The Four Biggest Mistakes You're Making On LinkedIn

Lacey Abbacchi

LinkedIn should be an essential part of every business, especially as the world's largest professional networking platform with more than 690 million members. However, it can be tricky to navigate if you're not familiar with it, which means a lot of mistakes are made. Here are four mistakes that you're making on LinkedIn and how you can fix each one.

1. Treating Your Profile Like A Resume

Unless you're a job seeker, you don't want your profile to look like a resume. Of course, people need to know what you do and how you do it, but it's also important to show them the things that make you who you are.

On a platform of millions, why would someone stop and explore your profile? Take some time to think about this question.

People are much more likely to hear what you have to say if they feel like they know you. So when creating your profile, make sure to answer these questions:

• Why should others do business with you?

• How can you help?

• What makes you relatable?

• Who are you as a person?

Adding personal components to your profile position you to build more meaningful relationships and make it easier for people to approach you.

2. Sales Pitching Immediately Upon Connecting

It's happened to all of us at least once on LinkedIn. You receive a connection request, decide to accept and then bam! Five seconds later, here comes the dreaded sales pitch.

Would you go up to a random person without shaking their hand and say, "Hello, I'm Lacey, and this is what I do. Are you interested in buying my services?" Of course not. This also applies to LinkedIn. You must build rapport, trust and relationships. 

We are all on LinkedIn to promote ourselves and our businesses and the platform is full of so much opportunity. But, you must remember that before people buy from you, they want to know who you are and if they can trust you.

So instead, focus on building the "know, like, trust" factor and then thoughtfully plug in what you do, when appropriate. (Here's a hint: It's not 5 minutes after first connecting.)

See all 4 mistakes and the complete Forbes article

 


LinkedIn unveils new look and messaging features, plans to release Stories globally

LinkedIn Stories, like on other social networks, lets you post photos and videos that vanish in 24 hours.

LinkedIn said Thursday that it's rolling out a new design for the business-oriented social network, introducing more messaging features and planning to offer Stories, which lets users post photos and videos that vanish in a day, globally.

LinkedIn has been testing Stories in certain countries such as Brazil, Australia, France and the Netherlands. Now the company said it's launching Stories in the US and Canada but will also roll out the tool globally during the following week.The upcoming global rollout of Stories shows that LinkedIn, like other social networks, is fueling the creation of more video and ephemeral content on its platform.

LinkedIn is also pushing further into messaging as more members use the tool on the social network. Users will be able to select multiple messages at a time to archive or delete. They'll also be able to delete or edit a sent message and react to a message with an emoji. And messaging on LinkedIn will include icons for videoconferencing services BlueJeans, Zoom and Microsoft, so users can video chat with the tap of button. 

Read the full cnet article 

 

 

6 Ways To Stand Out On Social Media When Searching For A New Job

Jack Kelly

The traditional job search methods of attending face-to-face networking events, inviting people to get a cup of coffee, dinner, an after-work cocktail and schmoozing at the office have been rendered irrelevant due to the pandemic.  

If you’re actively searching for a new job, you need to engage in an authentic branding and marketing campaign on social media. The key is to showcase your skills, ability, knowledge, achievements and brilliance. You also need to broadcast what you are looking to do next, so people are aware of how they can help you. It shouldn’t just be a one-way street. Offer your services to help others in need too.

3. What To Do Online

The best way to start branding yourself is by commenting, sharing, writing posts and articles on LinkedIn. The content should focus on your area of expertise, as you have a lot of knowledge to impart.

You can start slowly by liking and addressing the postings of others. Find leaders in your field with large followings. Get involved in their conversations to amplify your own voice. Keep in mind that the questions you answer and your responses should burnish your brand. Avoid getting sucked into toxic online arguments and stay far away from politics for now.

If you want to take it to the next level, create videos. You can discuss matters relevant to your field. In addition to LinkedIn, also pay attention to other social media platforms that are relevant to your profession. 

Set a schedule to contribute on a consistent basis. If you only post once in a while, you’ll get lost. Post regularly, so people get to know you and become interested in what you have to say next. You’ll start building an audience by continually marketing yourself. People will feel like they know you and would gladly help you out with job leads. 


5. Brag A Bit

Share some recent wins, accomplishments and achievements. Write about exciting projects that you’re working on. If you are an expert in your field, seek out online conferences and networking events. Try to become a speaker. This spotlight will make you known to a wider audience and you’ll be viewed as an expert and a leader in your space.  

