Three years ago, I was in Germany. I was visiting my motivated and very well connected friend from college.
As an ambitious and incredibly business savvy college grad, I knew that my business school classmate was headed toward professional success. However, this is also the same guy that had minimal real world experience and couldn’t tie his tie and speak German at the same time. And here he was—working for one powerhouse of a company across the Atlantic. I felt compelled to ask.
“So, how did you get this job?”
Two words (or technically one I suppose), “LinkedIn.”
LinkedIn is now getting ready to celebrate its 10th birthday, and today it boasts the largest professional network in the world with 200 million members (and counting) in more than 200 countries. Help LinkedIn ring in their 10th birthday and help yourself by using these five tips to become more marketable on the online business network.
- Complete Profile
First and foremost, you’ve got to have a profile, and a complete one at that! Be sure to fill out all sections, especially your current position, city, and industry. Customize your LinkedIn URL to something easy that incorporates your name. You are also able to see your profile strength. If you’re in need of some help in this department, you can click the Improve Your Profile Strength link for a guided tour. In addition, treat LinkedIn as you would your resume—professional, comprehensive, organized, and free from errors. LinkedIn even allows you to add work samples, projects, and business cards. An iPhone app called CardMunch lets you add your business card, store your connections, and connect via LinkedIn. - Keyword Optimization
Secondly, your profile should be keyword rich. You should enhance your profile with industry buzzwords or keywords that describe your career. This video explains keyword optimization more in-depth. These keywords are what help employers find you in searches, which is ultimately what helps you get a job. - Connecting
LinkedIn is not the same as other social mediums—it’s for professional networking. Therefore, it’s not the best idea to connect with all of your Facebook friends or Twitter followers. Some LinkedIn users will only add people that they know. Others, called LIONs (LinkedIn Open Networker), actively seek to expand their connections by requesting and approving to connect with others in their industry. Other great ways to connect include using LinkedIn’s alumni tool, joining groups (like the David Eccles School of Business group), and following businesses and thought leaders you’re interested in. - Endorsements/Recommendations
When completing your profile, you will notice a Skills & Expertise section. You can use the Skills & Expertise feature in LinkedIn to help you complete this part and find the most common, relevant words. This area serves as an opportunity for you to endorse others and others to endorse you. It’s typically LinkedIn etiquette to endorse someone that has endorsed you, but don’t feel obligated if you don’t think they’re up to snuff. In addition to endorsements, you’re able to ask previous or present employers for recommendations, which will be displayed on your profile for all to see. - Privacy Settings
Your privacy settings are flexible and can be tailored to how visible you would like to be. Like Facebook, you’re able to control what the general public sees, what second and third degree connections see, and even what specific connections can view. Therefore, if your intent is transparency, the full public profile is recommended. However, if you’re looking for a new job, but don’t want your current boss to know about it, you can hide specific activity from certain connections.
So what are you waiting for? The party’s already started—get online and beef up that LinkedIn account!