This document provides an introduction to using LinkedIn for professional networking. It discusses what LinkedIn is, how to set up an account and build a professional profile. Key aspects covered include filling out work experience, skills, recommendations and groups. The document also discusses how to find jobs and companies on LinkedIn and enhance one's profile through customization and engagement on the site.

1. LinkedIn: An introduction to
professional social
networking
Presented by James Pendergrass

2. Topics Covered

3. What is LinkedIn ?
• LinkedIn is part of what is known as the “Social Media
Revolution” that includes Google, Facebook, Twitter,
Youtube, Flickr, and more.
• http://youtu.be/ZQzsQkMFgHE
• LinkedIn allows you to go beyond a resume or cover letter
and gives you the ability to showcase your work
experience, skills, education, portfolio, and more!

4. What is LinkedIn ?
• LinkedIn connects you to your trusted contacts and helps
you exchange knowledge, ideas and opportunities with a
broad network of professionals.
• Worlds Largest Professional Network with over 175 million
members.*
• Over 20 million students and recent college
graduates.*
• Over 1,000,000 Groups (majority are employment related)*
* http://press.linkedin.com/about

5. Common Terminology

6. Can I use LinkedIn to Build
Business Relationships and Recruit?
Absolutely!

7. Accessing my LinkedIn Account
• Cloud based account (not stored locally)
• Access from devices such as:
• Laptop
• Desktop
• iPod
• Smartphone (iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, etc.)
• Tablets (iPad, Android, Windows)

8. Steps to set up a LinkedIn Account
• Creating a LinkedIn Account - STEP BY STEP PROCESS
• Add Photo and Basic Information
• Write a Summary
• Add Jobs (include ALL of your jobs)
• Add Skills, Expertise, Links, Honors, Interests, Volunteer
Experience,
• Fill out your Industry, Contact Information and postal code
• Add Education and Additional Information
• Connect!!!

9. Profile Building
• The more you do, the more contacts you could have in your
LinkedIn network!
• Fill out your LinkedIn profile.
• Check for former colleagues and classmates who are on
LinkedIn by using specific LinkedIn search tools.
• Import your Outlook contacts.
• Import your Webmail contacts.
• Check for people who share a group or affiliation with you.

10. Profile Building continued...
• Go through your business cards for potential contacts and
search for them on LinkedIn. Send them an Invite or Request
to Join.
• Search through your 1st degree network connections.
• Advertise yourself through LinkedIn Answers.

11. LinkedIn Navigation Bar

12. Home
Find People
you might
know
Status
Update
Who has
viewed your
profile
Links Updates

13. Profile
Profile
Picture
URL
Experience

14. Enhancing your LinkedIn Profile
• Create a customized URL. For example, you can set up your
LinkedIn profile to be found at
www.linkedin.com/in/jmpendergrass instead of the default,
which could be www.linkedin.com/in/4JPA678.
• This is good when networking with other professionals,
helps make you look professional, and is easier to
remember.
• USE IT ON YOUR BUSINESS CARDS!
• Add as many past employers as you have had so former co-
workers can find you.
• Make sure your professional headline emphasizes keywords you
want to use to promote yourself.

15. Enhancing your LinkedIn Profile
• Make your profile public and set it to Full View so
your LinkedIn profile will show up in web search
results.
• You can set the account to private, but it will
make it more difficult for you to be discovered
and connect with other professionals.
• Add links from your LinkedIn profile to web sites you
are trying to promote like your blog, e-commerce
store, or company web site.
• For web site links that you add to your profile,
select other and rename each link to include
meaningful keywords.
• Avoid using generic name such as “My Blog”.
Instead use a name that will bring attention to
your site, such as “James’s Career Crossroads
Blog.”

16. Enhancing your LinkedIn Profile
• Include an e-mail addresses in your profile so people
can connect with you.
• LinkedIn does not display your e-mail addresses to
the public; they simply keep your e-mail addresses on
file when someone tries to connect with you.
• Fill out the Summary field of your profile with
critical skills and important career-related
keywords, and fill out the Skills section.

17. Enhancing your LinkedIn Profile
• Add a link to your LinkedIn profile in your e-mail
signature file.
• Use the People You May Know feature.
• Meet people on LinkedIn (through LinkedIn Answers,
Groups, Jobs, and People Search) and then invite them
to your network.

18. Recommendations
• Recommendations help illustrate your achievements,
project credibility, and show why people enjoy
working with you.
• Ask your 1st degree trusted contacts for
recommendations and reciprocate.
• When recruiters look at the recommendations you’ve
received, it gives them a better snapshot of your
abilities.

19. Groups
• Discover popular topics in your profession or area of
interest.
• Be an active participant, be visible.
• Follow top contributors.
• Post relevant Topics, Jobs, Events
• Start a Poll
• Gain access to new LinkedIn members who may be good
connections.

20. LinkedIn Polls
• Polls allow you to pose business or research related
questions to your groups.
• Increase visibility
• Gain new insight and knowledge

21. LinkedIn Answers
• New Feature on LinkedIn to encourage active
engagement.
• Allows you to answer questions and show that you are
an expert in that area, or you can get feedback on
questions that you may have.
• The more questions you answer, the more opportunities
you will have to be recognized as being knowledgeable
in that subject.

22. Applications for LinkedIn
• LinkedIn has value added applications such as:
• Amazon Reading List
• Tripit
• Wordpress
• SlideShare
*These allow your network, or potential LinkedIn
connections, to learn more about your projects,
preferences, and activities.

23. Jobs
• Basic search allows you to use keywords to search for
jobs posted on LinkedIn.
• Using advance search allows you to better define your
search and add location information (what city/state
you want to look).
• If no jobs are posted, the search engine uses
SimplyHired to search for jobs outside of
LinkedIn.com.
• You can save jobs you’ve looked at to review later,
and save searches so you can run them at a later
time.

24. Companies
• Discover popular companies in your profession or area
of interest.
• Search for jobs posted by each company.
• Find people you can connect with, or connections that
can connect you, at the company.

25. Modifying Account Information
• Can I change my email address?
• Can I Edit my Profile?
• Can I change my password and settings?
• Can I change my notification settings (Email alerts)?
• Can I link to my other social media accounts?
• Can I allow or deny access to my account?

26. Things NOT to do on LinkedIn
• Post when you are emotional or give/share personal
information.
• Common-sense
• Spelling or grammar errors present on your profile.
• Fail to provide anything of value.
• Make a contribution – information, a link, comment
• Failing to provide links to other sources.
• One of the most valuable parts of LinkedIn is making it
easy for people to discover new articles, Web sites, or
provide referrals.

27. Some Great LinkedIn Resources…
• www.linkedin.com
• The official site for LinkedIn where you can find
tutorials, webinars and step by step assistance.
• “LinkedIn for Dummies”
• Comprehensive book with lots of information on how
to use LinkedIn.

28. Wrap-Up
Questions???