Our team at Providence recently partnered with the Bakersfield Young Professionals from the Bakersfield Chamber to hold a webinar that would help young professionals learn how to properly use LinkedIn in 2020 (if you’d like to watch our presentation, keep scrolling to the bottom!) Our goal was two-fold: to teach people how to set up the perfect profile to effectively network and how to use LinkedIn to find their dream job. In the face of coronavirus, we have all learned how important it is to network digitally, and LinkedIn is the best place to do that these days.

Whether you’re just getting started or you’re already a LinkedIn pro, we have some tips that will help! In the following blogpost you’ll learn:

• Strategies to make your profile stand out in any industry
• How to build your network and effectively interact with others on the platform
• What and when to post to boost your personal brand
• Other tricks to help you make the most of LinkedIn’s powerful business network
• Tips to find your next job on LinkedIn

The complete guide to using LinkedIn as a professional in 2020

Strategies to make your profile stand out in any industry:

Step one: complete your profile.

• Your profile on LinkedIn has so many built-in features that will help you show your stuff! Use them all to put your best foot forward! Plus, pages with completed profiles get an average of 30% more weekly views! That’s 30% more connections and 30% more chances to get noticed by potential employers. To get started:
• First, choose the right kind of profile picture. You want something professional, but more so something that will show who you are as a professional. At the same time, keep in mind your industry. If you work in a more creative field, you can add in a bit more personality to your photo.
• Also, this is not Instagram. This is not Tinder. Choose accordingly.
• We highly recommend using a professional headshot for your photo. If your company doesn’t provide these as part of their marketing, or if you are currently searching for a job, it is worth it to invest in a high-quality photo you can use to boost your career.
• Also, very important – your cover photo. Again, choose something that will show who you are as a professional. I used a royalty-free stock photo that I got off Pexels.com, but you may choose something more industry-specific. Here, though, less is more. You don’t want to distract from your profile, but to subtly add to it. You can also highlight a recent accomplishment or a team you’re a part of. You can have a bit of fun here, but keep in mind the kind of industries you are appealing to.
• Your headline: this automatically sets to your current or most recent job title, which is fine. However, if you want to spice things up a bit or if you are currently looking for a new position, this is your chance to add a bit more meat to the bones. You could give a brief description about your professional capabilities or add a message like, “currently seeking employment in the — sector.” With the mass layoffs from COVID-19, I am seeing these headlines more and more and they are very effective in helping you get seen by prospective employers. Again, this depends on your field of work, but you can put something more creative here if you’d like!

• Do not neglect your about section! This is your chance to give a quick, easily-digested summary of your professional identity, so show off what you’ve got! You also want to use this to position yourself in the job you want or show potential clients what you’re capable of. When filling this section, look up keywords that people in your desired job use and use those words to describe what you do! I work in PR and marketing, so I used words like “strategic communications” and “results-driven” because those are important words used in this industry to identify the type of work we do.
• Figure out what your industry is looking for by using the search bar to look up the job title you want (either now or in the future), click through a few high-profile people’s pages and see what they say about themselves. Never copy word-for-word but use their keywords to craft a narrative about your work that people in your field will easily recognize and identify with. Do not, however, just throw in over-used buzzwords and don’t use adjectives just to use them, make sure you are intentional with each word you choose and that you can deliver on who you say you are.
• Update your job and education history: Now, in a lot of industries you may not want to include your job description line-by-line because you may not need to. Less is more here. However, if you work in a highly specialized career or if you work in a highly diversified career, you may want to include more details. In the communications space, it is often better to include more detail on your experience as there are so many different things you can do in this line of work and you want to show your specific skills and experience. However, if you work in a more specific industry that has a widely understood set of requirements you can leave out more details if you choose to.
• If you do include details, put in specific numbers and accomplishments for each position you’ve held to add credibility. Include something like, “Increased net profit year over year by X percent,” or, “Facilitated employee engagement, resulting in an increased retention rate of x percent.” But only do this if you can back up your numbers with hard evidence – in other words, don’t just make things up.
• Certifications and volunteer experience: Include all your certifications, licenses and volunteer history at the bottom of your profile. This will show people you are qualified and well-rounded. Also include any significant accomplishments below. Do you speak another language? Great! Put it there. Do you have some amazing projects you can (legally) show off? Add it in! You can even add in collaborators and tag their profiles!
• Lastly, update your skills, endorsements and recommendations! This is a quick and easy way to invite people to corroborate your experience and it shows that you really know your stuff! We’ll talk more about this in a minute, but while we’re here, keep in mind that you should be endorsing and recommending others as well!

