Previously reserved for a limited number of “influencers,” including CEOs and other thought leaders, LinkedInâ€s publishing platform will be rolling out to all users. You can request access by submitting a request to: http://specialedition.linkedin.com/publishing.

Why would you want to publish on LinkedIn?

First things first: if you already have a thriving blog or publishing platform, you’ll want to be strategic before you start to post content on LinkedIn. While LinkedIn allows you to duplicate content you’ve already written on your own site to publish on LinkedIn, it is possible that Google may penalize you for duplicate content and you may lose some search traffic as a result. Keep abreast of Google’s recommendations regarding cross-posting, which include posting a link to the original post in the duplicated blog.

However, if you have never blogged, there’s a lot of upside to posting on LinkedIn’s platform. It allows you to:

Demonstrate your expertise. When you write an article on LinkedIn, it is tied to your profile and available to anyone reviewing your information there. When you articulate complex concepts or describe strategic ways to address problems in your field, you can enhance your status and stature as an influencer in your field.

Expand your network. If what you write resonates with your audience, they have the opportunity to follow your updates, which could potentially increase your network, especially if they share your insights to their networks, which potentially expands your audience.

Who sees your posts?

Assuming you mark your post as public, LinkedIn notes that your posts will initially be distributed to your connections and followers via their LinkedIn homepage newsfeeds. As noted, your posts will also be linked in the “posts” section of your profile, which is under the top section of your profile with your headline and photo.

As more people read, comment, like and share your content, LinkedIn may pick up the article for broader distribution. They may distribute your posts as part of aggregated LinkedIn content (e.g., “Best of LinkedIn”) or on their trusted partner sites. You may find your posts featured on their news service, “Pulse,” which allows people to subscribe to topical news items.

Tips to extend your reach.

Consider the audience. Investigate topics in LinkedInâ€s Pulse. (Found under the “Interests” tab on LinkedIn’s toolbar). Review “all channels” and identify what channel your content would most likely fit. Note that LinkedIn readers tend to be focused on business oriented topics; this isnâ€t the place for you to share your essay waxing eloquent on why the color green makes you feel peaceful. Keep your audience in mind and target your posts for the best chance at wide distribution.

Engage and interact. LinkedIn also notes that the more you engage and interact on LinkedIn by reading and commenting on posts, the more authority and influence youâ€ll gain. They note, “Your activity on LinkedIn will affect distribution. The more you engage with the platform the more reputation youâ€ll build, and the more likely members will follow you and your posts. Liking and commenting on other posts are good ways to engage.” In other words, donâ€t just drop off content and expect it to skyrocket you to fame and fortune. Be a contributing member to your community and you could be rewarded with higher visibility and influence. And, donâ€t forget to revisit your post to respond to comments and acknowledge people who reply to you.

Cross-promote. Donâ€t forget to share your post in groups and other social networks. Post links on Twitter and Facebook; turn to your most supportive networks. Iâ€ve seen colleagues post specific requests to comment and share their latest LinkedIn posts, often resulting in the posts†resounding success.

What should you write?

The best content taps your professional expertise. LinkedIn suggests you write about, “Challenges you’ve faced, opportunities you’ve seized or important trends in your industry. This could include your most memorable work experiences, lessons you’ve learned along the way, or topics you’re most passionate about.” Youâ€re encouraged to write about your opinion; use your own voice; these posts can be conversational as well as offer strategic insights and actionable information. Obviously, LinkedIn advises you to avoid posting anything “obscene, shocking, hateful, intimidating or otherwise unprofessional,” or LinkedIn may revoke your publishing rights.

Before you take up the digital pen, be sure to read posts, with a discriminating eye. The platform is very transparent, in that you can immediately acertain how many views, likes and comments it has. Itâ€s easy to see how often itâ€s been shared to other networks. Seek posts with lots of engagement and emulate them in your own way.

How often to contribute?

Donâ€t overdo it. Many influencers write once a week. Quality is more important than quantity, but if you really want to gain a following, be sure to be consistent.

How long should posts be?

