Linkedin – a tool for finding your next position

Linkedin is a business-oriented social networking site founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003 mainly used for professional networking. As of February 2009, it had more than 35 million registered users, spanning 170 industries.

Check this short video from Commoncraft: What’s Linkedin

The purpose of Linkedin is to allow registered users to maintain a list of contact details of people they know and trust in business. The people in the list are called Connections. Users can invite anyone (whether a site user or not) to become a connection.

This list of connections can then be used in a number of ways:

• A contact network is built up consisting of their direct connections, the connections of each of their connections (termed second degree connections) and also the connections of second degree connections (termed third degree connections). This can be used to gain an introduction to someone you wish to know through a mutual, trusted contact.
• It can then be used to find jobs, people and business opportunities recommended by someone in one’s contact network.
• Employers can list jobs and search for potential candidates.
• Job seekers can review the profile of hiring managers and discover which of their existing contacts can introduce them.

Read more about how you can put this to use yourself (fromGuy Kawasak):    http://tinyurl.com/azkyb8

• Update your status to let people in your network know that you are looking for a job.
• Get LinkedIn recommendations from colleagues and managers.
• Find out where people with your background are working.
• Find out where people in a company came from using LinkedIn “Company Profiles” feature.
• Find out where people in a company go using LinkedIn “Company Profiles” feature.
• Check if a company is still hiring using LinkedIn “New Hire” feature.
• Get to the hiring manager.
• Get to the right recruiter.
• Find out the secret job requirement.
• Find start-ups to join.
• Build your network before you need it.

Note:   Guy’s last point: Now is the time to build up a strong network as a good form of job security.

I am doing this now.  Note what he says about networking (also known as “schmozing”) ….  it’s not who you know—it’s who knows of you and – equally important – think about …

“What can I do for this person?“ not  “What can this person do for me?”

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LinkedIn SuperGuide -Tutorials, Tips and Tools

Robin Broitman has provided a comprehensive guide to a range of tutorials/how-to’s, tips, advice and tools to help you become a LinkedIn power user.  RECOMMENDED
http://tinyurl.com/qb4tax_

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201 Page PDF document – the best use of Linkedin

http://tinyurl.com/HowToUseLinkedin

I have found a great deal more about using Linkedin…. I learned that the real value of Linkedin is the Network of your network…. it is not in who you know, but in who they know. RECOMMENDED

The real power of the network is in the second degree. … I see now that the most powerful concept behind LinkedIn is that it finds the right people AND the connections you have with them.

Also, do not forget the power of Groups: an excellent place to build relationships and increase your visibility and credibility at the same time. I want to start asking and answering questions within Groups … to
possibly earn “expert points” for answering questions in the Answers section.

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What recruiters look for in a LinkedIn profile

Social media tools such as LinkedIn make recruiters’ jobs more efficient and often allow them to find job seekers more efficiently.  If you are an active or passive job seeker, there is no better way to cut through the clutter and get yourself noticed than LinkedIn. Nowadays, most recruiters and companies are increasingly using sites like LinkedIn to identify talent.  Matt Schwartz has proved some key characteristics of a LinkedIn user that grab his attention.

Here are his 8 ways to stand out in a crowd when recruiters look for candidates to fill a job opening:

1. Make your LinkedIn profile 100% complete
•    Include all companies, education, and awards. These are the key items on which we recruiters search.
•    References are very important. The more we know about you the better.
•    The more robust your profile, the higher you will be in the Google search rankings.
•    The more information a recruiter has upfront, the more efficient the search process.

2. Use a profile picture that you use on multiple sites
•    A picture helps to create and reinforce your online brand
•    It will help a recruiter identify you on the interview day at “Starbucks”

3.  Use the “Specialties” box to fill in keywords
•    List as many keywords as possible that are relevant to your roles, capabilities, and interests that will help you turn up on LinkedIn Search

4. Update your LinkedIn “Status” regularly
•    Link to articles you have written or in which you are quoted
•    Update status with your latest blog posts
•    Discuss business accomplishments
•    If you are actively looking for a job, tell people what you are looking for!
•    Update your status on other social networking sites such as Twitter. Try services like ping.fm that allow you to update your status across multiple sites.

5. Make changes to your profile after every job change or promotion
•    The recruiters you are linked to will notice these changes
•    It is harder to be found if people don’t know where you are
•    Update your LinkedIn profile as you would your change-of-address at the post office

6. Include your web site and blog links
•    Add suitable weblinks to the “Websites” section on your LinkedIn profile
•    This could range from your career blog to your Twitter profile. Alternatively, you can also link to a guest blog post you wrote recently.

7.  Do not block incoming emails
•    No matter how popular you think you are, you will not be overwhelmed. I promise!
•    The LinkedIn community is all about participation so feel free to accept incoming communication from fellow LinkedIn users.
•    If a recruiter reaches out to you and you are not interested, let him or her know or better yet refer a friend
•    LinkedIn actually allows you to control how you receive emails and notifications.

8. Increase your number of trusted connections
•    Use webmail importer to bring your real world professional relationships online and to find your contacts who are already on LinkedIn.
•    Depending on whether you’re a browser person or an Outlook person, check out the respective toolbars that will help organize your professional relationship either while you browse or check out your Inbox.

Source: Matt Schwartz, President of MJS Executive Search