LinkedIn Etiquette: The Do's and Don'ts of Digital Networking

(Source: LinkedIn)

In which scenario would you be more concerned about creating a positive first impression- introducing yourself at a networking event or the response your profiles get online? Many of us would say making a great first impression in a face-to-face interaction is more important. But with LinkedIn, the largest digital and professional network, your profile has a higher amount of potential connections to impress. It’s just as vital that your LinkedIn profile is maintained in the same way you would ensure your networking skills were sharp or you were dressed professionally for an event. Most recruiters and future employers check LinkedIn when considering a candidate or searching for prospective candidates. So wouldn’t you want your profile to be as inviting as you are in person? Here are some easy guidelines to ensure you’re optimizing LinkedIn.

•  DO personalize your LinkedIn connection requests instead of using the automatic template.  Remind your prospective connection of how you met and why you want to connect with them.
• DON’T connect with people you don’t know, it should reflect who you know in your personal and professional life.
• DO be an active user.  Maintain a presence by responding to messages and connection requests in a timely manner.
• DON’T embellish the truth.  Be honest about your experience on your profile, you never know what a prospective employer may be looking for. 
• DO update your profile so it coincides with where you are advancing in your professional career.
• DON’T have grammatical or spelling errors.  It seems obvious, but you have to remember that LinkedIn is not as casual as Facebook.
• DO fill out the summary and bio on your profile.  It gives a prospective employer some background information and allows you to sell yourself the way you would in a cover letter.
• DON’T join every LinkedIn group possible, only the professional associations you have in real life (such as Temple University PRSSA!). 
• DO endorse and write recommendations for others, chances are one of your connections will do the same for you.

LinkedIn PRofile Updates!

While going through the blog posts on PR Daily, I came across an interesting and helpful post. This blog post discusses the 17 must-have features on your LinkedIn profile. I own a LinkedIn account but never knew the things you "must-have" on your account. With LinkedIn being one of the channels for job hunting and a place for employers to view your experiences, it's important to keep it updated and well organized. Below is the infographic that introduces and explains the must -haves.

Are You Really #LinkedIn?

I have been a huge fan of the social-professional network known as LinkedIn. In this Digital Age, it is extremely crucial that the professional adult has a strong web presence and the overall service LinkedIn provides is phenomenal. With that being said, I have realized that I don't spend a lot of time on the site. A LinkedIn can pretty much run itself - if you take the the right steps to set it up that way.

Your LinkedIn profile can virtually do the job for you, letting your name, skills, and expertise be known to everyone in your network, as well as new potential new connections who might be interested in finding people like you.

Here are five tips to make sure you are really #LinkedIn on LinkedIn:

1. Use a Professional-Looking Headshot
One of the most important aspects of a LinkedIn profile is the picture. The profile picture really separates a LinkenIn profile from a typical, run-of-the-mill resume site. As is true for any online profile, the picture is crucial. The headshot should feature you from the shoulders upwards and be a good quality image. Nothing is worse than a pixelated profile picture of someone's whole body. PRowl PR's in-house photographer takes professional headshots once a year which has been very beneficial for our members. 

2. Think in Keywords
Load up your profile with straightforward search term. If you're unsure of which words to use, look through the jobs section of LinkedIn to find ads for open positions that are similar to your own job. What keywords turn up there? Reuse the relevant words and phrases in your own profile.

3. Add Videos, Images, and Links
Earlier this year, LinkedIn introduced a new multimedia feature in which its users can add graphics, slideshows (using Slideshare), documents, and links to other online content, such as your online portfolio. Providing visuals to break up the text goes a long way toward improving a profile. I recently just added a few YouTube videos I was featured in and I truly believe having multimedia content makes my profile stand out.

4. Utilize the Who's Viewed Your Profile Feature 
One of my favorite features on LinkedIn is that the site tells you when someone else has looked at your profile. Make sure to turn on the notifications for this feature. It's a great way to get a heads-up about people or organization who are interested in you for some reason. If the person checking out your profile is in some way valuable to you, you might take some steps to facilitate their ability to contact you, such as following them on Twitter.

5. Get Recommendations
I love the fact that LinkedIn encourages its users to reach out to past employers and/or colleagues to provide recommendations. What better way to prove your credibility than to have a recommendation that anyone who views your profile has access to reading. I make sure at the end of every internship that I reach out to my supervisor for a LinkedIn recommendation.

Do you have any other LinkedIn tips? We want to know!