This depends on your audience, but most people prefer short, but insightful posts. There are no word limits, and LinkedIn says posts of more than three paragraphs do best.

Decorate your post.

You can include uploaded pictures, videos, presentations and other documents to add to your content. If you hope to gain any traction on LinkedInâ€s network, absolutely include a photo with your post. Be sure you have authority to distribute the picture and that you source it appropriately. Morguefile.com is a good source of free images to research.

Edit.

Thereâ€s nothing more credibility killing than a poorly written post laden with typos. If youâ€re not detail oriented, employ a friend or editor to review the content before you post it online.

Avoid selling.

LinkedIn could disable posts that are extremely and overtly selling a service or cause. (Thatâ€s what ads are for!) However, you can include links to information about you online, insert a bio and let people know if you have other publishing platforms, such as a blog or business site.

Legal concerns.

If youâ€re picky about what happens to your content, be aware that, while you own the rights to any posts you publish, LinkedInâ€s terms say they may “distribute your content, annotate your content (e.g., to highlight that your views may not be the views of LinkedIn) and sell advertising on pages where your content appears.”

Summary

It can’t hurt to try your hand at publishing on LinkedIn if you are a strong writer and have something to say — or if you can hire an editor to help craft or hone your message.

Visit my first post on LinkedIn about appreciating employees. Stay tuned for another post breaking down my experience publishing on LinkedIn.

The post Tips to write great LinkedIn posts appeared first on Keppie Careers.

Don’t just “set it and forget it.” Update your status and search other people’s status via LinkedIn’s Signal (under the news tab). You can find a lot of interesting information when you look to see what people are posting and sharing — and people can find what you share, too.

Be sure to include keywords in your profile and in your titles. Think about what words people will use to search for someone like you and add those to your titles, your headline and your descriptions.

A network isn’t useful unless you use it. Join a few strong, useful groups. (Evaluate groups by scrolling down and looking at the “insightful statistics on this group” link.) Choose active groups comprised of the demographics you want to know.

Keep track of how many people are viewing your profile and ask people who do view your profile to connect or otherwise follow up. For example, “I noticed you visited my LinkedIn profile. I hope you agree we have a lot of professional interests in common, and I was wondering if you’d be willing to connect online, and possibly set up a quick introductory phone call to see if there are ways we may be able to help each other.”

3. With everyone trying to Link to you, whom should you accept? Only people in your field? Or maybe it doesn’t matter–since the more connections you have, the more synchronicity there is?

This is a matter of opinion. Some believe you should connect with everyone. Others say “only people you know in person.” Others go with “only if there is a reason.” There are reasons to have a large network, as it puts you in contact with more people and you will access more information as a result of that larger network. Personally, if someone asks for a connection and tells me why we should connect, I generally accept. For example, “I read your blog and enjoy your books. Can we connect?” I don’t personally accept every random invitation, especially the ones that seem to be spam.

The post How important is LinkedIn for your job hunt? appeared first on Keppie Careers.

Should college students use LinkedIn?

Here is some of the advice I shared with him:

I absolutely recommend that college students begin to build a LinkedIn profile. Why?

– Doing so helps students begin to picture their experience as it appears to other people.

– LinkedIn facilitates networking in a way that is perfect for college students who might otherwise lose track of people who would be willing to help them out down the road. By connecting with fellow classmates, bosses and faculty members, students will have a head start when it is time to look for job opportunities. Keeping this network in a purely professional setting helps make sure you can confidently connect with professional contacts, as compared to Facebook, where you may prefer to keep your network to close friends.

Whether or not you have an online networking doesn’t depend on  your field of study. Every college student, regardless of field, can benefit from maintaining a LinkedIn presence, but if you’re in PR, journalism or marketing (for example), consider it even MORE important for your future career.

In response to the question, “Do people really look at LinkedIn when they hire,” the answer is clear. Jobvite’s survey found, “LinkedIn continues to be a dominant recruiting network, used by 93% of respondents (compared to 87% in 2011 and 78% in 2010). 89% of respondents have hired from LinkedIn.”

