What is LinkedIn?

1. What is LinkedIn? And Why Should You Care? Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine Resource Team Retreat Breakout Session July 17, 2014 Stephanie A. Hilliard

2. Why LinkedIn? And what can it do for you?

3. What is LinkedIn? • LinkedIn is a Social Media site • social media (noun): forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos) (Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary) (emphasis mine) • First known use of the term: 2004 (Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary • Examples of other social media: MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and many others

4. Why Should You Care? • Some people see no need for social media – why should that change? • Social media, like it or not, is increasingly the way business gets done in most fields, including higher education • In higher education,electronic learning formats are rapidly increasing, including social media • A primary client group is Millennials – and many of them live on social media • Social media is an increasingly present and relevant work tool beyond electronic learning

5. Why Should You Care? • Some people naturally enjoy social media – but why should they use LinkedIn? • LinkedIn is not about funny cat videos or posting about the concert you attended…LinkedIn is about YOUR CAREER • A powerful career tool is NETWORKING…and LinkedIn is a significant networking tool • LinkedIn’s growth as a business tool (LinkedIn, 2014): • 300 million members in 200 countries and territories • Two new members being added per second • 39 million students and recent graduates on the site – fastest growing demographic

6. Why Does Networking Matter? • It is often said that it is not “what” you know but “who” you know that makes the difference. • However, networking is not about currying favor with others merely to get something from them • Good networking is a two-way relationship where you give as well as get • Establish trust • Establish a currency of exchange (information, etc.) • Serve others

7. Why Does Networking Matter? • Who you know in your field can make a major difference in your ability to do your job. • Today’s workplace often expects employees to do more with less. • To succeed in any tough environment, we need not only skills and experience but also resources. • Other human beings are one of the greatest resources available to you. • Networking creates human connections that become resources.

8. Networking Summarized • Networking (Michael Page CareerCentre, 2014): • Keeps you abreast of information and changes in your field • Gives you access to advice and support • Exposes you to fresh ideas and new ways to work smarter • Allows you to share your expertise • Adds value to you as an employee • Connects you to other people’s networks, increasing your reach

9. Social Media and Networking • By its nature, social media is a networking tool; remember it it is used to create communities. • We all have strong and weak social ties in our lives (McKeown, 2012) • Strong ties (for most of us) equate to family or personal friends • Weak ties consist of acquaintances, business associates, and people we meet via social media. • Weak ties can strengthen over time, even on social media. • Social media allows us to form extended connections and leverage weak ties as resources • Research has shown that tapping into weak ties can be strategically valuable for activities such as job hunting.

10. Social Media and Networking • Social media such as Facebook and YouTube let you maintain and extend your personal networks • Strong ties – maintain existing relationships • Weak ties – develop new relationships • LinkedIn allows you to extend your business networks • Strong ties – maintain existing business relationships • Weak ties – develop new business relationships • Work is increasingly global in scope • Reach beyond your personal location to connect with the world

11. Entering the LinkedIn World Screens and Menus

12. The Main Screen (Home) • This is the main screen you see when you log into the site. • Your home page is your “working” page with access to a number of LinkedIn information features. • For those of you familiar with social media, this is your “newsfeed”.

13. The Main Screen - Left • The left side shows the news from all your different connections • When a connection posts a status update, it shows up here • You can add your status update at the top of the left column

14. The Main Screen – Right • The right side shows stats for your usage • This side also shares suggestions from LinkedIn for things like connections, companies, etc. • LinkedIn tries to be very helpful…you may view that as good or bad.