6. Authenticity Counts

Be open about your goal of finding a new job. Let people know that you’re in the job market and what specifically you want to do next. If no one knows that you’re on the job hunt, they won't reach out to you with opportunities.  

It's fine to write about the emotions, challenges and pressure you're dealing with in your job search. By openly expressing yourself, people will get to know you as a real person.

 

How to Make Your LinkedIn Headline Way More Effective in Under 5 Minutes

6 Recruiter Recommended LinkedIn Tips

 By Kyra Mancine

Many recruiters and staffing managers rely on LinkedIn extensively when sourcing candidates. Whether you're employed or looking for a job, keeping your profile up-to-date is important. Maximize your profile, target your activity and you WILL get noticed.

1) Make the most of stealth mode. If you're updating your profile and DON'T want people to see every change you make, go into settings and click on "Turn on/off your activity broadcasts." This is highly recommended if you're employed and looking for new opportunities. It can look suspicious to your current employer and colleagues if they start to see you making additions to your page.

3) Quantify your accomplishments. Hiring managers look through dozens, and in many cases, hundreds, of profiles daily. You really only have seconds to grab their attention. Add statistics, numbers and percentages that show how you saved your employers time, effort and money.

5) Make your status updates count.  Don't be "me" focused. Even though your LinkedIn page is obviously about you, it's better to offer your connections information that's relevant to THEM. You don't have to create the content yourself. Search Google and Yahoo for industry articles, career related content, etc. Don't be controversial. Safe topics can include workplace satisfaction, how to be more productive during the day, interview advice, etc. Remember, any time one of your connections comments and likes your status update, all their connections see it as well.

See all 6 tips and the complete article

LinkedIn offers top 20 professional courses for free through the end of September

 By Kayla Webster

 

It’s back-to-school time for employees too — LinkedIn Learning is offering their 20 most popular online courses of the year for free throughout the month of September.

LinkedIn executives say they’re offering the courses free of charge to help as many employees as possible cope with the pandemic — especially workers from underrepresented communities and those affected by layoffs. LinkedIn Learning saw a 130% uptick in course participation once shelter-in-place orders were issued in March.

“With a lot of people out of work or working remotely at this time, we are seeing a lot of employees investing in themselves and their careers,” says Mordy Golding, director of content strategy for English-language at LinkedIn Learning. “Our hard skill classes, like Excel, are still popular, but there are soft skills we all need in order to succeed in the new normal.”

LinkedIn’s most popular course teaches people strategies for helping them work from home more efficiently. The shift to remote work has been a challenge for employees, who have struggled with increased stress and burnout, says Dave Crenshaw, a productive leadership author and LinkedIn Learning instructor.

“We have a lot of freedom when we’re working from home,” says Crenshaw, who has worked remotely for the past 20 years. “[Employers’] biggest concern is that the people working from home are going to slack off. But the bigger problem is that people never stop working, and that hurts productivity in the long run — performance degrades and work-life balance erodes.”

While employees and managers may be tempted to stick to hard skill courses, Golding recommends participating in classes that focus on soft skills like “being a good listener” because it “transfers well to the remote workforce,” he says. He also suggests that employers take advantage of LinkedIn Learning’s group feature to allow teams to take the courses collectively.

“A very large percentage of people who watch the courses can immediately apply the skills they’ll learn to their job,” Golding says. “If you’re thinking about the long-term health of your organization, it’s a good idea to leverage learning to have an immediate impact on productivity, and bring people together.”

1) Time Management: Working from Home
Instructor: Dave Crenshaw

Help your employees learn how to set up a dedicated workspace for maximum productivity, collaborate with their colleagues, craft their daily schedule and master the art of virtual meetings. This course also offers advice for working parents, and other caregivers, about how to more effectively balance professional and personal responsibilities at home.

5) Developing Your Emotional Intelligence
Instructor: Gemma Leigh Roberts

Roberts explains what emotional intelligence is and why it's important in today’s workforce. She can help learners become more self-aware so they can acclimate to the dynamic new world of work. 
 
10) Project Management Foundations
 
Instructor: Bonnie Biafore

In this course, Biafore explains the fundamentals of project management — from establishing project goals and objectives to managing resources, meeting deadlines and bringing projects to completion. 
12) Learning Personal Branding
Instructor: Chelsea Krost

Honing your employees’ personal branding helps their ideas get noticed to sell to internal stakeholders, partners and customers. Krost explains how to develop a personal story and build a personal brand presence online and off.