Employers like to see certain things when they look you up online, according to Jobvite:

80% of employers reacted positively to seeing memberships to professional organizations, while 2/3 like to see volunteering or donating to a nonprofit.

Worse than drinking, grammar or spelling mistakes on social profiles saw a 54% negative reaction.

However, recruiters and hiring managers tend to be neutral in their reactions to political opinions (62% neutral) and religious posts (53% neutral).

Students can use LinkedIn to their full advantage by:

• Creating complete profiles and filling out the categories LinkedIn created to cater to students, such as coursework, for example.
• Optimizing their profiles by including keywords. (Words people will use to search for you.)
• Asking for recommendations from professors and supervisors to appear in LinkedIn profiles.
• Incorporating a skills section so people can endorse you as you collect skills you need along the way.
• Engaging in active groups, and updating your profile in LinkedIn with useful information related to your professional interests.

Students should not underestimate any contact. Be aware that when you use LinkedIn, you start to build you online digital footprint — what people will find when they Google your name.

LinkedIn is a great way to find and identify people who may be able to influence your career. There are many search features that help you narrow down information that can be very useful, such as what companies use what skills. There is a wealth of information at every student’s fingertips!

Read Jordan’s post for more information about college students and LinkedIn.

photo by TheSeafarer

The post Should college students use LinkedIn? appeared first on Keppie Careers.

Here are LinkedIn’s tips to make sure your profile is complete.

1)    Add a profile photo. (You are seven times more likely to have someone click through to view your profile when it comes up in search results.)

2)    List all the jobs or positions youâ€ve held, along with descriptions of your roles

3)    Have 5 or more skills on your profile

4)    Write a summary about yourself

5)    Fill out your industry and postal code.

6)    Add where you went to school.

7)    Have 50 or more connections.

LinkedIn invites you to check out their new ‘Improve your Profile†tool, where they will walk you through some simple steps to help you stand out.

photo by Shekhar_Sahu

The post New requirements for a complete LinkedIn profile appeared first on Keppie Careers.

I had a chance to speak to Brad Mauney, LinkedIn’s senior product manager, search & social graph. There’s not much more important than being found, especially if you’re in a job search. One of the most useful aspects of any social media platform is the opportunity for people to find you. The adage, “If Google doesnâ€t know you, you may be no one,” is becoming more prevalent in todayâ€s socially focused environment. LinkedIn tends to rank very well in Google searches, so having an optimized profile is one useful way to be found online.

Itâ€s also important to stand out within LinkedIn. When someone is searching for a candidate with your expertise in that network, how can you help ensure your profile comes up high in their search results? Mauney explained that part of the algorithm LinkedIn uses to determine where you rank in a given search takes into account 1) how often your profile comes up in LinkedInâ€s search results and 2) how often searchers click through to view your information when it does appear.

How can you influence this elusive aspect of being found in LinkedIn? Mauney emphasizes the importance of creating a profile that engages viewers and entices them to click through to learn more about you.

How can you encourage people to want to know more about you on LinkedIn? Mauney suggests the following:

Include a picture in your profile. Krista Canfield, LinkedInâ€s senior manager, corporate communications, says, “Folks who have a photo are seven times more likely to have their profile viewed in general than folks who donâ€t have a photo.” While the statistic does not include data about the type of photo, itâ€s a good idea to use a picture where you appear friendly and approachable. Smile, and be sure you look like yourself, but on a good day! Use appropriate lighting; a professional photo is a great idea, but if that is not possible, take a close-up of your face, wearing clothing that isnâ€t distracting or busy.

Write an engaging headline. What can you include in your headline to pique a readerâ€s curiosity? Since your headline appears in search results, it naturally affects how many people decide to click through to learn more about you. Since you can improve your overall ranking in search by earning more click-throughs, pay special attention to your headline. Mauney suggests incorporating an elevator pitch in the headline and not limiting it to your current job title.

Grow your network. Another important factor influencing click-throughs is whether or not you are connected to the person searching. Statistically, people are more likely to click through to learn more about someone if they share a common connection. (Search results list levels of connectivity.) Mauney says a baseline of at least 50 people in your LinkedIn network is important to help users begin to see a real benefit from their connections. He noted that a “trusted network” is the most useful, and encouraged LinkedIn users to connect with people they actually know or do business with.

