READY.SET.LINKEDIN FOR DUMMIES.
Once again let us get back to the basics of our How To/Jumpstart series - this rounds topic is:
LinkedIn! For those of you unaware, (as I once was), LinkedIn is a professional social networking site that allows you to have connections with, colleagues, friends, old or current classmates and those you aim to join in the working world one day. Not only is it great for connections and networking, but it is also your “online resume.” So how do we get started…
FIRST
Like any other Social Networking site go to
LinkedIn to set up your basic profile. You will need a valid email address to get started and from that you will be prompted to enter your Company, Job and Industry. After that, configure your contact settings and then, experience the pure joy of editing your profile which happens to be the most vital step for success with this networking site!
THEN
As always, upload a picture, enter your contact information and update your status. There is an area where you can add websites such as your company’s page or your personal site, a place to customize your profile's URL., (example
www.linkedin.com/in/erintuohy), and a place to write your summary. Your summary should aim to cover who you are, your specialties, and career / life goals.
From there you will want to enter your historical information such as education and previous jobs to create your “online resume.” The great thing about LinkedIn is that there is a great possibility that your old supervisor or colleagues also have profiles and when you make connections with them they will be able to write you a recommendation right on your page! You can also request recommendations from any other of your connections.
SO...
So what exactly is a connection in the LinkedIn world? A connection is going to be your tool to networking and making use of this site. Whether it be a colleague, a friend, someone you have done business with or a past/current classmate- you can request they be a connection by having the person’s name and email address. You can also connect with people by importing contacts from your own media or browsing LinkedIn's suggested connections list.
When asked how you know this person you will want to select from this list (colleague, friend, business or classmate) however, there is also the option of,
I do not know this person. Here is the catch though- you can only receive 5 “I do not know this person” TOTAL. As well as, if people receive your request and 5 of them respond by selecting “I do not know this person,” you will be unable to use this way of connecting anymore. It is all about quality- NOT quantity. This is supported by the fact you can only have 3,000 connections in your LinkedIn Lifetime!
AND
As with many other social networking sites there are applications, groups and privacy settings that are all worth taking a look at once your profile is up and running! You will also notice on your page it will say Your LinkedIn Profile is ______% complete. So what does it take to get 100%? I have asked myself the same thing and so far have found the following need to occur:
1. Have your current position as well as two past positions listed
2. Have at least three recommendations from those positions
3. List your education, profile summary, your specialties and of course- add a photo!
What sweet success when this all occurs and that great 100% sign is there- because let's be honest - who doesn’t like to get 100%! I hope this all helps you reach that goal while I attempt to reach it with you as well and until then, as always,
Happy LinkedIn-ing!
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