What is LinkedIn?
And Why Should You Care?
Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine
Resource Team Retreat Breakout Session
July 17, 2014
Stephanie A. Hilliard
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Why LinkedIn?
And what can it do for you?
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What is LinkedIn?
S LinkedIn is a Social Media site
S social media (noun): forms of electronic communication (as Web sites
for social networking and microblogging) through which users create
online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages,
and other content (as videos) (Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
(emphasis mine)
S First known use of the term: 2004 (Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary
S Examples of other social media: MySpace, YouTube, Twitter,
Facebook and many others
Why Should You Care?
S Some people see no need for social media – why should that
change?
S Social media, like it or not, is increasingly the way business
gets done in most fields, including higher education
In higher education, electronic learning formats are rapidly
increasing, including social media
S A primary client group is Millennials – and many of them live on
social media
S Social media is an increasingly present and relevant work tool
beyond electronic learning
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Why Should You Care?
S Some people naturally enjoy social media – but why should they use
LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is not about funny cat videos or posting about the concert you
attended…LinkedIn is about YOUR CAREER
S A powerful career tool is NETWORKING…and LinkedIn is a significant
networking tool
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S LinkedIn’s growth as a business tool (LinkedIn, 2014):
S 300 million members in 200 countries and territories
S Two new members being added per second
S 39 million students and recent graduates on the site – fastest growing
demographic
Why Does Networking Matter?
S It is often said that it is not “what” you know but “who” you
know that makes the difference.
S However, networking is not about currying favor with others
merely to get something from them
S Good networking is a two-way relationship where you give as well
as get
S Establish trust
S Establish a currency of exchange (information, etc.)
S Serve others
Why Does Networking Matter?
S Who you know in your field can make a major difference in
your ability to do your job.
S Today’s workplace often expects employees to do more with
less.
S To succeed in any tough environment, we need not only skills
and experience but also resources.
S Other human beings are one of the greatest resources available
to you.
S Networking creates human connections that become resources.
Networking Summarized
S Networking (Michael Page CareerCentre, 2014):
S Keeps you abreast of information and changes in your field
S Gives you access to advice and support
S Exposes you to fresh ideas and new ways to work smarter
S Allows you to share your expertise
S Adds value to you as an employee
S Connects you to other people’s networks, increasing your reach
Social Media and Networking
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By its nature, social media is a networking tool; remember it it is used to
create communities.
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We all have strong and weak social ties in our lives (McKeown, 2012)
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Strong ties (for most of us) equate to family or personal friends
Weak ties consist of acquaintances, business associates, and people we meet
via social media.
Weak ties can strengthen over time, even on social media.
Social media allows us to form extended connections and leverage weak ties
as resources
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Research has shown that tapping into weak ties can be strategically valuable
for activities such as job hunting.
Social Media and Networking
S Social media such as Facebook and YouTube let you maintain
and extend your personal networks
S Strong ties – maintain existing relationships
S Weak ties – develop new relationships
S LinkedIn allows you to extend your business networks
S Strong ties – maintain existing business relationships
S Weak ties – develop new business relationships
S Work is increasingly global in scope
S Reach beyond your personal location to connect with the world
Entering the LinkedIn
World
Screens and Menus
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The Main Screen (Home)
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This is the main screen you see
when you log into the site.
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Your home page is your
“working” page with access to a
number of LinkedIn information
features.
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For those of you familiar with
social media, this is your
“newsfeed”.
The Main Screen - Left
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The left side shows the news
from all your different
connections
S When a connection posts a
status update, it shows up
here
S You can add your status
update at the top of the left
column
The Main Screen – Right
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The right side shows stats for
your usage
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This side also shares suggestions
from LinkedIn for things like
connections, companies, etc.
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LinkedIn tries to be very
helpful…you may view that as
good or bad.
The Main Screen – Right
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On the stats side you’ll see these
options:
S People You May Know =
suggested connections
S Ads You May be Interested In
S You Recently Visited
S Who’s Viewed Your Profile
The Main Screen – Right
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Continuing down the stats side:
S Who’s Viewed Your Updates =
Views of shared content
S Your LinkedIn Network stats
S Jobs You May be Interested In
The Main Screen – Right
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Final Options:
S Groups You May Like
S Companies You May Want to
Follow
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At the bottom are links for
LinkedIn itself for About,
Feedback, and Privacy & Terms
Filter Bubbles
S What you see on your home page is based on your interests
(customized content).