Other suggestions to help people find you on LinkedIn?

Completely fill out your LinkedIn profile with as many details as possible.

Think about the searcherâ€s intent.

Titles and “headlines” are important in LinkedIn.

Use LinkedInâ€s various tools, including “groups” and “answers.”

Read the complete post at U.S. News & World Report

The post How to be found in LinkedIn appeared first on Keppie Careers.

1.      Creative
2.      Organizational
3.      Effective
4.      Extensive experience
5.      Track record
6.      Motivated
7.      Innovative
8.      Problem solving
9.      Communication skills
10.     Dynamic

Compare these to the 2010 most popular “overused buzzwords” in LinkedIn profiles in the U.S.:

1. Extensive experience
2. Innovative
3. Motivated
4. Results-oriented
5. Dynamic
6. Proven track record
7. Team player
8. Fast-paced
9. Problem solver
10. Entrepreneurial

LinkedIn’s official take on buzzwords comes from Nicole Williams, LinkedInâ€s Connection Director and author of  Girl on Top: “Even though this yearâ€s list of overused terms differs from last yearâ€s, your objectives remain the same: Banish buzzwords from your profile. Use language that illustrates your unique professional accomplishments and experiences. Give concrete examples of results youâ€ve achieved whenever possible and reference attributes that are specific to you.”

While it is true that you need to make sure to highlight what is special or different about you, and most experts would agree — you don’t want an overly jargon-y, empty-sounding, buzzword filled resume or LinkedIn profile. But (as I also asked last year): is it time to do a search and destroy mission to eliminate all buzzwords from your resume and online profiles, as LinkedIn suggests?

I still don’t believe the answer is to eliminate all buzzwords. This is what I shared last year:

Let’s think about it — why are these terms so popular? Because many of them describe exactly the type of person many employers want! Take a step back and think about this before your revise your profile.

MSNBC’s career expert, Eve Tahmincioglu responded to LinkedIn’s post last year with a measured, and I believe appropriate, answer. She asked, Are buzzwords really a bad thing?:

Admit it, you probably have one or two of these on your resume or LinkedIn profile. But is that really a bad thing? Who cares if theyâ€re buzz words if they convey what you want?

I couldn’t agree more. Of course, if you read your profile and you list every single “cliche” without providing information that supports your claims, it’s time for a makeover. You need to show, not tell — focus your efforts on telling a story that is both about you and targeted to your next employer.

It’s not a good idea to “outlaw” words on resumes, even if they may be a little overused. Do I write resumes full of cliches? No, but I do target my clients†resumes to their desired employers!

The most important thing to keep in mind is that your materials need to be as much about your employer as they are about you. Focus on their needs and make a clear case for why you have the skills and experience to accomplish their goals – and to solve their problems. Might that mean including a few buzzwords? I think so — there is a reason that buzzwords are buzzing! But, be sure your materials don’t sound like the seemingly unthinking, cliche-spewing commentators.

Can you change my mind? Do you think we should totally eliminate these buzzwords?

photo by autan

The post Should you really eliminate buzzwords from your profile? appeared first on Keppie Careers.

• Be the “home” for people’s professional identity. He noted LinkedIn’s focus on helping LinkedIn users put their best foot forward when applying for jobs.
• Provide insights for users and opportunities to learn from a community, thus making people better at their jobs
• Be “everywhere,” helping professionals access their networks access information and resources.

Nash noted LinkedIn is a “professional operating system for the web” and an “extension of “professional web,” a designation he believes the new “Apply Now” button solidifies. He explained the button helps package and “bring the power of LinkedIn to anyone.” Whether someone is applying for a job, or hiring for a large or small company, he believes this new tool will help.

