LinkedIn 101 - Ten Tips to Help You Ace the Power of LinkedIn

I just finished reading Liz Ryan's book Happy About Online Networking which offers some great tips for leveraging the power of online business and social networking tools to build relationships and an online professional identity. Liz makes some great points about how to build credibility on several sites and I particularly liked her comments about building authentic relationships on LinkedIn. She reminds us that users should not just use the LinkedIn database to find people, but they should also share enough information about themselves to indicate how they might help others. Liz and I are on the same page when it comes to making the most of LinkedIn. Here are some of the tips I recommend for optimizing the benefits of LinkedIn.

1. Take the time to create a robust profile. Write a summary section that clearly outlines your personal brand and value add and gets readers jazzed up about what you do. Build out the specialties section and make it keyword rich and industry relevant. Many profiles on LinkedIn are just a shell with a name and an abbreviated chronology. You would never submit a resume to a potential employer that only listed the names of the companies you worked for with no supporting information, so why would you use this tactic online where your information is available for millions of people to see?
2. Use the endorsements feature to request and offer endorsements. People are more likly to contact you if you can showcase that others have been satisfied with your work. Adding endorsements can expedite the decision making/hiring process.
3. Keep your profile up to date. People who use LinkedIn for a job search campaign often abandon the tool after they find new employment. By keeping your information up to date, you are more likely to keep your network strong and be able to reciprocate to others.
   
4. Educate your connections. If people join LinkedIn and don't invite others, they won't get as much out of the tool and will remain several degrees apart from the people they want to meet. When you introduce friends and colleagues to the tool, take the time to explain to them how to maximize its utility.
   
5. Remember that LinkedIn doesn't replace traditional networking, it facilitates it. Always supplement your online efforts with face-to-face networking.
   
6. Use the questions and answers feature to start conversations, create community, and position yourself as a subject matter expert. By answering questions, you are simultaneously endorsing your candidacy and expertise.
7. Don't add a connection that you would not feel comfortable introducing to someone already in your network. Having 500 connections doesn't have much value if you can't "share the love".
8. Avoid the "invitation to connect" templates. They lack authenticity and are inferior when compared to a personalized message.
9. Create a public profile. This is an easy way to start building an online presence for yourself, since LinkedIn ranks high in the search engines.
10. Take advantage of available resources about LinkedIn including I'm on LinkedIn...Now What???, Linked Intelligence and LinkedIn Blog.
    

Why I Like Facebook

A colleague of mine recently emailed me this post from CIO.com about Facebook and how this popular social networking tool can distract people and sap productivity. While the blogger makes some valid points about the questionable usefulness of certain Facebook applications and people's tendency to get lost on-line, I have to say I still think that Facebook is a great business and social networking tool. Here's why.

1. Facebook makes it easy for me to let my friends, colleagues, and clients know that I am thinking of them. It reminds me when my contacts' birthdays are, lets me share interesting articles, photos, and videos to groups of friends, and helps me get to know the personal side of my contacts, not just the business side.
2. Facebook is "sticky" and I have a reason to go there everyday. Facebook updates me on what everyone in my network is doing on a daily basis...sure a lot of the information is useless or silly, but sometimes there's a golden nugget about a friend or colleague's success, an upcoming industry event, a reunion, a book recommendation, or an interesting product or service.
3. Facebook is fun. Sometimes after I've just completed a project or when I'm stuck on how to tackle a new project, I jump on Facebook. Distraction? Maybe...But sometimes a distraction is just what I need to get the creative juices flowing for the next project. If I'm stuck on a project that my contacts may be able to help me with, I pose a question to the group and get invaluable advice that helps propel me forward.
   
4. Facebook lets people get to know me better. People build relationships based on frequency of encounters and trust. Facebook simply expedites this process and helps people get to know me faster. Once an authentic relationship is established we can begin to share information that will help each other.

If you want to learn more about Facebook and how to get the most out of it, check out Jason Alba and Jesse Stay's new book, I'm on Facebook...Now What??? here.

Facebook and Your Job Search

While LinkedIn continues to be a valuable tool for sourcing job leads, more and more recruiters and hiring managers are also using Facebook as a tool for finding talent. Check out CM Russell's post over on Secrets of the Job Hunt to learn more about some interesting applications to help you get found online.

I'm on LinkedIn, Now What???

I'm on LinkedIn, Now What???, a recently released book about LinkedIn, answers so many of the questions that have been posed to me by my clients about this powerful business networking tool. Many people approach social networking technology with trepidation and Jason Alba has created a “how to” guide that reminds new users that there are “no stupid questions” when it comes to learning a new technology and guides seasoned users through the more specialized uses of the application. I’m on LinkedIn, Now What??? is a must read for anyone interested in creating an on-line presence, building a professional community, sourcing prospects, or reaching out to decision makers and hiring authorities.The book is a quick, easy read that will teach you how to build more strategic and effective relationships on LinkedIn in a relatively short period of time.

Facebook - Not Just for College Kids

According to a recent article in Fast Company, Facebook members are not just college students anymore. Three million of their users are between the ages of 25 and 34. 380,000 are between 35 and 44, 310,000 are between 45 and 63, and 100,000 are 64 and older. In addition, Facebook features a number of employee networks including CNN, Ernst & Young, IBM, and Time Inc.

Consider diversifying your on-line networking presence to create visibility for your candidacy in a variety of on-line communities. Sites liked LinkedIn and Ecademy are fantastic for business networking, but they are not the only game in town. While many social networking sites have a certain "niche"-ability, employers are finding ways to break into a variety of social and business networking spaces to source the best of the baby boomer, gen X and gen Y talent.

Break out of your on-line comfort zone and experiment with the multitude of networking sites on-line. You will quickly expand your network, strengthen your personal brand, and accelerate your connections into new communities.