LinkedIn is underutilized. It's an amazingly powerful tool for professional networking. Once you master it, the right kinds of opportunities manifest much more readily. In this slide deck I cover what LinkedIn is, the essentials of the professional Profile, and how to tweak your account settings to restrict who can see what. I then focus on how to get yourself noticed. I conclude with several real-world scenarios -- specific to the audience I spend my days helping, namely technical content developers (tech writers, editors, trainers, and marcom writers) -- detailing how to use LinkedIn for best effect in different contexts. Note that this presentation is supplemented by ~15 short articles and screenshots, available separately (and for free) from Andrew Davis at andrewd@contentrules.com.

1. Leveraging LinkedIn
To Get Yourself
Noticed
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. Context
Content Rules is an 18 year old content development consultancy
I’m the team’s recruiter, matching clients’ opportunities with talent
Content developers = technical writers, trainers, instructional designers,
marcom pros, editors. And project managers, occasionally.
Our jobs are posted at www.contentrules.com/jobs
We’re motivated by credibility, seek to be our clients’ one-stop content
shop
LinkedIn is complex and evolves quickly
My comments focus on its potential for professionals seeking work
Your questions are welcome
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

3. troduction
I.Orientation
II.Profile essentials
III.Account settings
IV.Getting yourself noticed
V.Scenarios
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

4. Overview
I. Orientation
The profile’s new look, accessing basic features, extending LinkedIn
I. Profile essentials
What’s a “complete” profile, and how to make it work for you
I. Account settings
Controlling who sees what and why, and how often you receive emails
I. Getting yourself noticed
Using the Groups, Answers, and Jobs features
I. Scenarios
When to use which features
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

5. What is LinkedIn?
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

6. Linked is…
Your profile – with sections for background, professional experience,
recommendations, (endorsable) skills and expertise, interests, education,
publications, organizational affiliations, honors and awards….
Connections – with invitations, categorization, direct messaging,
searchability by company, industry, location….
Groups – with sub-groups, polls, discussions, new groups….
Companies – with LinkedIn TODAY (customizable news feed)
Jobs – fully integrated with your Connections
Answers – a dynamic knowledgebase and a good way to connect
Applications – box.net, WordPress, SlideShare, Events, GitHub, Amazon
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

7. What LinkedIn Isn’t?
LinkedIn is not a social network like Facebook or Twitter
Content is typically career-focused
Users are circumspect and held much more accountable
Credibility is key, and the ‘entertainment factor’ is low
LinkedIn is better organized, more searchable, and its content is ‘deeper’
LinkedIn is more professional and trusted
LinkedIn isn’t a niche player like BranchOut, Viadeo, and XING
In fact, it’s the first site most hiring managers and recruiters visit
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

8. I. Getting Oriented – “our interface has changed”
LinkedIn has recently rolled out a new interface for its Profiles
The major sections are still the Summary (picture, title, education,
location, industry), Activity, Background, Experience, Skills & Expertise,
and Education
The picture is bigger, contact information has been moved, and there are
new sections on the right-hand column for:
People similar to the current LinkedIn user
Graphical view of “How you’re connected”
Configurable view of user’s network (company, school, location, industry)
View of what you have in common (w/ same categories)
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

9. Getting Oriented (2)
If you view your own profile (from “View Profile” in the main menu bar),
you now get:
A visual representation of how complete (“strong”) your profile is
Cues about who’s viewed your profile, so you can follow up with any
who might seek further information
Visual cues about people you may want to connect with (“People you
may know”)
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

10. II. Profile Essentials
Picture
Include one, or at least an avatar image. Men, a side-on image where
you’re not leaning on your hand works best.
Be authentic and make an emotional connection
Profiles with pictures get at least 50% more views
Summary section
Highlight your passions, (career-related) interests, and personality;
cultural fit is at least as important to the best employers as an appropriate
skill set
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

11. Profile Essentials (2)
Contact section
Supply as much contact info as appropriate, bearing in mind only your
1st and 2nd degree connections will see it
Specify the URL of your resume, portfolio, blog, Twitter account, etc.
Hint: without helpful info here, you’re a lot harder to take seriously
Customize your LinkedIn URL, and adjust what’s shown to the public
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

12. Profile Essentials (3)
Experience section
Highlight specific actions you took and the impact they achieved
Do not merely catalog your responsibilities
Be sure to use ‘conforming’ Company names, to improve searchability
Skills & Expertise section
LinkedIn displays your claimed skills/expertise to your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-
level connections, but only gives your 1st-level connections the chance to
endorse you. List up to 50 that will resonate with them.
If you’re not getting “endorsements” for specific skills, request such
from those who know you well, or change them to those your connections
know © 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.
Hint: you can endorse someone for 5 claimed skills by clicking on their

13. Profile Essentials (4)
Recommendations section
Recommendations boost your “People” search ranking dramatically
Solicit detailed, authentic-sounding input, and don’t hesitate to request
revisions (especially if the recommendation is bland, or has typos).
Ensure the recommender doesn’t merely catalog your responsibilities
The more, the merrier – and you control which recommendations
display
Contact [user] For section
If you’re not looking for work, uncheck “job inquiries” and “consulting
offers”
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

14. Profile Essentials (5)
A “complete” LinkedIn profile includes:
your current job and two previous jobs
your educational background
a profile summary
profile picture
your specialties (Experience)
at least 3 recommendations
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

