LinkedIn remains the number one professional social
networking site with over 347 million members and 4 million company pages. Each semester, we present a webinar on
the topic of LinkedIn. The latest webinar was titled, “Making the Most of Your
LinkedIn Profile” and we shared strategies on how to strengthen your
online presence, maximize your networking efforts, and get the most out of your
profile. Participants ranged
from those who did not have a LinkedIn profile to seasoned LinkedIn users.
We would like to
share our responses to questions that were submitted from our last webinar:
Q:
How do you present your experience on LinkedIn if you held positions that are
in completely different fields? I have held a smorgasbord of jobs and want to
present a solid professional brand for employers of interest.
A: Keywords are very important! Focus on highlighting
transferable skills that relate to the type of positions you are interested in
pursuing. Help the reader see that you have the skill sets necessary to succeed
in your target role by illustrating the parallels between your past experiences
and what you hope to do next. Avoid listing unrelated “job duties” and focus on
showcasing transferable skill sets and accomplishments.
Q:
In addition to joining a LinkedIn group in your target field or industry, how
else can you establish a footprint for a company of interest? How best
can you get your profile in front of them?
A: Joining groups consistent with your professional field(s)
of interest is a great first step, as many professionals in the target industry
will also be in the group. However, you can’t stop there. You must be active in
groups. If you can add value to the discussion board within a group, be sure to
participate in the dialogue. By answering questions, sharing useful articles or
upcoming events, or beginning engaging discussion threads, etc., you will begin
to establish a reputation as an expert/competent in your field. This activity
will draw more traffic to your profile. In addition to groups, you could also
simply research recruiters for your company of interest on LinkedIn. When you
locate them, send a quick LinkedIn message or connection request. Be sure to
personalize the invite with who you are, how you found them, and why you are
contacting them. More activity on your LinkedIn profile will lead to increased
profile views.
Q:
I heard that other LinkedIn users can see when I’ve viewed their profile. Is
this true?
A: It depends on your profile settings. Go to your LinkedIn
“Privacy & Settings” page. Under Privacy Controls, click “Select what
others see when you’ve viewed their profile.” You will see three options
(totally anonymous, partially anonymous, or visible). Make your selection
according to your preference. Personally, we recommend keeping your profile
visible to others (the top option on the screen). This way, others will be able
to see when you have viewed their profile – which will likely lead to more
profile views – and you will see when they have viewed your profile. For
example, if a hiring manager from a company that you recently applied to views
your LinkedIn profile, you will know that they are researching you online and
may be interested. You can then follow-up directly with the hiring manager
regarding the position. If your profile were left anonymous, you would not have
been able to see who viewed your profile.
Q:
My LinkedIn summary section is blank. I struggle with knowing what to include.
Is this an important section?
A: Yes! The LinkedIn summary section is your chance to
further establish your professional brand. Have you ever been asked the
infamous, “Tell me about yourself” question in an interview? Your LinkedIn
summary is similar to what you might say in response to this question.
Likewise, the professional profile on your resume has the same intent. Summarize
your career highlights, core competencies, professional goals, and any major
accomplishments that might set you apart from other professionals with a
similar professional background. Select your most marketable qualifications for
your target industry and illustrate your strengths. Keywords are very important
in this section! When an employer looks at your LinkedIn profile summary, you
want them to gain a good understanding of who you are as a professional and
what you can do for them.
Q: How do I connect with UK alumni in my
city or field on LinkedIn?
A: The LinkedIn
alumni tool is a fabulous resource! You can access this tool by hovering over
the “Connections” tab at the top of your LinkedIn page, and selecting “Find
alumni.” You can also get to the same page by simply going to www.linkedin.com/alumni. This LinkedIn feature allows you to
search your alumni database on LinkedIn based on geographic location, company,
industry, college major, and skills. This is a great way to strategically
network your way into a company, meet like-minded professionals in your
geographic region, or learn more about a field of interest by conducting
informational interviews with fellow UK alumni. Take advantage of your Wildcat
network! There are currently nearly 100,000 UK alumni on LinkedIn and that
number is only going to grow.
If you don’t
already have a LinkedIn account, create your free account at www.linkedin.com.
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