What makes a good LinkedIn profile?

[unjung]

Here's a good guide to using LI effectively: http://bit.ly/dFQAgw

 

[Connemara]

I just cannot stand all of the industry mumbo jumbo.

 

[unjung]

Originally Posted by Connemara

I just cannot stand all of the industry mumbo jumbo.

On a somewhat related note, are you working these days?

 

[Duff_Man]

LinkedIn is a bit grey for me.

In an industry where social media is seen as a PERSEC risk, what is the balance between presence and oversharing?

 

[yeungjai]

Originally Posted by Duff_Man

LinkedIn is a bit grey for me.

In an industry where social media is seen as a PERSEC risk, what is the balance between presence and oversharing?

I would say that to make it easier on recruiters and hiring managers, don't disclose anything on your LI profile that you wouldn't disclose on your resume. Examples include:

Your photo (arguably)
Your marital status or family status
Disability status
Religion

And any other prohibited grounds for discrimination, wherever you are.

I am not saying this to say that you will be discriminated against and that you should guard against it, but from the employer's point of view, this is all unnecessary information. An employer has nothing to gain by being privy to this sort of information, but seeing it opens the doors to potential legal liabilities. For example, if a candidate is found off LI, moves through the recruitment process, and is not the one selected to be hired, they can allege that they were discriminated against based on something on their profile - it's one of the big reasons why people in the industry do not recruit off of facebook or more casual social networking sites. They don't want to be charged on discriminating against anyone on anything outside of the requirements of the position.

 

[Connemara]

Originally Posted by unjung

On a somewhat related note, are you working these days?
Yessir!

 

[Stazy]

Originally Posted by KPO89

Too cheesy? Too much? Critique me please.

Originally Posted by MyTailorIsRich

Trying to be constructive here. I have worked in marketing for a long time and my suggestion would be to put paragraph 3 first and start with "I create need". Otherwise you are hoping the reader makes it through two paragraphs before getting to your value statement - which is a good one. So put your hard hitting value statement first and then back it up (work or projects that you have done, skills, etc).

I have a comment regarding the statement that "you create need". I think this is a common misconception amongst marketers. Marketers do not create need. Rather, the goal of marketing is to communicate how a product/service meets a need. For example, the need for entertainment. Marketers didn't create this need. It exists outside of marketing. Where marketing plays a role is communicating how a product meets one's entertainment needs.

I would update your paragraph to say something like this: "I can strongly communicate how a product/service meets the needs of consumers".

 

[Duff_Man]

Originally Posted by yeungjai

I would say that to make it easier on recruiters and hiring managers, don't disclose anything on your LI profile that you wouldn't disclose on your resume. Examples include:

Your photo (arguably)
Your marital status or family status
Disability status
Religion

And any other prohibited grounds for discrimination, wherever you are.

I am not saying this to say that you will be discriminated against and that you should guard against it, but from the employer's point of view, this is all unnecessary information. An employer has nothing to gain by being privy to this sort of information, but seeing it opens the doors to potential legal liabilities. For example, if a candidate is found off LI, moves through the recruitment process, and is not the one selected to be hired, they can allege that they were discriminated against based on something on their profile - it's one of the big reasons why people in the industry do not recruit off of facebook or more casual social networking sites. They don't want to be charged on discriminating against anyone on anything outside of the requirements of the position.

That's not exactly what I mean. For instance, I don't disclose on my LI profile my MA concentration, because it is specific enough that it could potentially compromise me and hinder my prospects for employment in a field that heavily emphasizes discretion.

 

[Willie5566]

Originally Posted by Duff_Man

LinkedIn is a bit grey for me.

In an industry where social media is seen as a PERSEC risk, what is the balance between presence and oversharing?

Get on board. It will not be long before your "brand" is the only thing that will get you a job. Linked In is a great professional site. In addition to having a profile that can land you jobs, there are also discussion groups where some great ideas are being exchanged.

 

[qma]

Originally Posted by Stazy

I have a comment regarding the statement that "you create need". I think this is a common misconception amongst marketers. Marketers do not create need. Rather, the goal of marketing is to communicate how a product/service meets a need. For example, the need for entertainment. Marketers didn't create this need. It exists outside of marketing. Where marketing plays a role is communicating how a product meets one's entertainment needs.

I would update your paragraph to say something like this: "I can strongly communicate how a product/service meets the needs of consumers".

+1. A paraphrase would be a quote by Drucker, which I think sounds better:

"The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself."


I think it could be a good idea to take this perspective and highlight that you understand that what makes good marketing is the ability to truly understand the customer and her needs - both those they are aware of and those they are not ("If I had listened to my customers I would have invented a faster horse" - Ford).

 

[Stazy]

Originally Posted by qma

+1. A paraphrase would be a quote by Drucker, which I think sounds better: "The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself."
Agreed. Definitely more conscise than what I suggested.

 

[WingTips]

Does anyone know of anyone who has been offered a job through linkedin?

 

[Redwoood]

cross-post as this question seems more appropriate in this thread:

Originally Posted by Redwoood

Ok, a question for the pros here.
How do you reconcile the issue of protecting your privacy while having a widely-visible profile?
I mean, would you print 1000 copies of your resume and hand them out at the mall?
LinkedIn allows you to restrict profile views to connections or friends of connections, but doesn't this restrict a lot of its advantages as well?

 

[unjung]

Originally Posted by Redwoood

cross-post as this question seems more appropriate in this thread:

Making information such as where I work public doesn't bother me.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by Redwoood

cross-post as this question seems more appropriate in this thread:

Worry about personal information but I don't see any issue with professional experience and background being public. The world has changed.