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Why LinkedIn Isn't Just About Adding Connections
It's kind of funny--most people who use LinkedIn for the first couple of times seem to miss the boat. They'll get started, build a quick profile, add a few connections, and then... nothing.
Most executives that I work with have went through this routine, and they don't quite look far enough to realize that LI is such a hot tool for discussin job search, finding company insiders, joining other networking groups, etc. (Yes, I make sure they hit Jason Alba's book.)
The best reason to maintain your LI profile REGULARLY is that it pushes older information down on your search results. This still seems to be a head-scratcher for some, so I'll elaborate.
Suppose your digital dirt has caught up with you, and you're finding that your job search is at a standstill while the negative information associated with your name is floating around.
Can you get rid of it? Not really. Can you defend yourself? Sort of. Can you focus attention on another aspect of your professional life? Certainly, and the best way to do this is to grab every profile you can, starting with LI.
One of my recent clients had encountered a big problem with his online identity - she had sued a former employer, which just so happened to be owned by a senator, who just so happened to have an iffy reputation, who just so happened to be up for re-election in this hot election year.
Guess how many profiles we created to help push this off the front page of Google? (and how many profiles we claimed in Zoominfo, Spoke, and the like)
No, it's not magic... but it helps.
Most executives that I work with have went through this routine, and they don't quite look far enough to realize that LI is such a hot tool for discussin job search, finding company insiders, joining other networking groups, etc. (Yes, I make sure they hit Jason Alba's book.)
The best reason to maintain your LI profile REGULARLY is that it pushes older information down on your search results. This still seems to be a head-scratcher for some, so I'll elaborate.
Suppose your digital dirt has caught up with you, and you're finding that your job search is at a standstill while the negative information associated with your name is floating around.
Can you get rid of it? Not really. Can you defend yourself? Sort of. Can you focus attention on another aspect of your professional life? Certainly, and the best way to do this is to grab every profile you can, starting with LI.
One of my recent clients had encountered a big problem with his online identity - she had sued a former employer, which just so happened to be owned by a senator, who just so happened to have an iffy reputation, who just so happened to be up for re-election in this hot election year.
Guess how many profiles we created to help push this off the front page of Google? (and how many profiles we claimed in Zoominfo, Spoke, and the like)
No, it's not magic... but it helps.
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Comment by Tim Tyrell-Smith on December 10, 2008 at 2:40am -
Hi Laura. Good read. A great reminder for folks who leave their online information on "simmer".
Tim
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Comment by Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR on December 10, 2008 at 2:52pm
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Laura,
Good advice. There are a lot of social networking pitfalls. Obama's speechwritter, John Favreau is just another example, and you provide excellent tips on how to lessen the blow. Unfortunately for John, he is high profile. Fortunately, for now he is still the White House's head speechwriter.
Regards,
Jessica
www.bloggingforjobs.blogspot.com
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Comment by Chandlee Bryan on December 15, 2008 at 9:53am -
Laura,
Sound advice on "digital dirt." Whether you have dirt or not, another great way to ensure you come out on top in LinkedIn is to edit your public profile and "claim" a URL in your name. You can do this through the "edit" menu in LinkedIn.
I work with many of my clients on LinkedIn profiles, and editing the public profile is one of the first things we do.
Chandlee Bryan
www.careersincontext.com
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Comment by Corrie Tempest on December 31, 2008 at 8:12pm -
We are in a new world. Though we often perceive ourselves as private citizens, we really have to pay attention to our public image as it appears online. Many people create their "digital dirt" through the things that they do and say online. However, "digital dirt" arises from the things we least expect, both online and off.
A word to the wise, spend some time investigating what kinds of things can be dispensed online, it is probably much more than you think.
Corrie Tempest
JobsEmployment.net is a job search classified directory dedicated to listing jobs, providing job search information and resources.
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