LinkedIn Orientation

Create a resume that never sleeps using LinkedIn. In this LAB you will learn how to grow your network and expand your career options using LinkedIn.

Begin Process

What will be covered?

Each session will be specific to your career interest. We will cover how to build your profile, determine what image you need to project and use, how select your ideal career, generate leads, brand your profile through social outlets and connect with important influencers.

1. Getting Started

The LinkedIn profile is a powerful tool for working professionals. You can highlight your accomplishments in real time and publishing them on the LinkedIn network. Members, colleagues, professionals, recruiters, and hiring managers often search linkedin to find one another for networking and career opportunities. LinkedIn’s online network provides benefits that no resume or hard drive can ever deliver. LogIn Today!

Complete the following:

First Name
Last Name
Headline
Current Position
Education
Country
Zip code
Locations with this area
Industry
Summary
- Determine if you writing to get hired or if you are writing to get business?
  According to LinkedIn, summaries that have more than 40 words makes you more likely to turn up in appropriate searches. Therefore, the more you’re talking about yourself or your business and industry, the more likely you are to use important keywords.

2. Customize your public profile URL

Create a professional personal profile by customizing your LinkedIn public profile URL. Instead of a URL with a million confusing numbers at the end, it will look nice and clean like this: http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnasmith.

For detailed instructions on customizing your URL, click here

3. Adjusting your settings:

Find Settings by rolling over your ‘tiny head’ at the top right, it says ME. Tap Privacy Settings. Start by editing the Account, Privacy and Communications areas. Once your have the Settings set, you can edit the profile by tapping on the pencil icon near your photo (the edit and view profile as modes are the same)

4. Use images that make a great first impression

Select your photo, banner images and Headline. Just keep in mind LinkedIn is a professional social network, so choose your photo accordingly. People see the first 2 sentences of your Summary. So make it count. Add keywords and your email (if you want people to contact you easily). See videos below for tips.

5. Prep Materials and Resources

Review and download the following prep materials and resource to assist you with this session.

The Student Profile

Students are different from typical LinkedIn professionals. If you have limited career experience to add to your profile, then we encourage you to highlight your achievements to potential employers and industry experts who can help shape your career.

Here are some specific sections you may want to add to your profile in the accomplishments section:

Projects
Honors and Awards
Courses
Tests Scores
Organization

Download LinkedIn High School Profile Checklist

Experience

In this section include your current and past work related activities and any media you choose to associate with it

Title
Company
Location
From MY-To- MY
Options
I currently work here | Update my industry| Update my headline
Description
Media
Add or link to external documents, photos, sites, videos, and presentations.
Share with network (option)
If enabled, your network may be notified of this job change and work anniversaries. Learn what’s shared

Education

In this section include your current and past educational related activities and any media you choose to associate with

School
Degree
Field of study
Grade
Activities and societies (Ex: Alpha Phi Omega, Marching Band, Volleyball)
From Year – To Year (or expected)
Description
Media
Add or link to external documents, photos, sites, videos, and presentations. Supported formats

Skills & Endorsements

In this section you can choose up to 3 skills to feature in your top skills

INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE
Policy
Strategic Planning
Government
Marketing
Entrepreneurship
Nonprofits
Budget
Management Consulting
Project Management
Non-profits

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
Public Speaking
Fundraising
Community Outreach
Leadership Development
Organizational Development
Management
Teaching

Each time someone views your profile or you view someone’s profile, LinkedIn will suggest a few endorsements, and as long as they seem appropriate, go ahead and endorse them. Then, LinkedIn will bring up four of your other connections and recommend skills to endorse them for, do those too. Each time you endorse someone else, they’ll get a notification that you did that for them, and be prompted to endorse you for a skill in return.

Recommendations

Recommendations are a powerful tool within LinkedIn. They can go a long way toward establishing your expertise with potential prospects and/or employers.