Social Media: LinkedIn – the basics Different social media have different uses, strengths and advantages. LinkedIn is a networking site aimed at professionals. It provides a platform for users to interact with other registered users to establish and document networks of people they know and trust professionally. LinkedIn allows you to create a personal profile, become a member of/host groups, recommend other users, keep in touch with former colleagues, recruit employees and search for jobs using the LinkedIn networks. Knowing how to use LinkedIn's features and optimise your profile will help you get the most from this valuable social media platform. How to sign up to LinkedIn You can sign up for a free basic account at www.linkedin.com Enter the details requested in the space provided. A verification email will be sent to the email address supplied, you must follow the instructions on the email to complete the registration. Profile information LinkedIn's profile wizard will take you through the steps of entering your region, industry, company and current job title. You will also be asked whether you are employed, a business owner, looking for work, working independently or a student. This information then completes your basic profile. Profile design Like most social media platforms, you can customise how your profile looks. You should upload a clear picture that represents your professional image. It can be a traditional head and shoulders photograph, an image of you at work or the company logo if permitted to do so. Building your profile The more information on your LinkedIn profile, the more visible you will be to others using LinkedIn. Include specific skills, company website address, Twitter and blog information, employment history and educational details. Connections People in your network are called connections and these are made up of 1st-degree, 2nddegree, and 3rd-degree connections and fellow members of your LinkedIn Groups. LinkedIn will prompt you to search for connections using your email. This will require your permission for LinkedIn to access to your email contact list or address book. This tool allows you to see who among your email connections already has a LinkedIn account and invite them to become part of your professional network. Alternatively, you can skip this step and search and add connections individually. 1st-degree - People you are directly connected to because you have accepted their invitation to connect, or they have accepted your invitation. A 1st-degree icon will appear next to their name in search results and on their profile. 2nd-degree - People who are connected to your 1st-degree connections. A 2nd-degree icon will appear next to their name in search results and on their profile. You can request a connection invitation by clicking Connect or contact them through an InMail (upgraded account) or an introduction. 3rd-degree - People who are connected to your 2nd-degree connections. A 3rd-degree icon will appear next to their name in search results and on their profile. If the users’ full first and last names are displayed, indicates that you can send a connection invitation by clicking Connect. If only the first letter of the users’ last name is displayed, the Connect function is not available however, you can still contact them through an InMail (upgraded account) or an introduction. Introduction Introductions allow you to contact members in your extended network through existing connections. You can use the introduction function to contact someone who is two or three degrees away from you through one of your connections. To do this, find the person you want to connect with and select the dropdown on the send InMail icon. Here you select get introduced and click on the relevant person who you wish to make the introduction. Your connection will, in turn, decide whether to forward your message on to the desired recipient (if in your 2nd degree network) or on to a shared connection (if in your 3rd degree network). Once the member accepts your introduction you can exchange information and do business. You will not become 1st degree connections unless one of you invites the other to connect and the request is accepted. All LinkedIn members have a certain number of introductions they can request. Which account you hold depends on how many introductions are available to you. Recommendations A recommendation is a comment written by a LinkedIn member to endorse another. Recommendations are a valuable addition to your profile as people interested in hiring or doing business with someone often considers these when making decisions. You can ask connections for recommendations and then post them to your profile once you have approved them. The recommendations function is located under the Profile tab. Here you can manage recommendations you have given, received and ask for a recommendation. Seek recommendations from clients, previous supervisors and others who can give testimony about the skills you want to highlight. LinkedIn Groups LinkedIn Groups provide a place for professionals in the same industry or with similar interests to share content, find answers, post and view jobs and make business contacts. Groups can be found in the Groups Directory. Here you can also view suggestions of groups you may like, create a new group and a list of the groups you are currently a member of. Full information on groups can be found here http://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1164 Going mobile Apps for LinkedIn are available for smart phones. Managing your account It is important to maintain and update your profile on a regular basis, including adding new connections. All information should be current and you should add occasional updates in the space provided. Your LinkedIn connections will be notified when you update your profile or add a new connection. Part-funded by This project has been delivered with support from the CITB Growth Fund, which aims to ensure that the construction industry has the right people, with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time and is equipped to meet the future skills demands of the industry.
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