Any employer or job seeker (who has a LinkedIn profile) may use the button free of charge. In fact, LinkedIn reports:

 “Thousands of companies have the Apply with LinkedIn plugin accessible on their websites today, including LinkedIn, Netflix, LivingSocial, Photobucket, Concur subsidiary TripIt, Foodspotting, GazeHawk, Munch On Me, and Formative Labs. LinkedIn has also teamed up with key Applicant Tracking System (ATS) partners who have enabled the Apply with LinkedIn plugin for their customers today, including Peoplefluent, Jobvite, SmartRecruiters, Bullhorn, and Jobscience.”

“How people hire hasn’t really changed in 15 years,” Nash said. He explained that today, we have an opportunity to know who the people hiring are and to identify whom they know. “Business software needs to acknowledge those relationships,” he said. Distinguishing it from other online applications, LinkedIn’s button offers anyone using it information about how they are linked to the person posting the job and/or the organization, whether or not the job is posted in LinkedIn.

Most job seekers would agree the opportunity to immediately know if they are connected via their LinkedIn networks to the hiring manager or someone in the target company is a great resource. However, easy isn’t always the best approach for job seekers. While this solution eliminates those pesky hoops job seekers usually need to jump through to apply for work, to best take advantage of the opportunity to apply using “Apply Now,” it’s important to keep a few things in mind:

• Complete your LinkedIn profile fully. Include your story in the “Summary” section and add your keywords in the “specialties” section. Pay special attention to your Headline. (I offer detailed information about how to optimize your profile in a free sample chapter of my book, Social Networking for Career Success.)
• If you are a student, don’t forget to complete LinkedIn’s student-focused sections.

Read the rest of my tips on my post on in U.S. News & World Report.

The post Tips to make the most of the “Apply with LinkedIn” button appeared first on Keppie Careers.

The study did not look into the quality of the connections for the various groups. But when it comes to networking, having a large network isn’t always the key factor to success. Job seekers and others should always take into account the depth and breadth of their contacts in addition to the number of people in their circle. In other words, consider the quality of your connections in addition to quantity.

Watch this short video with tips to help you evaluate your network to be sure it will be ready to work for you when you need it!

For more details, click through to my U.S. News & World Report post on the topic.

photo by Roberto Verzo

The post Tips to consider when evaluating your LinkedIn network appeared first on Keppie Careers.

I believe LinkedIn is the first social network all job seekers and entrepreneurs should use and master.

Here are links to recent posts about LinkedIn on my book’s site:

Craig Fisher, who provided some LinkedIn tips about using keywords in chapter 5, allowed me to highlight advice from one of his recent blogs about using LinkedIn.

Tim Tyrell-Smith, manager of a LinkedIn Success Story group, and Timothy Puyleart, who runs a very successful, niche LinkedIn group, offered excellent advice about the advantages and challenges of creating LinkedIn groups. Learn more in the post highlighting LinkedIn groups.

Stay tuned for more links to posts with social networking advice thanking contributors to Social Networking for Career Success. Take a look at the entire list of contributors and links to their blogs and Twitter accounts.

photo from LinkedIn Press Center

The post How LinkedIn can help you find a job or a gig appeared first on Keppie Careers.

This is my reply…What do you think?

This is a difficult proposition, since LinkedIn forces you to select one industry and it isn’t set up to highlight multiple career objectives. Additionally, if your target jobs are too diverse, you risk confusing the reader about your goals. If the job types are similar enough, it makes sense to share your flexibility in the summary section, using a story illustrating your abilities in more than one area. Be sure to highlight how your skills and accomplishments quality you for each type of job.

Other suggestions:

• Have recommendations covering all of your career goals, from people who know your abilities in different areas and can address your skills in each.
• Manage your own website, which gives you a lot more flexibility to highlight and showcase your various areas of expertise than LinkedIn provides! (Take a look at www.getasocialresume.com for one option to create your own “social resume.”)

Learn more about Quora and how you may use it as a way to help propel your career!

Answer the question on Quora and please add your ideas to the comments below!

For more about how to use social media tools to propel your career goals, please consider pre-ordering my book, Social Networking for Career Success.

photo by Horia Varlan

The post How to show multiple career goals on LinkedIn appeared first on Keppie Careers.