LinkedIn for Career Management Iwan Griffiths MSc Business Careers Adviser Aston Business School

What this sessions aims to cover (please share your experience and practice) A quick review of your LinkedIn profile Network and support your profile development using………… Improve your job applications using…. Enhance your profile by active participation in ……. Get/share knowledge/information in… Before we start…. Connections Company information and jobs Group membership Questions and answers

Key components of your LinkedIn profile Photograph Professional Profile Summary and specialities Experience Skills and Expertise Education Groups (in Additional Information) Connections

Photograph Professional Profile Summary and specialities Experience Key components of your LinkedIn profile – what they might look like

Skills and Expertise Education Groups (in Additional Information) Key components of your LinkedIn profile – what they might look like

Creating an 100% profile Your industry and postal code A current position with description Two more positions Education At least 3 skills Profile photo At least 50 connections

Reviewing your profile – key weblinks Professional headline Compiling your Summary and Specialities Adding information on your Education and Employment Also see

Using connections to network and support your Profile development You might connect to: Aston students and students you’ve previously studied with Current and previous employers Aston alumni People working in organisations or sectors that interest you People in the LinkedIn groups you decide to join What are the main reasons for connecting to people in these different groups? Connections

Your network Your Connection You Connection Connections

How to build your LinkedIn Connections InvitationsIntroductions TargetPeople you know and trust LinkedIn members who are 2 nd or 3 rd degree connections How to connect From member’s profile, from ‘People You May Know’ or via Send request through one of your 1 st degree connections To find out more see ers/detail/a_id/118 etail/a_id/116 Connections

Making and receiving recommendations Reinforce your professional identity online Help illustrate your achievements, project credibility, and show why people enjoy working with you Users with Recommendations are 3 times more likely to get job enquiries through LinkedIn searches Do this by selecting ‘Profile’ then ‘Recommendations’ Connections

Connections – using LinkedIn Open Network

Connections – using LinkedIn Lions Network

Finding AU alumni using Linked in Log on to ‘Change School’ to Aston University or your previous university Use filters to check Where alumni work, their employers and job areas Useful for making contacts with alumni working for your target employers Aim to set up ‘informational interviews’ by phone or Connections – finding AU alumni

Finding AU alumni using LinkedIn Connections – finding AU alumni

Finding jobs on LinkedIn Click on ‘Jobs’ and then search by keyword, job title, company, location Also look for ‘Discover Jobs in Your Network’ 247 ‘graduate trainee’ position listed in October 2012 Check your LinkedIn connections working for companies advertising jobs that interest you When you view a job check out ‘People Who Viewed This Job Also Viewed’ Company information and jobs

Using LinkedIn Company Information Employer information Job vacancies via ‘Careers’ tab Contacts in your network Follow companies Most common skills of company’s employees Employee career paths Company information and jobs

Using LinkedIn for application and interview preparation What you need to know about and in particularHow LinkedIn can help The companyMission, products, marketsLinkedIn company pages The industryTrends, competitors, key people Join ‘Industry Groups’ ‘Insider secrets’Culture, mindsets, what traits are most valued, key blogs/reads Contact 1 st /2 nd /3 rd degree connections to ask for advice on ‘inside scoop’ Ongoing updates‘Follow’ them, use LinkedIn ‘Company Buzz’ on Twitter Background of selection panel Career paths, education background, Twitter topics etc Check for shared connections Company information and jobs

Joining and using LinkedIn Groups Group membership

Why join LinkedIn Groups? Projects your professional, career-focused identity Helps you identify ‘hot topics’ in your professional interest areas Allows active involvement/influence in key discussions through ‘liking’ and commenting Identifies ‘key influencers’ - check their profile to see all their group activity Group membership

LinkedIn: Answers You get 1 point of expertise every time a LinkedIn member picks your answer as the "best" for a question they ask The more points you get in a category, the higher you appear in the list of experts for that category Once you have expertise, a tally of your "best" answers are accumulated and displayed in a "My Q&A" section on your profile, and beneath your name wherever it appears within Answers text link LinkedIn Answers Guidelines and Tips Questions and answers

Joining LinkedIn Groups – key features Can join up to 50 groups Can adjust settings to get weekly discussion digests or deselect Digest group – go to ‘More’, then ‘Your Settings’ Worth targeting high membership groups and searching on keywords for groups to match your career interests Questions and answers

Next steps in using LinkedIn for career development Join ABS and AU alumni groups – look for alumni linked to your target careers and companies Search for groups related to your target career Review Company Information for your target employers – look for 1 st degree connections and ask for ‘introductions’ to 2 nd and 3 rd connections for advice/information Review Answers related to your career interest. Could you add to them? Connections Company information and jobs Group membership Questions and answers

Key weblinks LinkedIn Learner Center Linked Student and Graduate Guide

Any questions or comments? Iwan Griffiths