How to build your network and effectively interact with others on the platform

• So, you have the perfect profile that captures your very essence as a professional! Great. Now what? It’s time to go build your network. You may already have a good network in place, or you may be starting from scratch. Either way, here are some tips that will help:
• First, if you are just setting up your profile, sync your account with your email address book. It sounds too good to be true, but LinkedIn will find people you already know and all you have to do it go through and add them as connections. Easy as pie.
• Then, make a list of professional contacts that you already have and add them. This sounds labor-intensive, but it’s not too bad and it’s worth it in the end! I also have an old-school physical Rolodex I use for business cards, so I added all those contacts as well.
• Now that you have your page built up, LinkedIn will start suggesting contacts for you to add based on who you already know. As you build your network, LinkedIn makes it easier and easier to find new people to connect with! Also, in a minute, we’ll talk about posting, but when you post and others like your posts, the LinkedIn algorithm will show that post to others that may be interested in it and you! So, the more you post, the more you grow!
• You also want to make it a habit to continually add new contacts as you meet them in real life. I know networking is hard right now, but there are plenty of virtual events like the virtual happy hours our amazing Chamber holds where you can meet plenty of new people! Adding people as connections also helps them remember you and vice-versa for later down the road. You can even take it a step further and shoot them a quick message that says, “It was so nice meeting you the other day!” and then follow up with something you connected on when you met.
• Your network is in place and continually growing, so it’s time to take it a step further and start actually connecting with your connections.
• The first, more important part step is to start interacting with other people’s posts! See something you like? Like it! Better yet, use one of their new reactions and clap for it! The best thing you can do is leave a thoughtful comment. Note, this is not a spammy, impersonal comment. Include something that is personal, detailed and genuine. This is a great way to start conversations with others, so use it wisely and use it often!
• Next, reach out via message! Again, this is not spammy. I’ve gotten A LOT of spam over the years, especially recently with COVID-19, and I can tell you that it’s very annoying. No, be real. Are you connecting with someone you met a while back to build on that connection? Remind them where you met and connect on a personal level. Are you reaching out to a potential client? Be professional and genuine, and DO NOT, under any circumstances use a canned message. Make it personal and engaging. Did you find a potential mentor you’d like to meet? Again, personal and engaging. And always, always keep it brief. No one has time to read your LinkedIn novel.
• Endorse and recommend. We’re coming back to this because it is very important! Go through some of your closer connections and give them recommendations and endorsements! I’m talking about current and past coworkers or others you’ve worked closely with. This is the perfect way to build trust and solidify relationships. You always want to give more than you get!

What and when to post to boost your personal brand

• Once you’ve gotten in the habit of interacting with others on LinkedIn, it’s time to post for yourself! The most important thing to remember when posting on LinkedIn is to STAY POSITIVE!! Even if you are posting about something negative, you can reframe it as an opportunity. For instance, I saw a post recently from a friend who lost her job due to COVID-19. Instead of saying woe is me, life is terrible, she posted about what an incredible experience she had with her previous company. She spoke highly of everyone she worked with and for, and she thanked them for the time she had there. Then, she gracefully stated the specific job that she was looking for and what her qualifications are. Within a couple hours, a handful of recruiters were tagged in the comments and those recruiters offered to reach out to some contacts they had that were looking to hire someone just like her. Positivity and grace always win!
• As for types of content, just about everything does well on LinkedIn when it is well thought-out. We are seeing a HUGE increase in video posts on LinkedIn, and long-form video content is doing remarkably well – especially when it’s inspirational. You also can share posts from other people and organizations, with a little commentary of your own. Think about what you can speak to on LinkedIn, what your interests are, and what your current network is talking about and then tap into that. And always, always, always PROOFREAD!
• Also take time to celebrate your professional accomplishments on LinkedIn! Get a promotion? Post about it and update your profile. Did you learn a new skill? Post about it! Did you wrap up a big project? …Post about it! You don’t have to brag, though. Stay humble while you celebrate your accomplishments.
• Lastly, and this is very important, do not use LinkedIn like you do other platforms. Sure, some content might translate from Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, but most of it won’t. There is a reason LinkedIn doesn’t have a Stories feature. This is about shining a light on your professional life, so keep it classy.
• Most of all, remember that LinkedIn is about building your professional brand and network. Stop here for a second and do a short activity! Write down 3-5 adjectives that describe your professional brand. Who are you as a worker and what do you want potential employers, clients and colleagues to know about you in the workplace?
• Keep these adjectives in mind, and even build on them so you can make sure your LinkedIn content supports the kind of professional you are and want to be!
• You also may want to follow hashtags, newsletters and thought leaders so you can engage in the larger conversations in your industry. When you follow these, popular posts pop up and you can comment and like those posts to learn new things and position yourself in your field.

