LinkedIn?

[Mango]

I'm curious as to how everyone feels about this business networking site. I understand it is more professional and works on professional connections, unlike Facebook.

Is anyone here a frequent user? Any tips? Has it helped your career at all?

[The Yen Man]

I find it helps attract a lot of headhunters. I've had 2 companies call interested in an interview, and about 5 headhunters who wanted to add me to their list in case I was looking for a job in the future.

So I think if you're unemployed, it's worth taking a shot. It's a lot cleaner than FB in that you actually post only work relevant information. No updates about what you're having for lunch or if you're going for a walk.

[Phanuthier]

Seems like something thats more useful for jobs that require networking. All my MBA friends kept saying to me was "get on linkedin, get on linkedin, get on linkedin."

I do know recruiters use it as well. If you have a particular skill that recruiters target, might be worth a shot.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

I find it helps attract a lot of headhunters. I've had 2 companies call interested in an interview, and about 5 headhunters who wanted to add me to their list in case I was looking for a job in the future.

Damn, how does one make that happen? I'm really looking for new opportunities at the moment.

[Jordan!]

I don't use it just due to privacy. I don't know if I want things like Work history just out there.

I may need to look into it further perhaps.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by kermitology

Damn, how does one make that happen?

I'm with you when it comes to get your LinkedIn profile noticed. I always feel awkward writing down all of these skills because it seems like I'm tooting my own horn and that I'm full of myself.

For everyone, has it been a good way for you to keep in touch with people in your particular industry?

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by kermitology

Damn, how does one make that happen? I'm really looking for new opportunities at the moment.

Make sure you use a lot of keywords, but don't put in BS like MS Office and Windows for skills, otherwise you'll get attention for IT support. Keep your descriptions brief but make sure you use words you'd see in job postings like RF, EMC, EMI et al.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Bouw N Arrow

I don't use it just due to privacy. I don't know if I want things like Work history just out there.

I may need to look into it further perhaps.

Well I wouldn't put on there that I work at Superstore...

[Mango]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Make sure you use a lot of keywords, but don't put in BS like MS Office and Windows for skills, otherwise you'll get attention for IT support. Keep your descriptions brief but make sure you use words you'd see in job postings like RF, EMC, EMI et al.

Interesting. Do you think that can go for any field of work?

And I'm out of thanks for right now...so my apologies to everyone with the good advice in this thread.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Depends on what you do. In our online marketing group if you don't have a profile and a couple of reasonable connections no one will hire you. For sales it would be a plus but maybe not a requirement. It may not matter at all for some roles.

I use it a lot, as do most of my peers, but mostly in a stays connected sense. I don't really care about job history beyond a bullet point or two, and don't really care about recommendations.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Mango

Interesting. Do you think that can go for any field of work?

And I'm out of thanks for right now...so my apologies to everyone with the good advice in this thread.

I think for someone like you, you should use it to supplement your own networking as connections to bigger markets will certainly help. You probably want to state more on what things you have done rather than skillset.

For someone like kermit, I think kermit should try and focus on skillset and keep it concise and try and hit the key words while avoiding the general words that would attract you from jobs you don't want.

[jtfrogger]

To me, LinkedIn is a no brainer to maintain. It takes minimal effort and leads to results.

I lost my job last spring. As a result of finding a former co-worker on a business social networking site, I was able to land my first contract. I found him and we kept in touch through the summer. He eventually emailed me to see if I was interested in a contract position. I didn't ever push him for a job, but by keeping in contact with him I was able keep my name in his memory.

I have also had recruiters contact me on two fronts. One, recruiters I don't know found me and asked me if I was interested in positions that they were trying to fill. The second, is that I was contacted by recruiters that I do know to get my opinion on people in my network. In fact, one of the people that I recommended to a recruiter that specifically asked me because of our connection on LinkedIn had an interview today that apparently went very well. He was proposed by the recruiter that asked me about him.

The thing is, as with everything, you have to be careful on how you use it. Some people are obviously trying very hard on LinkedIn. They just appear desperate. These are the people that have a bunch of reciprocal recommendations and participate in every discussion thread. I haven't discussed it with any recruiter, but to me, they do not seem like desirable candidates.