This is common to all web browsing, not just LinkedIn
Algorithms (programs) record your browsing habits and customize
content
S This takes place even with search engines such as Google
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Upside: you get customized content
Upside: you don’t have to put up with as much irrelevant content
Downside: what content you see is filtered
Downside: your browsing habits are being recorded
Online political activist Eli Pariser dubbed these “filter bubbles” (TED.com,
2011)
Navigating LinkedIn - Menu
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You can navigate from many areas on the page, but your main menu is at
the top.
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Main menu: options
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Home – go back to the main newsfeed page
Profile – view and edit your personal profile; see who has accessed your profile
Connections – access your connections and Keep in Touch, Add Connections, or
Find Alumni
Jobs – go to the employment section
Interests – access companies, groups, Pulse news, and education sections
Navigating LinkedIn - Menu
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Main menu: options, continued
S Business Services –access features beneficial to an employer including Post a
Job, Talent Solutions, Advertise, Sales Solutions
S Upgrade – get access to a paid version with additional features such as
InMail
S InMail lets you send email messages to people who are not already
connections
S Used correctly, it can be good for contacting someone about
information or even a job (introducing yourself)
Menus – Profile
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From this menu, you can choose
to view your profile, edit it, or see
who else has looked at it.
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We will briefly look at each
option.
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Additional handout covers
working with your profile in
greater detail
Pages – Your Profile
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This is what people see when they
look for you on LinkedIn
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The section in this image is
considered “prime real estate” to
market who you are.
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The top area offers a snapshot of
your credentials
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The Background section is where
you summarize the qualities that
make you unique
Pages – Profile Editing Mode
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This is what your profile page
looks like in Edit Profile mode
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Edit mode offers a number of
tools for adding to and updating
your profile information
S Edit links/buttons
S Add Link or Upload File
S Move Sections
S Suggestions for profile
sections
Pages – Viewed Profile
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This page shows people who
have viewed your profile.
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They do not need to be
connections already to view your
profile.
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It can be interesting to see who
visits your page; people who
view your profile also hold
potential as new contacts.
Menus – Connections
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Connections are the people in your
personal LinkedIn “community”.
Connections are achieved through
invitations sent to and from potential
contacts
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Clicking Connections or Keep in Touch takes
you to your Connections page
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Add Connections lets you leverage your
email contacts to see who you already
known on LinkedIn
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Find Alumni shows connections who are
fellow alumni of your college or university
Pages – Keep in Touch
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The top section shows milestones for
your connections, such as work
anniversaries
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The tab just below that section lets you
select See more people to contact
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Below the tab you can view your
connections, using several different sort
options
S Recent Conversation
S Last Name
S First Name
S New
Pages – Add Connections
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See Who You Already Know on
LinkedIn authorizes the program
to import your address book to
suggest connections and help you
manage contacts.
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As you can see from the example
at the left, LinkedIn can import
addresses from several different
email programs.
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You do NOT have to use this
feature in order to connect with
others.
Pages – Alumni
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The top of the page shows stats
on alumni
S You can scroll over for more
stats
S You can click on a particular
stat to do a filtered search
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The bottom of the page gives
info about specific alumni
Pages – Alumni
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Shows both current connections
and non-connections who are
associated with the same school
S The small number to the right
below the picture shows how
many connections you have
in common
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Can be a good way to find and
connect with alumni and
administrators
Pages – People You May Know
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This section is accessed on your
main page at the top right
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Suggests people you may know
based on various organizations
listed on your profile.
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Allows you to send invitations to
connect.*
*Note: there are limits to making direct
connections with others on LinkedIn;
you typically need a “real world”
connection such as a work connection
Pages – People You May Know
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*When you attempt to connect with
someone, you see this screen (left)
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You establish your “relationship” with the
person
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If you don’t know the person but have an
email address, you can still send an
invitation
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You can also send an InMail request that
emails them through LinkedIn
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InMail requests are limited in the free
version of LinkedIn. Premium
subscriptions offer additional Inmail
requests
Menus – Jobs
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Clicking the Jobs menu takes you
to a page with information
primarily for job seekers
S Jobs you may be interested in
S Discover jobs in your network
S Saved job ads
Pages – Jobs
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The Jobs section is where you
view ads from companies that
are hiring.
