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CHAPTER 8: Social Networks: LinkedIn

Objectives:
a.) Discuss the overview of LinkedIn and understand the
common LinkedIn terms.
b.) Discover how to create, navigate, and search for jobs on
LinkedIn.
c.) Determine how to adjust the user’s privacy.

Lesson 1: Introduction to LinkedIn

What is LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is a popular social network with a specific
purpose. While other social networks like Facebook and
Twitter focus more on your personal life, LinkedIn is all
about professional networking—that is, building a group
of contacts to help advance your career.
Why use LinkedIn?
More and more businesses use LinkedIn to screen and
recruit potential employees. This is why creating a
LinkedIn account can make a difference when searching
for your next job. Once you've signed up, you can add
information to your profile page, which is a brief summary
of your skills and employment history that effectively serves as an online resume.
Job search tool
LinkedIn has a powerful job search tool that can find openings around the world. You can then
filter these results by company, experience level, and more. Some openings also have an Easy
Apply option, which allows you to apply to a job with only a few clicks by submitting the
information in your LinkedIn profile.

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From making first impressions with employers to communicating with colleagues, LinkedIn can
be a useful career tool. Fortunately, creating an account is free, and it only requires your email
address.
If you take the time to learn how to use LinkedIn, it can make a big impact on your professional
life.
To build your network, you can add contacts (also known as connections) with other LinkedIn
users. As you make connections, you’ll be able to get skill endorsements, ask for
recommendations, and find new job opportunities.
You can also join groups focused on various companies, industries, and occupations. Groups can
keep you up to date on the latest news in your field, as well as help you find others who share
your professional interests.

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Lesson 2: Creating a LinkedIn Account

Creating a LinkedIn account
Creating a LinkedIn account is simple. All you need is an email address and a few minutes of your
time. Let’s take a look at how it works.
Getting started
To get started, go to linkedin.com in your web browser. Enter your information, choose a
password, then click the Join button. LinkedIn will guide you through the steps of adding more
detail to your profile.

Next, you'll need to verify your email address. Go to your email inbox, look for a message from
LinkedIn, then click the confirmation button or type the PIN into LinkedIn. It may also ask for
your phone number to send you another verification code, so you may want to have your phone
nearby just in case.

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Syncing email contacts and other information

You can also choose to sync the contacts list from your email account. This will make it easier for
you to find people you already know on LinkedIn, so we recommend taking eventually. However,
you can always click Skip if you'd rather do this later.

LinkedIn will also ask for information about yourself, such as your most recent job title, location,
and profile photo. Like with email contacts, you can skip some of these steps if you’d rather deal
with them later. However, we recommend exploring everything LinkedIn has to offer to ensure
you’re getting the most out of it.

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Choosing a Basic or Premium Account

Finally, you may be asked to choose between a Basic account (which is free) and
a Premium account (which has a monthly subscription fee). Because you're getting started with
LinkedIn, we recommend using the Basic account for now. While a Premium account provides
additional features like additional messaging options and job opening details, we’ve found that
you can get quite a lot from LinkedIn using just the Basic account. You can always upgrade to a
Premium account later if you want.
That's it! Your account is now set up, and you're ready to create your profile and start adding
connections.

Lesson 3: Common LinkedIn Terms

Common LinkedIn terms
Connections? Endorsements? Recruiters? If you're new to LinkedIn, there are a few terms that
may seem a little confusing at first. Reviewing some of the most commonly used terms will give
you a better understanding of how LinkedIn works and what to expect as you get started.

Profile - Your profile is LinkedIn's version

of a resume. It’s what people see when
they find you on the site.
Connection - A connection is a person
you’ve added to your LinkedIn network,
similar to having a friend on Facebook.
Recruiter - A recruiter is someone who
works for a company to find new
employees.
Recommendation - A recommendation is a short paragraph about your professional strengths,
written by one of your connections.
Endorsement - An endorsement is when your connections vouch for the skills on your LinkedIn
profile.

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Lesson 4: Navigating LinkedIn

Navigating LinkedIn
If you've never used an online networking site, LinkedIn can seem a little intimidating at first.
Even if you're already familiar with social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, you'll still want
to take some time to learn your way around LinkedIn.
When you sign in, you'll see several options near the top of the homepage. These allow you to
navigate your homepage, profile, job search tool, and more.

Search - You can use the search box to look for people, job openings, company pages, and more.
Home - Your homepage shows recent posts from your connections and groups.
My Network - My Network lets you look for other people you know on LinkedIn and add them
as connections.
Jobs - You can use the Jobs tool to search for openings that have been posted on LinkedIn.
Messaging - This lets you read all of your LinkedIn messages.
Notifications - This shows your recent notifications, including letting you know when someone
has viewed your profile.
Me - Through the Me icon, you can change your settings and preferences.

