
• Many available to allow for more text data and
formatted information to be stored and available
to your connections. List is long but includes
– Slideshare
Provides space for power point and other formatted message
presentations
– Box.net
Provides space for formatted text, digital images, other FTP type files to
share
– Reading List by Amazon
28. Methods for Building Presence
• All good Hunting and Fishing starts with
tracking your prey and seeding your pond
– Use network activity for leads and trends
– Use groups to get your name on top
– Follow trails (people and companies)
– Dig for live bait
– LinkedIn like hunting and fishing has sweet times of
the day. Make a habit of trolling when the catch is
running
29. Methods for Keeping Present
• Make LinkedIn a habit
– Check your traps & lines once a day.
– Respond immediately.
– Post updates on your search
• “Attended BJM Sr Managers Meeting and I’m excited!”
– Chumming is good!
• Go to different ponds (groups) and make a comment or
post a subject (pick 3 to begin)
• Don’t throw stones - add something of interest other than
clicking the like button.
30. Methods for Keeping Present
• LinkedIn is more than a job board.
– A place to tell your story
to like minded professionals
• Showcase your
– Skills & Expertise
– Interests & Activity
– Experience & Value