Julia is BACK on AHTK to share everything you need to know about LinkedIn !!
She was on the blog before and shared her tips for writing a kick-ass resume and TODAY, she will be sharing:
- Why you should care about LinkedIn
- How to get started on LinkedIn
- & How to network like a pro!!
Let’s get right into it!
♥
Hi there AHTK readers! I’m Julia, and I’m a full-time strategy consultant who also has an Instagram account called @smarterinasec. My mission is to teach you something new every day so that you’re the most interesting person at the (quarantine) party. I also have a background in resume writing / editing (check out my last AHTK post on how to write a kick-ass resume here!)
But today, we’re going to dive into a different topic…LinkedIn. Though we might spend half an hour capturing the perfect Instagram shot (and agonize even more over picking a Facebook profile picture that you’ll keep for the next five years), LinkedIn tends to be the forgotten sister of social media. LinkedIn profiles tend to be a regurgitation of one’s resume—and are rarely leveraged properly as a “power tool” for the job search process. It’s easy to overlook LinkedIn as simply another social media platform (isn’t that what my resume is for?)—but when used correctly, you’ll be able to seamlessly network, build strong relationships, and nab the job you want.
Want to up your LinkedIn game? Keep reading!
Why should you care about LinkedIn?
- Significant attention from recruiters—94% of recruiters use LinkedIn to research candidates (Zety, 2020
- The opportunity to make a personal connection with your professional network—LinkedIn profiles with photos get 21x more views and 36x more messages (Foundation Inc., 2020)
- A path into a strong employer “fit”—New employees sourced through LinkedIn are 40% less likely to leave the company within the first 6 months (CivicPlus, 2020)
How do I get started on LinkedIn?
- Add, add, add! Once you’ve signed up for a profile, add anyone & everyone in your personal & professional network. Ok, maybe not your ex-boyfriend—but your mom’s friend who works in marketing? Your high school Spanish teacher who’s also a freelance writer? Your second cousin who works in finance in LA? Yes to all of the above. As long as you have a solid personal relationship with someone, add them on LinkedIn. You never know who they’re connected to. And as you’re more likely to be referred to a job by your second / third-degree connections vs. those in your immediate circle, keep the dialogue open with these folks.
- Pick a professional photo. You may look amazing in that photo snapped at the Kanye concert, but save that for Instagram. Pick a high-resolution image where you’re smiling and look like the best version of yourself. And try to avoid distracting backgrounds if possible.
- Use your resume as a base—but it’s OK to have a little fun! Using your resume as a foundation, fill out your professional work history. However, there’s also something on LinkedIn called a profile summary—which is where you can give a brief overview of your work experience & what you’re looking to do next. I encourage everyone to show some personality here—your profile summary should read like a catchy elevator pitch. Below is a profile summary I recently crafted for a client:
“Hi! I’m Sam—a marketing & sales professional passionate about all things beauty and interior design.
I’m a classically trained interior architect —> turned PR account executive —>
turned makeup artist —> turned sales & marketing lead for LVMH & Bobbi Brown. That’s a mouthful. But what’s remained constant is my passion for connecting with customers and telling stories—whether that’s through the design of a room, a marketing campaign, or a carefully chosen eyeshadow shade.
So what am I looking for? A dynamic role that will enable me to contribute my sales & marketing skillset (relationship building, marketing & PR strategy, and client management) and grow my career.
When I’m not working, you can find me scuba diving (I hold an advanced certification), making jewelry, or painting (I specialize in nursery art and new home landscapes).
I’d love to get in touch—e-mail me at XYZ to talk all things sales & marketing, your favorite beauty finds, or your aunt’s new obsession with feng shui.”
And here are more examples of tip-top profile summaries!
- Join groups aligned with your background & interests. LinkedIn has a sh*t ton of interest groups that make it easy to connect with people in your industry (or your desired industry). There’s always lots of interesting content and job leads shared in these groups. To join, simply search for your desired industries in the “Groups” tab, and hundreds of options you’ll pop up. Also, search for & join your college alumni group (your high school may even have one too—mine does!)
How do I network on LinkedIn?
Networking has somewhat of a dirty reputation—it can feel forced / ladder climber-y, but it doesn’t have to! The method I’ve outlined below will enable you to move beyond networking and build strong relationships with those in your industry—so you can ultimately land your dream job.
- Find an employee at the company you’re interested in working at. It’s always better if you have some kind of connection to them (you went to the same college, shared a previous employer, etc.), but no sweat if not.
- Shoot a note to them asking for a 15-minute informational chat. Feel free to use the below template to customize your message (there’s a 300 character limit for the messages attached to connection requests—InMails can be longer).
“Hi Dan, I hope you’re staying safe during this crazy time! My name is Julia, and I’m currently seeking new opportunities in the XYZ space. If you’re open to it, I’d love to learn more about XYZ and the experiences you’ve had at the firm. Would you be free for a 15-minute connect this week?”
- Chat with them! Everyone always loves to be asked about themselves—so craft some questions about their experiences at the firm, their favorite part of the job, their path to the firm, etc. If it doesn’t come up organically during the conversation, you can thank them for their time and mention that you’re interested in XYZ role. If your new contact likes you / has the ability to after your connect, they’ll likely pass your information onto that firm’s recruiter.
There’s SO much more to unpack about LinkedIn, but hopefully this was a good foundation in the basics!
I’d love to hear from all of you! You can find me on Instagram @smarterinasec, on TikTok @smarterinasec, and sign up for my weekly newsletter here (info & recommendations you won’t find anywhere else).
♥
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing your tips, Julia!!
Don’t forget to follow Julia on Instagram and let me know your top LinkedIn tips below!
xx hails