15. Profile Essentials (6) – SEO considerations
LinkedIn ranks “People” search results using these fields:
Professional Headline
Titles
Summary and Experience
Industries
To appear closer to the top, be ASAP (as specific as possible) in the first
3 fields, and use popular search terms (especially for titles):
Information Engineer  Technical Writer
Web Copy Creator  Marketing Writer
Structured Content Consultant  XML/DITA Expert
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

16. Profile Essentials (7) – SEO considerations
“Search Engine Optimize” your profile using “Advanced People Search:”
1. Complete the Title and Location-related fields (e.g., Technical Writer,
within 50 miles of 95051)
2. Enter one or more relevant Keywords (e.g., FrameMaker, XML, Agile,
networking)
3. Review first ~20 returned profiles for search term matches
4. Revise your profile’s Headline, Title, Summary, and Experience
sections, adding likely search terms (in context) to improve ranking
5. Iterate until satisfied
For clues to marketable search terms, explore:
 “Viewers of this profile also viewed…” section (on right column)
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Keywords used by competing candidates

17. III. Account Settings
Adjust privacy and related settings from “Settings” (dropdown from your
name, top right corner)
Add your other email addresses 
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

18. Account Settings (2) – showing off on LinkedIn
If you have a paid account and are looking for work, tweak your
OpenLink and/or premium badge settings
OpenLink members can receive connection requests from anyone;
members outside your network can thus join it more easily.
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

19. Account Settings (3) – controlling who knows you’re
looking
If you want to be more visible, turn on “activity broadcasts”
 No, you can’t selectively hide these broadcasts from specific people
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

20. Account Settings (4) – good fences make good neighbors
If you have connections you don’t want to find out about each other (at
least through you), tweak “Select who can see your connections”
 No, you can’t selectively hide your connections from specific people
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

21. Account Settings (5) – Who else did this viewer see?
Display “Viewers of this profile also viewed…” while you’re SEO’ing your
profile, so you can see the context in which your profile appears.
 After that, it’s optional – and it can hurt your chances of getting contacted,
especially if the viewer gets distracted by another profile.
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

22. Account Settings (6) – the 3 most crucial fields
Tweak your profile’s Headline, Location, and Industry to orient viewers.
 Re Location, go “regional” rather than “local” to cast the widest net.
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

23. Account Settings (7) – limit what the world sees
Tweak your public profile to constrain what displays outside LinkedIn.
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

24. Account Settings (8) – Buried in Emails?
Adjust who can send you email and under what pretenses.
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

25. Account Settings (9) – Email frequency
Adjust how often you’ll receive LinkedIn-related email
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

26. Account Settings (10) – Frequency of Group-related
Emails
Adjust how often you’ll receive LinkedIn Group-related email
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

27. IV. Getting Yourself Noticed
Build your network by soliciting LinkedIn connections and introductions
Join and participate in relevant LinkedIn Groups
To connect with knowledgeable contributors, use “More/Reply privately“
“Follow” Companies in your target industry
Contribute to LinkedIn Answers topics on which you’re knowledgeable
Watch (and respond to) job postings from target employers
Hint: Job postings can originate anywhere; you can still use LinkedIn to
find current or past employees who can help you steer your resume
Share relevant status updates, and respond constructively to others’
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

28. Finding LinkedIn Members Who Can Help You
Find out who you know at specific companies
Search LinkedIn for people you already know, then click “Similar”
Search “Answers” then use “Connect” button or “get introduced” link
Scour “Viewers of this profile also viewed...”
Use LinkSV.com, then approach officers via their LinkedIn icons
Import your email address book(s) into LinkedIn © 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

29. How To Request and Work With Connections
Use the “Connect” button and “Get introduced” link
When you ask someone to join your LinkedIn network
Make it clear you’ve read their profile
Give them an incentive (access to your connections, know-how, etc)
Do not settle for the boilerplate text LinkedIn offers (“I'd like to add you
to my professional network on LinkedIn”); customize it!
Do not send “batch” invitations unless recipients are expecting it
When someone accepts your invitation, engage!
Use the “send a message” feature to thank them, provide your contact
info, ask how you can help, offer a relevant service, and so forth.
Tag them © 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

30. Self-Promotion 101
1. Customize your LinkedIn URL
Add it (perhaps via a View my Profile button) to:
Your resume
Your email signature block
Your blog or website
Your business card
2. Create your own LinkedIn group
Lets you broadcast once/week, for free, to all members
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

31. Self-Promotion 101 (2) - Recommendations
3. Ask for Recommendations (“Profile” from main menu bar)
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

32. Self-Promotion 101 (3) – Contribute Answers
4. Contribute Answers (“Profile” from main menu bar)
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

33. V. Scenarios For Using LinkedIn Optimally
Scenario #1
Transitioning professional seeking first formal Technical Writer role
Scenario #2
Mid-career Technical Writer seeking advancement
Scenario #3
Senior Technical Writer seeking parity or better after a layoff
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

34. Want to connect?
Andrew Davis, recruiter
408-395-8178 ext. 105
www.linkedin.com/in/synergistech
andrewd@contentrules.com
www.contentrules.com/jobs
© 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.

35. © 2012. Content Rules, Inc. All rights reserved.