Using LinkedIn To Enhance Employability Prospects For Computing Students Thomas Lancaster Birmingham City University

Introduction to the LinkedIn Social Network Practical Activity Using LinkedIn Discussion – Integrating LinkedIn Into Teaching Workshop Overview

Introduction To LinkedIn

LinkedIn

Largest Professional Social Network Over 120 million members Provides opportunities for professionals to Network with existing and new contacts Establish a professional presence Receive recommendations Look for employment possibilities Provides a professional mechanism for staff and students to stay in contact LinkedIn

Profile page Introduction Resume/CV Photos Portfolio LinkedIn For General Users

LinkedIn Profile

Maintain a professional network of acquaintances Other students Lecturers Professional contacts Find placement and employment opportunities Look for existing jobs Send speculative requests through contacts Seek out freelancing work (good for their CV) Maintain a professional presence Shows what they do beyond their course Vital for employability Use Of LinkedIn By Students

A Professional Profile Is Essential passwords-fair-game-in-job-interviews.html

Many employers in the technical fields will filter students informally by searching for them online Find embarrassing Facebook photos Find their bebo account from when they were younger LinkedIn allows some control over what information is available through an Internet search Ranks very high in Internet searches Professional by default Provides an online CV Can be included in job applications Students in technical fields are expected to be online Search Engine Control

Maintain a professional network Other staff from their institution Industrial and professional contacts Former students Provides a professional focus for their course Encourages students to apply Allows dissemination of professional activities Use Of LinkedIn By Staff

Add people who you know Suggest letting students approach you, rather than the other way around Use the “Add Connections” feature “People Who You May Know” is very powerful Network outside your immediate Connections Use “Get Introduced” Generate speakers and work experience opportunities for students LinkedIn Networking For Teaching

Practical Activity Using LinkedIn

Create a LinkedIn profile Include a professional photo Include interesting text Add professional connections People you work with People who you know from Higher Education Academy contacts Improve The Profile Add links to your other web sites Customise your url Advanced Activity Join LinkedIn groups and use these for networking purposes Ask for a Recommendation Activity

Further Use Of LinkedIn

Pushing your personal brand through a professional channel Headline needs to be attractive Use keywords (both as keywords and within the text) to reflect your aims for being on LinkedIn Ensure that the profile is public Make sure that the information is detailed (write it as an advert) Post to the profile regularly (and monitor what is posted) LinkedIn Is For Marketing

Advanced Technique Link your social media sites together Provides great visibility across a professional presence and on LinkedIn Twitter Linking Showcases Twitter link on LinkedIn profile Can automatically show all Tweets on LinkedIn Can automatically syndicate LinkedIn content to Twitter Social Media Syndication

Using LinkedIn Within Teaching

Make sure that students understand the need for a LinkedIn profile To represent themselves professionally online To build up lifelong professional connections Lead through staff Ensure that staff are represented on LinkedIn (even if the information is brief) Builds up the university brand (and their personal brand) Motivation

Students are used to social networking But training can still be beneficial Students benefit from training on branding and marketing Integrate teaching within appropriate modules Professional Practice Personal Development Planning Training

Professional Presence Assignment Students required to represent themselves professionally online Produce material for a CV Can include elements of PDP Assessment Idea

Mahara

LinkedIn

Web Site

Web Site

Building up a whole online presence across social media is important Controlled Facebook Google+ Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Web Site etc LinkedIn Is The Start

Discussion: LinkedIn Teaching

Enhancing The Employability Of Computing Students Through An Online Professional Presence Friday 8 June 2012 Birmingham City University Millennium Point, Birmingham Free Of Charge (Limited Places) Contact: Upcoming Workshop

Any Questions?