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Lesson 5: Creating Your LinkedIn Profile

Creating your profile
Your profile is one of the most important things on LinkedIn, especially because it's the first thing
people will see when they find you on the site. You should treat your profile as you would
a resume, taking the time to make sure it is complete, accurate, and professional. LinkedIn also
allows you to add things you might not include on a traditional resume, like
a profile picture and personal summary.
Adding profile information
The process of changing your LinkedIn profile is fairly straightforward. Once you understand how
to add job entries and edit your education history, it should be much easier to focus on the
information itself.
To edit your profile, navigate to your profile page, then select the pencil icon in the section of
your choice. To add a new entry in the work experience and education history sections, just click
the plus icon.

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We recommend editing the section at the top of your profile first because it contains your current
job title, location, and personal summary. Because it's the first thing people will see in your
profile, you'll want it to make a strong impression. Once you're done, click Save.
Adding a profile picture
A high-quality profile picture can make a big difference to potential employers. That's why
we strongly recommend adding one to your profile before searching for jobs on LinkedIn.
To add your picture, click the camera icon near the top of your profile. If you want to change your
existing photo, just click the photo itself.

You can then upload a photo from your computer or take a picture using the camera on your
device. You can use the sizing handles to adjust the crop, or add other effects to get your picture
looking polished and professional.
There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a profile photo. Generally speaking, we
recommend the following:
• Upload a high-quality JPEG file.
• Make sure you're the only person in the photo.
• Ensure you're dressed appropriately for your career field—in other words, wear what
you'd wear to a job interview.

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Tips for an effective profile

In our experience, these tips will help complete and improve your profile. Keep in mind that
there's no right or wrong way to use LinkedIn, so you'll need to experiment to find what works
for you.
• Keep your profile up to date. Make sure the information on your LinkedIn profile is
updated and consistent with the details on your resume. This will make it easier for an
employer to match your resume with your LinkedIn profile. Also, because a LinkedIn
profile doesn't have length restrictions, you can even add details and positions you can't
fit on your resume.
• Add relevant skills. LinkedIn makes it easy to add skills to your profile page. Examples of
skills you might add include problem solving, strong communication, and computer
software—think Microsoft Office, Photoshop, QuickBooks, and so on. Your connections
can even endorse you for the skills you've added to your profile.
• Ask for recommendations. A recommendation is a short comment written by another
LinkedIn member that will appear on your profile. When seeking a recommendation, try
to reach out to people who are familiar with your talents, skills, and performance in the
workplace. You can also review this lesson on obtaining references from our Job
Applications tutorial to learn more about the best way to ask for a recommendation.

Lesson 6: Adding Connections On LinkedIn

Adding connections
Adding connections is a big part of LinkedIn. But unlike most other social media sites, trying to
connect with everyone you know can send the wrong signal. Doing so can seem like you're
networking for its own sake rather than truly building your professional network. Before you add
someone to your network, ask yourself: Would this person talk to me about a job or recommend
me to an employer?
If the answer is yes, then it may be a good idea to add this person as a connection.
To add connections on LinkedIn, select My Network at the top of the screen. A list of people you
may know will appear, along with any connection invitations you may have. If you see someone
you'd like to connect with, simply click Connect. You can also search for someone and click
Connect on their profile.

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A dialog box will appear, and you can attach a personal message to your invitation if you want.
We recommend including a message with every connection request so the person knows who
you are and why you want to connect. Otherwise, it may seem like you're simply networking for
its own sake. Once your message is finished, click Done.

You'll be able to see your total number of connections in the top-left corner of the My
Network page. While some people believe that your LinkedIn profile is only as good as the

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number of your connections, the quality of your connections is more valuable than the quantity.
Having 50 strong connections can do much more for your career than 200 connections you don't
know very well. This is just something to consider as you find and add people on LinkedIn.
Tips when adding connections
• Use your existing network. When you first create a LinkedIn profile, make sure to connect
with the people you already know. Try syncing your email contacts and using LinkedIn's
search bar to find friends, classmates, and coworkers.
• Ask for introductions. If you're trying to connect with someone you've never met, you
should look to see if you have any mutual connections. If so, you can ask your connections
for an introduction. Be polite and explain why you are requesting the introduction, and
give your connection an opportunity to decline the request.
• Maintain your connection. After connecting with someone, remember to keep
engaging with that person on LinkedIn. If they post status updates, leave thoughtful
comments. If they ask for recommendations or endorsements, try to fulfill their request
in a timely manner. This should strengthen your connection, which could lead to new
opportunities.

