STRENGTHENING YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE - LINDSAY GRANGER-WEAVER, EDD ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, ADVISING AND PROGRAMS | EQUITY LEAD BEYOND BARNARD
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Strengthening Your LinkedIn Profile
Lindsay Granger-Weaver, EdD
Associate Director, Advising and Programs | Equity Lead
Beyond BarnardAgenda • Where LinkedIn fits • Profile sections and best practices • General pro tips • LinkedIn FAQs • Q&A
Agenda • Where LinkedIn fits • Profile sections and best practices • General pro tips • LinkedIn FAQs • Q&A
Where LinkedIn Fits • Combines facets of resumes, cover letters, and portfolios • Live supplement to any application (and job search) • Is routinely looked at by prospective employers during the hiring process ● Not having a LinkedIn profile can be seen as lacking web/social networking savvy • Allows you to be found by recruiters and hiring managers
Agenda • Where LinkedIn fits • Profile sections and best practices • General pro tips • LinkedIn FAQs •Q&A
Section 1: Intro Profile Photo • Head/shoulders, well lit, just you • Doesn’t need to be professional, but shouldn’t be an obvious selfie Background Image • Showcase your interests, work, personality • Optional! Headline ● Defaults to your current or most recent job, but should be edited ● Can be used to indicate dual interests, or career shift/change: “Experienced journalist with background in law”
Section 2: About Only the first three lines are initially visible, so write a strong lead! Can be used to: ● Frame how your Experience section is viewed ● Highlight key skills and accomplishments Remember to: ● Focus on the skills and experiences you’re targeting in your search (similar to cover letter body paragraphs) ● Highlight the skills and experiences you want to bring to your next role or to a different sector (aspirational) ● Lace it with keywords (help the bots out!)
Section 3: Experience • Similar to Experience section of your resume but in a single list, reverse chronological order • Only four to five most recent experiences are initially visible, so make them count! • As much as possible, reflect the content from your About section • Take advantage of the space to richly describe your experiences • Add media and links to provide examples of your work
Section 4: Education & Additional Sections Education • Order can be changed • Dates can be omitted Select “Add Profile Section” in your Intro Box to add/access additional sections • Recommendations • Volunteer Experience • Accomplishments: Projects, Publications, Certifications, etc. • Interests: Companies, Groups, Schools, etc.
Skills and Endorsements
Choose up to 50 skills
• Three will be visible, choose or re-order accordingly
• Choose “Add New Skill” to select skills; use edit pencil to re-order or delete
skills
Contacts can endorse you for these skills
• Select “Adjust endorsement settings” to choose or change how you give and
receive endorsements
Recruiters, headhunters and hiring managers can search for candidates by skills
listed in this section
• Important to identify your skills in this section, even if already included under
specific jobs in your experience section
• Complete and update regularly as you gain skills or change your focusAgenda • Where LinkedIn fits • Profile sections and best practices • General pro tips • LinkedIn FAQs •Q&A
General Pro Tips • Must have: a photo, an About section, and experience descriptions • Keep your language clear, concise, and direct • There is more space, but potential employers are still skimming • Use key words and phrases that occur frequently in the job descriptions you’ve been viewing • Upload media, especially for show-your-work fields • Use the sections for projects, causes, etc. to give a fuller picture of yourself to prospective employers
Agenda • Where LinkedIn fits • Profile sections and best practices • General pro tips • LinkedIn FAQs •Q&A
FAQs
Do I have to use LinkedIn?
• No…but it has become a widely accepted tool to “find and be found”, and opting
out may slow your job search
• If not, consider creating an online presence through your own blog or website
If I’m suddenly more active on LinkedIn, can that tip off my manager/colleagues that
I’m job hunting?
• Yes, this can be an issue
• Use your privacy settings to limit who can see your activity broadcasts
• Privacy settings menu appears under “me” in menu at top of pageFAQs
What is the point of a custom URL?
• Creates a shorter, more recognizable link to add to other docs (like your resume)
• To do this, click the “Edit public profile & URL” link on the top-right of the profile
page
How do I control what people see on my profile?
• The same button!
• Right-sidebar menu allows you to control who sees what, including what is
open to people outside of LinkedIn
• Review your settings periodically as you move through a job searchBefore we go on, let’s look at a profile!
Agenda • Where LinkedIn fits • Profile sections and best practices • General pro tips • LinkedIn FAQs •Q&A
But First! Next Steps Attend more in this series: ▪ Networking ▪ Interviewing ▪ Negotiating the Job Offer ▪ Managing Your Ongoing Professional Development Make an advising appointment now or later: If you’ve been active on Handshake: barnard.joinhandshake.com If not: email beyondbarnard@barnard.edu for assistance
Thanks! Questions? Lindsay Granger-Weaver, EdD lgranger@barnard.edu beyondbarnard@barnard.edu
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