LinkedIn - Why?

So, everyone is telling you to be on LinkedIn, but how do you use it effectively and why should you be on it?

LinkedIn www.linkedin.com was created as a business networking tool and can be leveraged to:

• Find and meet recruiters/potential employers
• Grow a referral network
• Conduct competitive intelligence research
• Identify potential clients
• Build business relations with current clients
• Educate yourself on organizations, associations and competitors
• Heighten your corporate and/or personal brand

Who wouldn't want to take advantage of these opportunities? So let's get started and make sure you build a profile/network that effectively captures everything!

Build your Network

• Add all  of your jobs, schools, degrees, certifications, associations, groups and interests to your profile. Be brief in your descriptions but be sure to include keywords that describe what you do/have done.  Be clear/concise about your position descriptions. By skimming your description, readers should understand what you do or have done.
• Seek out and connect with everyone you know who is already a LinkedIn user. Search colleagues, classmates, fellow members of associations, friends, etc.
• Join groups of interest and/or start your own group.

Grow your Network

• Get all of the business cards you've every collected out of that dusty drawer and connect. Be sure to explain that you came across their business card and thought it would make sense to stay connected via LinkedIn. If you have someones name or e-mail address, you can find them.

Build your Brand

• State your networking goals in your profile summary.
• Ask for endorsements - these are "Testimonials" about you. They are critical in developing trust and using your network. This can be awkward to ask for so write a recommendation for someone else and then ask them to write one for you.
• Include links to your Twitter, Facebook, Blog, Company, etc.

Build Trust

• It is OK to accept invitations to connect with friends, acquaintances, former co-workers, clients and fellow alumni but not from complete strangers (unless of course yo have established some common ground or mutually beneficial networking goals).
• If you haven't met someone and would like to connect with them, send them an email via LinkedIn explaining why you would want to connect with them. Include how you think you would both benefit from your connection.

Be Found

• Set your preferences to receive invites and direct contacts
• Make sure all of your email addresses are in your profile. Yes, even the really old, expired ones. You don't have to make them all public but if some old buddy of yours from three jobs ago has only that old address for you, they will still be able to find you.
• Consider adding your email and/or phone number in the contact settings. You can add it to the section called "What advice would you give to users considerings contacting you?" that way it's not out there for everyone but those who need it can find it.
• At the bottom of your profile in the Interests section, add the top 50 words that best describe what you want to be found for.

Once you set up your profile, it is smart to frequently visit your page and make sure everything is up to date. Feel free to start out connecting with me! http://www.linkedin.com/in/bayerrecruiting