Lesson 7: Searching for Jobs on LinkedIn

Searching for jobs on LinkedIn
When it comes to searching for jobs, LinkedIn can be a powerful resource. It allows employers to
post job openings to the site (like any online job board), and you can search for these openings
using the job search tool. LinkedIn also allows you to use your connections to find new positions
and ask for recommendations. Additionally, you can follow companies so you'll always be
notified of their latest LinkedIn posts.
Using the job search tool
Because employers frequently use LinkedIn to screen and recruit potential candidates, more and
more companies have begun posting job openings to the site. This is why it's so important to
learn how to use LinkedIn's job search tool.

To search for jobs, click the Jobs icon, then type what you're looking for in the search box. You
can also narrow your search results by using the filters near the top of the window, like company,
recent postings, and experience level.

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To learn more about a particular job, click the job title. In addition to details like the job's location
and requirements, you'll see how many of your connections work for that particular company.

If you want to apply to the job, click Apply, and you'll be taken to the company's website to fill
out an application. Some openings also have an Easy Apply option, which allows you to apply to
a job with just a few clicks by submitting the information in your LinkedIn profile. Keep in mind
that if you use Easy Apply, we still recommend writing a personalized cover letter with every
application you send.

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You can also set up preferences for your job search through the Career interests function. From
your profile, scroll down until you find Your Dashboard, then click Career interests.

This lets you save preferences for the type of job you're looking for, including location, company
size, and industry. LinkedIn will then start giving you relevant recommendations and search
results. We suggest using Career interests so you'll have a better chance of seeing jobs you're
actually interested in.

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Following companies
If you want to learn more about companies that interest you, you can follow them on LinkedIn.
This is similar to following someone on Twitter or Instagram. Whenever that company posts
something to its LinkedIn page, it will appear on your homepage. Following a company is also a
potential way to meet people who work there, including recruiters who might be posting jobs.
You can use the search box to find companies on LinkedIn, or you can browse the
recommendations on the My Network page. If you see a company you're interested in,
select Follow. You'll then see posts from that company on your homepage. You'll also be able to
see other information about the company, such as what LinkedIn users work there and how you
might be connected to them.

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Of course, there's no guarantee that following a company will actually help you get hired.
However, it is an easy way to learn more about the company and get a feel for its culture.

Lesson 8: Adjusting Your Settings and Privacy on LinkedIn

Adjusting your settings
As with any online service, it's important to learn about the various settings and options you
have on LinkedIn. While you can change some settings to help you be more comfortable or
productive, you can also adjust your privacy settings to control how much of your information is
available for everyone to see.
Watch the video below to learn more about adjusting your settings.
To access your settings, click the Me icon in the top-right corner, then select Settings & Privacy.
From here, you can change many elements of your account, such as your email preferences,
password, and two-step verification. Whenever you change a setting, it will be saved
automatically.

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Advertisement settings
There are a fair number of advertisements on LinkedIn. However, many of them use information
from your profile to send you targeted ads based on your location, interests, and education.
Luckily, you can change how you interact with these personalized ads. To limit what advertisers
learn about you, click the Ads tab at the top of the Settings menu, and adjust each setting
however you want. Keep in mind that even if you deactivate everything on this tab, you'll still see
ads on LinkedIn. However, they will no longer be based on your personal information.

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Privacy settings
If you want to control who can see your Activity feed and Connections or block certain people
from seeing your profile, consider using LinkedIn's privacy settings. These settings can be useful
if you're searching for a new job while you're still employed and want to make sure your current
employer isn't notified of your profile changes.
To stop broadcasting your profile changes to your connections, click the Privacy tab in the
Settings menu, then scroll down and click Share job changes, education changes, and work
anniversaries from profile. Click the button so it reads No, and your connections will no longer
be notified of your profile changes.

You may also want to limit how LinkedIn uses the data collected on you. Under the Privacy tab
in the Settings menu, click How LinkedIn uses your data on the left side of the window. You can
then adjust these settings however you want.

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If you want to know what data has already been collected on you, click Manage your data and
activity. From here, you can review data you've provided to LinkedIn or another company.

For more knowledge about creating an account in LinkedIn, please check the link
provided;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh5eDSMPvjE&list=PLpQQipWcxwt_lhv7UuN5VkVWPAeoc
WslF&index=2

REFERENCES

https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/linkedin/

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