15. The Main Screen – Right • On the stats side you’ll see these options: • People You May Know = suggested connections • Ads You May be Interested In • You Recently Visited • Who’s Viewed Your Profile

16. The Main Screen – Right • Continuing down the stats side: • Who’s Viewed Your Updates = Views of shared content • Your LinkedIn Network stats • Jobs You May be Interested In

17. The Main Screen – Right • Final Options: • Groups You May Like • Companies You May Want to Follow • At the bottom are links for LinkedIn itself for About, Feedback, and Privacy & Terms

18. Filter Bubbles • What you see on your home page is based on your interests (customized content). • This is common to all web browsing, not just LinkedIn • Algorithms (programs) record your browsing habits and customize content • This takes place even with search engines such as Google • Upside: you get customized content • Upside: you don’t have to put up with as much irrelevant content • Downside: what content you see is filtered • Downside: your browsing habits are being recorded • Online political activist Eli Pariserdubbed these “filter bubbles” (TED.com, 2011)

19. Navigating LinkedIn - Menu • You can navigate from many areas on the page, but your main menu is at the top. • Main menu: options • Home – go back to the main newsfeed page • Profile – view and edit your personal profile; see who has accessed your profile • Connections – access your connections and Keep in Touch, Add Connections, or Find Alumni • Jobs – go to the employment section • Interests – access companies, groups, Pulse news, and education sections

20. Navigating LinkedIn - Menu • Main menu: options, continued • Business Services –access features beneficial to an employer including Post a Job, Talent Solutions, Advertise, Sales Solutions • Upgrade – get access to a paid version with additional features such as InMail • InMail lets you send email messages to people who are not already connections • Used correctly, it can be good for contacting someone about information or even a job (introducing yourself)

21. Menus – Profile • From this menu, you can choose to view your profile, edit it, or see who else has looked at it. • We will briefly look at each option. • Additional handout covers working with your profile in greater detail

22. Pages – Your Profile • This is what people see when they look for you on LinkedIn • The section in this image is considered “prime real estate” to market who you are. • The top area offers a snapshot of your credentials • The Background section is where you summarize the qualities that make you unique

23. Pages – Profile Editing Mode • This is what your profile page looks like in Edit Profile mode • Edit mode offers a number of tools for adding to and updating your profile information • Edit links/buttons • Add Link or Upload File • Move Sections • Suggestions for profile sections

24. Pages – Viewed Profile • This page shows people who have viewed your profile. • They do not need to be connections already to view your profile. • It can be interesting to see who visits your page; people who view your profile also hold potential as new contacts.

25. Menus – Connections • Connections are the people in your personal LinkedIn “community”. Connections are achieved through invitations sent to and from potential contacts • Clicking Connections or Keep in Touch takes you to your Connections page • Add Connections lets you leverage your email contacts to see who you already known on LinkedIn • Find Alumni shows connections who are fellow alumni of your college or university

26. Pages – Keep in Touch • The top section shows milestones for your connections, such as work anniversaries • The tab just below that section lets you select See more people to contact • Below the tab you can view your connections, using several different sort options • Recent Conversation • Last Name • First Name • New

27. Pages – Add Connections • See Who You Already Know on LinkedIn authorizes the program to import your address book to suggest connections and help you manage contacts. • As you can see from the example at the left, LinkedIn can import addresses from several different email programs. • You do NOT have to use this feature in order to connect with others.

28. Pages – Alumni • The top of the page shows stats on alumni • You can scroll over for more stats • You can click on a particular stat to do a filtered search • The bottom of the page gives info about specific alumni

29. Pages – Alumni • Shows both current connections and non-connections who are associated with the same school • The small number to the right below the picture shows how many connections you have in common • Can be a good way to find and connect with alumni and administrators

30. Pages – People You May Know • This section is accessed on your main page at the top right • Suggests people you may know based on various organizations listed on your profile. • Allows you to send invitations to connect.* *Note: there are limits to making direct connections with others on LinkedIn; you typically need a “real world” connection such as a work connection

31. Pages – People You May Know • *When you attempt to connect with someone, you see this screen (left) • You establish your “relationship” with the person • If you don’t know the person but have an email address, you can still send an invitation • You can also send an InMail request that emails them through LinkedIn • InMail requests are limited in the free version of LinkedIn. Premium subscriptions offer additional Inmail requests