Other tricks to help you make the most of LinkedIn’s powerful business network

So now, we’re going to give you a couple tricks that will help you set up for success, and then we’ll get on to job hunting on LinkedIn.

• A cool feature on LinkedIn is that you can upload documents to show your work. You can also link to other webpages to show what you’ve done. The best way to do this is to add docs under each job on the experience section. So, if you have a project you are especially proud of, or even a case study that you write and turn into a PDF, that will go a long way in establishing credibility for each position you’ve held. You can also add in URLs under the projects section to show your work. Use these tools to your advantage wherever you can, especially if you work in an industry that is media related.
• Skills assessments: LinkedIn provides online tests that help you demonstrate the level of your skills, and once you pass you get a Verified Skills badge on your profile! These just add another level of credibility for your connections to see.
• LinkedIn Learning: you can also complete courses on LinkedIn’s learning platform (formerly Lynda), and you can add your completed courses to your profile and share with your network. We use LinkedIn learning a lot around here, so this is a great feature to show off our commitment to continuous improvement!
• Become a thought leader! Okay, this one is a very long-term, time-intensive strategy, but we see time and time again that it works. You can publish long-form content as articles on LinkedIn, and that helps show that you know your stuff. The goal with these articles is to encourage meaningful conversations with your connections in the comments, so don’t just post it and forget about it. Be ready to engage and get people talking about the topics that matter to you! This is a blogpost with a built-in network that makes it easy to gain traction. So, if you’re ready, get to work on using this tool to take your LinkedIn game to the next level!
• Last, but not least, join groups! There are so many groups out there on LinkedIn that you can get involved with. This is where great conversations happen and where you can find new connections in your field of interest. Make sure you choose your group wisely and then intentionally interact within the group on a regular basis. This will also help grow your network and expose you to new contacts you wouldn’t otherwise come across!

Tips to find your next job on LinkedIn

Now, it’s time to talk about your job hunt on LinkedIn!

• LinkedIn has revolutionized the job search process, and it can make a huge difference for those of you looking for a job right now! If you are looking for a job, make sure your page is up to date and use it as a resume. This is when it is important to fill out the job history portion of your profile. Then, you can turn on the setting that shows recruiters you’re open to new positions. Here, you can specify what you’re looking for and you can even choose to show only recruiters so you can be strategic with who knows you’re looking. Enabling this option will put you in front of recruiters that may be looking for someone just like you!
• Remember earlier when we talked about the woman that posted positive things about her employer after she got laid off? If you are overtly looking for a job, and not looking for something different than your current job, it’s time to craft a post! Posting about your job status will let your network know that you’re available to new opportunities. This can be a bit intimidating but it’s crucial to get the word out that you’re available. One caveat, though, is to only do this if you’re confident you can handle it with grace and positivity.
• The key is to be honest about your situation, but also speak well of yourself and others. You are not desperate (or at least people don’t need to know that you are). You are a qualified professional who is ready to put your skills to work for a worthy employer.
• This is also when you would turn your recruiter option on to be seen by everyone. You never know what kind of doors this will open for you!

• You also may want to add “Currently seeking a position in…” to your headline here. That may be a bit much for some of you, but, again, it will help get the word out there.
• Next, follow best practices for job hunting as you check out the open positions posted on LinkedIn. Narrow down a few that you like and apply! One of the major benefits of LinkedIn, too, is that you can see if any of your contacts work at the company you’re interested in. Then, you can reach out to them for advice or a recommendation. That will increase your chances of getting hired tremendously.

• There are also many other helpful job searching tools available. You can look into salaries for your job title in your area, so you can make sure you’re negotiating for an appropriate salary. You can use their interview prep function to see common questions and recommended answers to prep for your dream job interview. You can even build your resume off your LinkedIn profile, where they help you find keywords recruiters are looking for based on your dream job title and format it for resume screening software.

And that’s it!

To recap:

1. Complete your profile and put your best professional foot forward!
2. Engage with others and post professional, engaging content regularly.
3. Dive into LinkedIn’s many features to take your profile and job hunt to the next level!
4. Stay positive!

With these tips, you’ll be off and running on LinkedIn in no time! And, if you’re looking for some new connections, feel free to add me here.