My recommended dos:

• Put as much care into it that you would your resume. Actually, it is pretty easy to cut & paste from your resume so you really don't have much of an excuse. I know I have used LinkedIn to look someone up. In some cases, while I was looking to hire someone. If you have a bunch of typos, I get the impression that you are just as sloppy in other things you do.
• Put all the relevant experience in your work history that would apply to what would interest you.
• Maintain it even when you are not looking for work. You don't have to do much, but add people that you work with. I pop in about once a week to see who the people in my network have connected with.
• Join any relevant groups for you. For Calgarians, Linking Calgary is a great start.

My recommended don'ts:

• Don't treat it like Facebook. It does look unprofessional to see a bunch of status updates about what you are doing on the weekend.
• Don't fish for recommendations. If you get them, great, but I don't think they really add too much value. I have seen a few that had a dozen recommendations all within the same week. It looks contrived.
• Don't use it to kill time. Get in, get out. If you spend a bunch of time commenting on various discussions, you look like you waste time.
• Don't go fishing for people to connect with. Just connect with people you actually know. You can be found with a search without the connections, especially if you join one or two relevant groups.
• Don't join a bunch of useless groups. It just invites crap.

Anyway, I just figured I would give my thoughts on it. It can be a very important tool. My dos & don'ts are based on my limited experience, but that does involve actually getting a job and working with recruiters.

[McG]

i wasn't going to use linked in, but a buddy recommended it as a way to keep in touch with people that we both knew. it was a good suggestion.

as it is now, i have a solid group of people that i used to work with that i would have lost connection with, all aware of where a person is and what they are working on across lots of different geographies.

i laugh at the "traded recommendations", but i wouldn't hold that against a person. seriously, if i want/need a reference it will be a real person, but it isn't bad that you have them.

the two biggest things? the first is that it lets me see who is changing their roles/jobs and it lets me see which of my previously unconnected buddies link. that is always a good ice breaker.

[The Goon]

As a sales guy, it's great for finding contacts and cold calling.

[Flames0910]

I updated my LinkedIn profile because of this post =)

Everybody tells me how great it is, but right now most of my connections or classmates from Haskayne. I suspect it will become infinitely more valuable when I break into the industry.

[Cheese]

LinkedIN is the best business networking site out there.

Joining groups that you are affiliated with or interested in is a bonus.

By the way there is a CalgaryPuck Group in LinkedIn.

If anyone wants to add me feel free...Dayel Peterson

[Kiran403]

I'm currently looking for some sales people for a startup company and have created a linkedin page. I've had LinkedIn for a while but I haven't really used it very much. Does anyone have any tips on the best way to recruit off LinkedIn? Is it worth it to have any thing more than the free basic account or do the premium accounts provide some good benefits?

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Mango

I'm curious as to how everyone feels about this business networking site. I understand it is more professional and works on professional connections, unlike Facebook.

Is anyone here a frequent user? Any tips? Has it helped your career at all?

I'm on LinkedIn and find it useful for keeping track of (and finding) contacts and the things happening in my industry.

If you join any Croatian groups though, be prepared to have every Croatian person on LinkedIn add you. (I imagine it's not a phenomena limited to just that ethnic group though).

Half the people in my network are random people, but you don't have to add them back if you don't want to obviously.

[troutman]

My project manager is helping me re-design my web-site and marketing strategy. She is of the opinion that LinkedIn is very important. She is training me to blog, and post often to Twitter and LinkedIn. Without much effort I grew my contacts on LinkedIn from 100 to 500 in just one week. It is a big audience that you can speak to.

Work in progress:

http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view...ab_profile_pic

[Slava]

Originally Posted by The Goon

As a sales guy, it's great for finding contacts and cold calling.

I've been cold called once off Linked In and that guy will never get any of my business. I hated his approach and kind of felt like it was an invasion of privacy. I realise that's not the case because I'm on there and have my info for people to see and connect with, but I think that you have to be somewhat careful in how you use it to generate business.


For you Mango I would think that this could be very useful. I would think that things like samples of your work and work related items would be interesting and at the same time demonstrate your skills and expertise. That kind of thing is invaluable to would be employers.

I do disagree with whoever said not to bother much with the recommendations. Its the 'pre-fab' recommendations you don't want, but if a client wants to take the time to write a recommendation in their own words for you, that is invaluable. I would definitely want more of those!