1 Best Practices for Leveraging LinkedIn In Your Job Search Michelle Antonio, Columbia Coach April 2011

2 Session Objectives Highlight the key benefits of integrating social media, specifically LinkedIn, in to your job search efforts Share what you need to know about how employers use LinkedIn Showcase the 5 best ways to leverage LinkedIn to improve the effectiveness of your networking and job search efforts

3 LinkedIn: A Powerful Tool in the Job Search Process + Convey a Strong Personal Brand Gain access to “Insider” Information & Opportunities LinkedIn Can Enhance Your Candidacy Across All These Dimensions + Demonstrate Relevant Qualifications and Attributes The Most Successful Job Search Candidates:

4 Social Media’s Prevalence in the Recruiting Process ● A rapidly increasing percentage of employers utilize social media (including LinkedIn) to source and research candidates – 45% of employers reported that they use social networking sites to research job candidates vs. 22% last year 1 – 52% of firms use social media for external communication, evaluating new job candidates, finding and recruiting new job candidates, or internal communication 2 – 40+% of Fortune 100 companies use LinkedIn’s Talent Advantage service to source candidates 3 – Executive search firms and diverse set of employers such as Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, Kraft, eBay, AllState, Target, Lockheed Martin, and NetFlix use LinkedIn to source passive candidates 1 NOVA Workforce Board research; 2 Jobvite’s survey (6/2010); 3 LinkedIn data (8/2009)

5 LinkedIn Has Changed the Way Employers Hire ● Social media enables employers to improve their recruiting effectiveness by increasing the likelihood of hiring the “right” candidate in these ways: – Reducing recruiting budgets – Identifying passive job seekers or candidates with specific and desired skill sets/experiences – Uncovering undesirable qualities in a potential candidate (e.g., inaccuracies on resume, lack of judgment in posted content, poor professional reputation, weak communication skills, etc.) – Leveraging the network of their employees to find “pre-screened” candidates

6 What Employers Look For in Candidates on LinkedIn Robust Profile Complete, concise and clear profile Credible, positive recommendations A listing of interests and hobbies related to their life outside of work A photo of you Reputable Network Relevant contacts −At the hiring company −In related industries/ organizations LinkedIn Attribute Enables you to come up in keyword searches; reinforces your brand Communicates your working style, personality and track record of success Demonstrates you are a well- rounded person Conveys your professional credibility Identifies potential employees who can pre-screen you Shows your ability to grow and maintain a quality network Reinforces your area(s) of career focus Importance

7 What Employers Look for in Candidates on LinkedIn (cont’d) Evidence of Relevant Interests & Knowledge Membership in relevant affinity groups that pertaining to their respective field Participation in “Answers” LinkedIn Attribute Demonstrates professional and industry involvement, visibility, and contribution Enables recruiters to find candidates who are “subject-matter experts” Establishes your personal brand in an area of expertise Showcases you as a knowledgeable leader and contributor Increases your network and your online visibility Importance

8 Top 5 Ways To Leverage LinkedIn To Enhance Your Job Search 1.Differentiate Yourself with Your Profile 2.Link to Others (individuals and groups) 3.Research & Identify Target Companies 4.Identify & Research Relevant Contacts 5.Access “Hidden” Job Opportunities

9 Differentiate Yourself with Your Profile ● Build a complete profile including: – Your current position and two past positions – Your education – Your summary – A profile photo – At least three meaningful recommendations ● Be strategic; know your career goals ● Recognize that employers from multiple industries and functions will access your profile ● Realize that users with complete profiles: – Are 40 times more likely to receive opportunities through LinkedIn – Show up higher in the Google search rankings ● Write for reading on the screen; short paragraphs, concise bullet points & ample white space ● Include the “right” industry keywords for the position(s) you want. Look at job descriptions for ideas ● Promote your personal brand with your headline. If you are seeking employment, showcase your availability for work in your headline ● Focus on accomplishments. Explain your role. Show quantifiable results ● Highlight all honors and awards, certifications, trainings and other distinctive and impressive information ● Seek recommendations from appropriate connections with specific information on your experience/contribution The Basics Tips for Success

10 Link to Others ● The person with the most contacts isn’t the winner – You will be judged based on the contacts with whom you are associated. Does your network enhance your online brand? Is it consistent with your career focus? – The strength of your network is based upon whether or not you can you tap into it for help – information, advice or a referral ● Be strategic and don’t “accept” because it is easy; consider only linking with people: – You know from other sources – With whom you’ve had at least 1 meaningful interaction – For whom you could write a recommendation – To whom you would be comfortable introducing to a contact – Who you are confident exhibit professionalism/integrity

11 Link to Others (cont’d) ● Make connections more “real.” Focus on mutual interest and interaction – Avoid using boilerplate invitations when asking to connect – Send a thank you note after receiving an invitation – Identify and implement a strategy for managing and keeping in touch with your contacts ● Associate yourself with relevant groups – Align yourself with your career and geographic interests and/or organizations with whom you have an affiliation, including prior employers and schools – Review profiles of people you admire in your industry and recruiters at your target companies to learn which groups they belong to – Learn about topics of interest to you – Gain “expert” opinions on key questions in your field – Meet other professionals with similar interests – Browse forums within groups for job opening announcements

12 Research & Identify Target Companies ● Companies – “Advanced Search” - filter by: industry, function, location, company size, availability of job opportunities or your relationships at the company – Review Company Pages and Insightful Statistics about your target company – Follow Companies – Access LinkedIn Today (find it under “News” in the “More” tab) ● Create a target list of companies ● Identify and research potential networking contacts ● Learn how a company brands itself ● Find out which companies people at a target organization came from ● Understand recent hiring trends including recent hires or departures at specific companies ● Gather ideas on how to pitch yourself for a specific opportunity ● Prepare for informational or formal interviews ● Stay abreast of recent company news LinkedIn Function Potential Job Search Objectives

13 Identify & Research Relevant Contacts ● Contacts – “Advanced Search” – filter by location, your relationship to the contact, industry, current or past company, school and languages spoken ● Learn more about specific career paths ● Search for people who have similar backgrounds or skills to yours and see what companies they work/have worked at ● Become familiar with a hiring manager or interviewer’s background, career trajectory and interests prior to an interview ● Identify potential internal advocates to help you through the job application and interview process ● Re-connect with old colleagues ● See updates from your network LinkedIn Function Potential Job Search Objectives

14 Identify “Hidden” Job Opportunities ● Search for jobs of interest – Use filters including: keywords, title, industry, function, experience-level, company, location and date posted – Set up alerts so you can be notified about jobs of interest – Remember to leverage contacts at target firms to uncover unadvertised or future openings ● Review the entire job listing for the below: Element of Job PostingValue of the Information Job and company descriptionCreate a relevant and targeted cover letter Job poster’s profileLearn about potential interviewer’s background Who in your network is linked to the company Identify who can help you learn more about the position and serve as an internal advocate Other jobs at the same companyEnsure you don’t miss any other potential jobs of interest at your target company Similar job listingsEnsure you don’t miss any other potential jobs of interest in your target industry or function

15 Closing Thoughts ● Effective job searches require more than just an online approach; integrate both traditional and social media approaches ● Don’t fall for the quantity over quality of contacts trap – remember that who you allow in your network reflects your judgment and integrity ● Remember that building “real” relationships with contacts takes more than just a few mouse clicks – social media can facilitate, but not replace, true relationship building ● Balance your need for recruiters and potential contacts to easily find you and your qualifications with your need for privacy (adjust your settings accordingly)