Why use LinkedIn?
- Think of your profile as a public, search-engine-friendly CV. It’s probably one of the most visible things about you on the web!
- Policymakers and professional groups can find the public version of your profile to check out your credentials and see if you might be someone for them to contact
- Policymakers and professional groups can find the public version of your profile to check out your credentials and see if you might be someone for them to contact
- You can “connect with” past, present & future colleagues, contacts & employers
- Connection to a person doesn’t imply “friendship”, just a professional relationship
- People you’re connected to can see a more detailed version of your profile and send you messages within LinkedIn.
- It’s OK to decline a “connection” from someone you don’t know!
- Connections can write recommendations about you (and vice versa) and can endorse you for your skills/knowledge.
- You can follow news and updates shared by your connections, and by institutions, organizations and companies
- Just like on Facebook or Twitter, the posts flow in the main “well” at the center of your landing page. You can click the name of the posting person/organization to see more – or navigate to their page via the “Companies” tab.
- LinkedIn also curates what you see, and suggests stories they think will interest you.
- You can share links to items you find interesting and that you think your connections will, too
- Use the “Share” button below a LinkedIn post, or the LinkedIn button on various pages on the web, journals, news publications or professional organizations. Or just paste the URL into a new “update”.
- Use the “Share” button below a LinkedIn post, or the LinkedIn button on various pages on the web, journals, news publications or professional organizations. Or just paste the URL into a new “update”.
- You can join or create groups of people with similar professional interests, for discussion/sharing of best practices.
- Groups can be closed so the conversations are only seen by those in the group.
- Groups can be closed so the conversations are only seen by those in the group.
- You can write first-person posts - giving you a blog-like platform (complete with formatting and photo uploading) without having to build a blog site!
- When you go to LinkedIn, at the top of your news feed will be a box where you can “Start a Post”
- You can post a link and write a brief comment right in that box.
- Or, to create a standalone “article”, click “Write an Article” and it will start a new page. You can add a photo, headline, text, formatting, links and more.
- You can post slides you've created about your work, using the Slideshare feature that is linked to your LinkedIn profile, and then share the link with anyone – or have your slides be discovered by anyone! Go to slideshare.net or select Slideshare from the “More” menu on LinkedIn.
- If you’re in the job market, or have a position you’re hiring for, LinkedIn offers valuable tools
- You can set the email and alert preferences to send you daily/weekly/as-it-happens updates (or to turn them off…) Go to the "Me" pulldown menu, select Settings and Privacy, then click the Communications tab at top right.
Improve your profile:
- The space immediately under your name should be a short “ad” for you
- DO NOT just enter your current title (people can see that further down). Instead, write a punchy description of your professional self.
- In the “Summary” area, you can describe your professional interests and current projects. Using key terms and buzzwords may help you be visible in search.
- In employment history & education, use full company/institution names. LinkedIn will likely recognize them automatically, and make it easier for people to connect with you because they once worked/studied/trained at the same place.
- Use a professional-looking photo.
- Add links to your projects, papers, website(s).
- Enter specific skills you possess – and other professional/volunteer activities.
- You can even add additional information about how best to contact you, which will only be visible to those who you’re connected to.
Start exploring!
- Many institutions have Pages and groups on LinkedIn for their current and past employees and alumni. The same goes for professional societies that you might belong to. If you choose to follow/join these, you’ll see their updates in the news feed.
- Government agencies, advocacy groups, and institutes/centers also have LinkedIn presences. Follow those that interest you most.
- You can search the Slideshare area of the site to find slide sets that might interest you.