See all 20 courses and the complete BenefitNews article

4 Big Changes To Your LinkedIn Profile You Need To Know About

William Arruda

Your LinkedIn profile is one of the most powerful career assets you have. It’s your professional portfolio—a multimedia representation of who you are and the value you deliver. And in our new all-the-time, all-virtual world thanks to Covid-19, your LinkedIn profile has become your first impression. What’s more, your LinkedIn About section (formerly called your Summary) will be the most read version of your bio.  
In today’s uncertain times, it’s more important than ever to stay on top of your LinkedIn profile and to refine it regularly so it’s always relevant and compelling to the people you want to reach. You also need to stay on top of the myriad refinements and new features LinkedIn adds to the platform so you can instantly benefit from them and ensure your personal brand stands out and clearly differentiates you from the hundreds of millions of other LinkedIn members.
LinkedIn’s latest blog post references many of the most recent changes. The ones I highlight here will be most valuable to you as you build your brand and make a positive, authentic first impression online. 
1) Let people know you’re open to new adventures.
With the new OpenToWork photo frame on your headshot, you can alert those who are checking you out that you’re ready for your next big gig. I’m thrilled that LinkedIn added this. Before this feature came along, many who were seeking work used their headline to tell others of their availability with a statement like “Ready for my next adventure” or “Seeking New Opportunities.” This created two challenges. First, it sounded a little desperate, and second, it reduced the number of characters available in your headline to tell people who you are, what you do and the value you create when you do it. This new format is a little more subtle and creates consistency across the platform for those who are in job-seeking mode. The words in your headline are important in the LinkedIn search algorithm, so you want to use exactly the right keywords to reel in those who are looking for what you have to offer. Luckily, you no longer have to waste those words by telling people you’re looking for work.
3) Shine a spotlight on your best work.
LinkedIn has allowed you to add multimedia to your profile for years now, but they enhanced this feature recently. Before, you could add multimedia to the bottom of your About (and to the Experience section of your profile). Now, they’ve created a whole new section called Featured, where you can put your most relevant and up-to-date images, videos, PDFs, etc. to augment and reinforce what you say about yourself in your About. And it has been given some really important real estate, appearing in a large panel right below your About. Being a completely new element of your profile, the Featured section serves as a dynamic billboard of items you can showcase to demonstrate your brilliance. Update it regularly so it remains current and relevant.

11 Emerging LinkedIn Trends And How To Prepare For Them

While LinkedIn dominates as the most popular social media site for both job seekers and companies to find networking opportunities and build professional connections, new trends constantly emerge, and the role of the platform is always evolving. To make the most of their LinkedIn presence, users on both sides of the recruiting equation need to stay aware of these trends and know how to leverage them.

For job seekers, tapping into these trends can get you noticed before the rest of the crowd—and in a saturated market, that could mean the difference between landing a job or losing out to other candidates. For recruiters, staying up on trends will help maximize the number of qualified candidates you have access to, which affords a breadth of options.

To find out how job seekers and recruiters can prepare to make the most of them, we asked 11 members of Forbes Coaches Council for their predictions around up-and-coming LinkedIn trends. Here's what they told us.

1. Moving Toward Online Training And Certification
LinkedIn is making its move toward distance education and online training, offering fresh courses such as digital marketing and social media management. Plus, it gives the opportunity to update your new achievement in your profile and connect with people with the same qualifications. Its variety is extensible, and soon enough, LinkedIn will compete with colossal certification organizations. - Jill Douka MBA, MCC, Global Academy Of Coaching

7. Becoming A Unique Source Of Candidates
My crystal ball says that, within five years, companies won't seek applications online; they will just source directly from LinkedIn. They will find the candidates based on algorithmic searching and AI and decide which ones they want to talk to. Candidates should prepare now in two ways: First, make sure your profile has relevant words, and then, learn networking for job search to reach the hiring team. - Dana Manciagli, Job Search Master Class

8. Expediting Social And Professional Proofing
Social and professional proofing will begin to carry greater weight as professionals want to know "who is endorsing this individual." With this, LinkedIn recommendations will begin to become more of a focal point. Recruiters and job seekers can prepare by tailoring their current functions to incorporate (review, consider, rank, track, etc.) recommendations. - Corey Castillo, Truth & Spears

See all 11 trends and the complete Forbes article