Purposeful Strategy

Compelling, Branded Profile

Meaningful Connections Career

Management

Relationship Management

Maximizing LinkedIn

From static resume to strategic network

Research Educate

Ann PottsLeadership & Professional Development Coach

Certified Social Branding Analyst

Topics

• Today’s Realities

• Why a Strong Network is Critical

• Why LinkedIn is Valuable

• Steps to Maximizing LinkedIn

Plan Goals

Create a Compelling, Branded Profile

Connect with Key People

Why are

you here?

“A friend told me that I should be

active on LinkedIn”

“I need to find a job and I’ve heard it’s an

important tool”

“I have the feeling that there’s more to LinkedIn than having my profile posted but

I’m not sure what”

Today’s Realities

• Insiders get selected for jobs

– Being connected to someone in a company helps you rise from the stack of anonymous resumes

• Research occurs on-line

– You research companies and individuals…and they research you

Getting Hired –

Job Posted

Apply Online

Wait for Response

Weakest Approach

• Process followed by most job seekers• Relying upon resume to stand out when employer is most likely inundated with

applications

Posting Network Apply Wait

Getting Hired –

Somewhat Better Approach

• Find someone within your network (or 2nd degree connection) who works there• Discuss the job opportunity and seek their support• They approach HR or Hiring Manager to recommend you• Potentially apply through different process• Application prioritized

Continue to Build Rapport

Solicit Informational

Interview

Network into Department

Identify Target

Companies

Getting Hired –

Strongest Approach

• Identify companies and positions of interest• Network into specific department if possible (if not into company and then into

department)• Solicit an informational interview – discuss their work at the organization and

what it is like to work there; share your experiences, strengths and interests• Continue to build rapport over time• Based upon impression you have made, they alert you when an opening arises

They contact YOU re: opening

Research On-line

Both companies and individuals research each other on-line

• There are over 1M searches in Google for individuals daily

• LinkedIn is usually the first result for an individual

• Your on-line presence needs to demonstrate that you stay

relevant and you can solve organizational problems

Continuously monitor your on-line footprint

A Strong Network is Critical

Supply exceeds demand

• No shortage of candidates

Network locally

• Within your business

• Industry Associations

• Clubs: Alumni, Social, Health

• Volunteering

• Neighbors and local businesses

• Friends and family

Why LinkedIn is Valuable

While a great place to “house” those within your local network,

LinkedIn also gives you access to

• Your network’s contacts

• Other professionals in your industry

• People inside organizations of interest

• Information about organizations

• Thought-leader perspectives

Great for making contacts in order to gain informational interviews

Steps to Maximizing LinkedIn

1. Plan Goals

2. Create a Compelling, Branded Profile

3. Connect with Key People

Build connections • to find a new job immediately• to be prepared to find a job in the future• to build professional relationships

Grow where you are• to increase knowledge of your field• to connect with experts • to promote your organization• to stand out versus fit in

Educate yourself• to research companies or people you’d

like to know more about• to prepare for meetings or interviews• to better understand an industry• to easily follow thought-leaders

Goals

A Compelling, Branded Profile

What you have to offer

What they need

Your personal

brand

What you have to offer • Your skills

• Your professional experience

• Your education

• Your certifications

• Relevant life experiences

What they need

• What are the challenges that you can solve?

• What impact has your ability to do this had in the past? (quantify where possible)

• What proof is there of your abilities? (key achievements; awards)

Your personal

brand

Be truthful in how you represent yourself

When You Open LinkedIn…

Similar to Facebook, you have a Home page that shows you updates from your network

When you make updates to your profile, it will feed the home page, alerting all your contacts

I recommend you turn it off while making updates

Before Updating Your Profile

Go to Privacy and Settings and turn off Activity Broadcasts during the time you are making a series of changes

Your Headline will default to the most current job in your Experience section. But you can personalize it.

The Summary is where you want to showcase what you have to offer in a way that showcases how you can provide what they need. Demonstrate your personal brand here.

LinkedIn will highlight what they consider to be your Profile Strength based upon how complete your profile is.

Profile Headline & Summary

You place your jobs in the Experience section.

When you select the company from a list while making your update, it will cause the company logo to display at right.

You can also attach files, videos, and photographs. This can be an excellent way to not only establish credentials, but bring more personality to your profile.

Experience Section

It can be helpful to look at People Also Viewed to see who else’s profile has been viewed in addition to yours to see how similar professionals are describing themselves and their history on LinkedIn.

Look at Other People’s Profiles

Other Profile Sections

You can show information about Volunteering Experience and Causes, as well as Publications in which you’ve been featured.

The Skills section allows 1st degree connections to flag your top skills. You can reduce the list and remove ones you don’t want highlighted or which have very limited endorsements.

Other Profile Sections

If you’ve been certified inside or outside your company in a specific area, notate it in Certifications. Again, note the logo appears when you select the certifying company.

There is an Education section. Locating fellow alumni is easy in LinkedIn.

Recommendations

More meaningful than the Skills section are Recommendations.

A recommendation becomes 3rd party verification that you are who you say you are!

Don’t be afraid to ask for re-writes if it’s not addressing what you need to be covered. And don’t give out recommendations to people whose work you cannot attest to.

Need Help with Your Profile?

I currently support clients with…

• Personal Brand Assessments – 60 Day program including 360° Reach Assessment to help you understand your brand from the outside in so you can meet your professional goals.

• LinkedIn Profile Reviews – One hour session including recommendations to improve your LinkedIn profile so that your talents and personality stand out.

• LinkedIn Profile – “Done for You” – I write your LinkedIn profile. Includes 4 sessions + profile.

Making Connections

People from the Present or Past

• Start by reaching out to those you already know professionally and personally

Strategically Create New Connections

• Join LinkedIn groups for your profession; interact and observe who you’d like to add to your network

• Look at your network’s connections for people in industries, professions, and companies of interest to you

Build relationships!

Personalize Invitations

Once Connected

Once you are connected, you will have a drop down menu from the “send a message” button with different options.

Tools for Relationship Building

Within the Connectionsmenu is a section called Keep in Touch.

In this area, you can see what is happening with your network and reach out with a comment.

We’ve Covered…

• Today’s Realities

• Why a Strong Network is Critical

• Why LinkedIn is Valuable

• Steps to Maximizing LinkedIn

Plan Goals

Create a Compelling, Branded Profile

Connect with Key People

In Development

LinkedIn Passion Project

30-day group training AND action

Launching in 2015

Ann PottsLeadership & Professional Development Coach

Certified Social Branding Analyst

Contact Ann by phone at 847-364-1933 or email ann@executiveperformancefuel.com

www.ExecutivePerformanceFuel.com