Summary
LinkedIn has been around since 2003 and is widely considered the benchmark for professional networking social media platforms. But is the site still relevant, or is it a waste of time? If you don't use LinkedIn effectively, your searches, messages, and other activity on the site can take hours, squandering considerable time.However, when used correctly, and with panache, LinkedIn can perform near miracles for your career's development.
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Why should you join LinkedIn? LinkedIn is the world’s largest career networking platform. It boasts over 1 billion members in 200 countries. Whatever industry you work in, there are individuals interested in connecting and sharing with you and opportunities waiting to be discovered and enjoyed.
Getting Started
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Visit LinkedIn and click “Join now.” Follow the prompts. You will be prompted to input relevant identifying information. LinkedIn will help you to begin to build your profile.
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As you follow the prompts, you will be asked if you want to add a photo. A quality photo is essential on LinkedIn!
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Choose something that is professional quality.
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It should be well-lit and well-framed with a neutral pose and professional dress.
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Your photo is a key to selling yourself on LinkedIn, so use the "best packaging" available.
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You will be invited to connect with or follow people, companies, and groups. You can do this as you create your account or skip it and do it later.
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On the ribbon at the top, you will see a label titled “Me” beneath the photo you uploaded. Click this, then click “View profile” to visit your profile page.
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Beneath the default LinkedIn header background is a set of buttons including a pencil. Here you can edit your headline. Your headline is very important as it appears in searches next to your picture. It should be a brief statement that sums you up professionally and communicates what you have to offer.
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“Add profile section” lets you add sections to your profile. Click the plus to add a section or the pencil to edit that section.
A completed LinkedIn profile will include the following profile sections:
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Summary. You can create this section to look similar to the Professional Qualifications section of your resume.
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Work Experience. This doesn’t need to be the same as your resume word-for-word, but it should be similar. Include all recent and relevant experience.
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Education. List all relevant education.
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Skills. This includes soft skills as well as technical skills. Start typing and LinkedIn will provide suggestions.
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Photo. Remember to use a quality photo for best results.
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Connections. Your profile won’t attain All-Star status until you have at least 50 connections, so seek out other Baker College graduates and meaningful connections in your industry.
Customize Your URL
Make your profile more personal and user-friendly by changing your profile URL. On your profile page, you’ll notice the URL in your browser ends in a mix of letters and numbers; simplify it like this:
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Click “Edit public profile & URL” next to your header image.
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A box titled “Edit your custom URL” will appear in the upper right-hand corner of the page. Click the pencil icon to edit and personalize your URL.
Build Your Links
As the name of the site implies, the purpose here is to build a network of professional connections. By clicking “My Network” in the top ribbon, you will be taken to a page that will help you manage your connections. LinkedIn’s algorithms will also provide you with suggestions for potential connections based on the following areas:
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industry
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company
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school
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geography
Sending a connection request is as easy as clicking the “Connect” button beneath their headline. But it's best to take a moment to add a greeting and say why you are connecting, such as "Hi, [Name], I'm a new graduate in the business field and would like to connect with other successful colleagues."
You can also join professional groups. Some are open and some are closed. The closed groups require you to submit a request to join. You can find groups by searching with the search bar and selecting “Groups” or by clicking on “My Network” and clicking “Discover.” Groups are wonderful places to engage and build new relationships!
Stay Active
LinkedIn is a powerful tool provided you are willing to put in the time. Use this tool to interact with colleagues and other professionals and watch your professional network take off!
Revised 27 June 2024