32. Menus – Jobs • Clicking the Jobs menu takes you to a page with information primarily for job seekers • Jobs you may be interested in • Discover jobs in your network • Saved job ads

33. Pages – Jobs • The Jobs section is where you view ads from companies that are hiring. • You can use search terms to narrow down your job search. • The company link typically takes you to the job ad where the requirements and contact info are listed

34. Additional Benefits • LinkedIn offers much more than “just” profiles and connections • Groups • Pulse news • Industry “Thought” leader postings • Company access • Job Postings

35. Menus – Interests • The Interests menu allows you to • View information for Companies you are following • Access your Groups • View industry news through Pulse • Access additional information for your school by clicking Education

36. Pages – Companies • The Home link shows you news from the companies you are following • The Following link (screen example not shown) reminds you which companies you are following

37. Pages – Your Groups • This is an important area of LinkedIn because it lets you access your Groups • Groups are forums where you can “talk” to people who share your field or your interests • 1000s of groups available on many different topics • You can respond to topics • You can ask questions

38. Pages – Your Groups • Connect more easily with people that share groups with you • LinkedIn will allow connection invitations between group members who don’t know each other otherwise

39. Pages – Pulse News Screen • This is a news summary page • You get updates on your main newsfeed page from companies or leaders you already follow • Here you see news from additional industry leaders and companies • Notes who you are already following • You can choose to follow others by clicking +Follow • Available as an app for your phone or tablet as well

40. Pages – Education • LinkedIn offers a special section devoted to educational connections • You can follow a school and get their news posts (left side) • The right side shows which schools you are following • Notice at the top that there are options for Prospective, Current, and Former Students as well as links for Schools and Employers

41. Navigating LinkedIn - Other Connections Notifications Messages Account and Settings

42. Navigating LinkedIn - Other • Messages • This section serves as LinkedIn’s email service • You will see a red number indicating unread messages • You can read and reply to messages by clicking on the icon • Notifications • This section is where you see activities, such connection requests, or replies to threads on a group • You will see a red number indicating the number of unread notifications • You can read notification by clicking on this icon

43. Navigating LinkedIn - Other • Add Connections • Clicking on the icon takes you to the page where you can direct LinkedIn to go through your contacts and suggest connections for you • Also accessible via the Connections menu, and then Add Connections • Account and Settings • This section allows you to manage “under the hood” in your account. • Account options are described on the next slide

44. Menus – Account & Settings • Click on your picture icon at the top right to • Sign Out • See an Account Tutorial • Manage job posting settings • Change the language of your page • Review privacy settings • Access the Help Center

45. Conclusions • Use LinkedIn to make your professional persona “shine” • Leverage connections to enhance your career no matter the field • Don’t forget to have fun while you connect – meeting new people, discussing new ideas, and exploring the world from your office chair • Networking is a valuable personal and professional tool • Networking is enhanced by using social media • LinkedIn is a powerful professional networking social media tool

47. References • About. (2014). LinkedIn. Retrieved from http://press.linkedin.com/about on June 20, 2014. • Benefits of Networking. Michael Page CareerCentre. Retrieved July 10, 2014 fromhttp://www.michaelpage.com.cn/ContentArticle/page/8007/title/Michael-Page-Career-Centre-Growing-Your-Career-Benefits-of-Networking.html • McKeown, K. (Dec. 14, 2012). The strength of weak ties in social networking: Seek to be worth knowing. Leadership Closeup. Retrieved July 14, 2014 from http://www.leadershipcloseup.com/2012/12/14/strength-of-weak-ties-in-social-networking-seek-to-be-worth-knowing/ • Social media. (n.d.). Retrieved June 6, 2014 from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social media • Pariser, E. (2011) Filter bubbles. Retrieved June 20, 2014 from http://www.thefilterbubble.com/ted-talk.