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You can use search terms to
narrow down your job search.
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The company link typically takes
you to the job ad where the
requirements and contact info are
listed
Additional Benefits
S LinkedIn offers much more than “just” profiles and
connections
S Groups
S Pulse news
S Industry “Thought” leader postings
S Company access
S Job Postings
Menus – Interests
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The Interests menu allows you to
S View information for
Companies you are following
S Access your Groups
S View industry news through
Pulse
S Access additional
information for your school
by clicking Education
Pages – Companies
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The Home link shows you news
from the companies you are
following
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The Following link (screen
example not shown) reminds you
which companies you are
following
Pages – Your Groups
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This is an important area of
LinkedIn because it lets you
access your Groups
S Groups are forums where you
can “talk” to people who
share your field or your
interests
S 1000s of groups available
on many different topics
S You can respond to topics
S You can ask questions
Pages – Your Groups
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Connect more easily with people
that share groups with you
S LinkedIn will allow
connection invitations
between group members who
don’t know each other
otherwise
Pages – Pulse News Screen
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This is a news summary page
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You get updates on your main newsfeed
page from companies or leaders you
already follow
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Here you see news from additional
industry leaders and companies
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Notes who you are already
following
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You can choose to follow others by
clicking +Follow
Available as an app for your phone or
tablet as well
Pages – Education
LinkedIn offers a special section
devoted to educational
connections
S You can follow a school and get
their news posts (left side)
S The right side shows which
schools you are following
S Notice at the top that there are
options for Prospective, Current,
and Former Students as well as
links for Schools and Employers
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Navigating LinkedIn - Other
Messages
Notifications
Connections
Account and
Settings
Navigating LinkedIn - Other
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Messages
S This section serves as
LinkedIn’s email service
S You will see a red number
indicating unread messages
S You can read and reply to
messages by clicking on the
icon
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Notifications
S This section is where you see
activities, such connection
requests, or replies to threads
on a group
S You will see a red number
indicating the number of
unread notifications
S You can read notification by
clicking on this icon
Navigating LinkedIn - Other
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Add Connections
S Clicking on the icon takes
you to the page where you
can direct LinkedIn to go
through your contacts and
suggest connections for you
S Also accessible via the
Connections menu, and then
Add Connections
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Account and Settings
S This section allows you to
manage “under the hood” in
your account.
S Account options are
described on the next slide
Menus – Account & Settings
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Click on your picture icon at the
top right to
S Sign Out
S See an Account Tutorial
S Manage job posting settings
S Change the language of your
page
S Review privacy settings
S Access the Help Center
Conclusions
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Networking is a valuable
personal and professional tool
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Use LinkedIn to make your
professional persona “shine”
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Networking is enhanced by using
social media
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Leverage connections to enhance
your career no matter the field
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LinkedIn is a powerful
professional networking social
media tool
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Don’t forget to have fun while
you connect – meeting new
people, discussing new ideas, and
exploring the world from your
office chair
References
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About. (2014). LinkedIn. Retrieved from http://press.linkedin.com/about on June 20, 2014.
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Benefits of Networking. Michael Page CareerCentre. Retrieved July 10, 2014
fromhttp://www.michaelpage.com.cn/ContentArticle/page/8007/title/Michael-Page-CareerCentre-Growing-Your-Career-Benefits-of-Networking.html
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McKeown, K. (Dec. 14, 2012). The strength of weak ties in social networking: Seek to be
worth knowing. Leadership Closeup. Retrieved July 14, 2014 from
http://www.leadershipcloseup.com/2012/12/14/strength-of-weak-ties-in-social-networkingseek-to-be-worth-knowing/
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Social media. (n.d.). Retrieved June 6, 2014 from http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/social media
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Pariser, E. (2011) Filter bubbles. Retrieved June 20, 2014 from
http://www.thefilterbubble.com/ted-talk.