This section is a work in progress. I set it up now as a result of a client who has been with the same 2 employers for his entire working career. This is someone who would never have needed LinkedIn, ATS, or ever have to understand how it all works.
The fact is, people who have never had to change jobs in the age of recruiting technology are having to grapple with a lot very quickly. It's intimidating. Plain and simple. This article will be updated to provide step-by-step instructions for background settings to make LinkedIn work better for you and take on your preferences for what you want to see on it as well as what it is about you that gets shared. LinkedIn wants a lot of data. It's your personal preference what you share/how much you share.
As I come across situations and clients who need to have the instructions, I'll add to this article. A final note before moving on to the first item: the menu paths provided are documented at the time the instructions were created. LinkedIn has a habit of moving things around. If that happens, let me know and I can update the instructions.
MENU PATH TO SWITCH ON MSWORD and MENU PATH TO SHARE YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE WITH RECRUITERS WHEN YOU APPLY FOR A JOB
1. Log into LinkedIn and in the top ribbon, click on the little photo of yourself that's right next to the icon that looks like a bell (notifications). You just want to click on your photo.
2. Dropdown menu you get, click on Settings & privacy
3. Click on Data privacy from the options in the left column
4. Scroll to Job seeking preferences
5. Click on Job application settings
6. Set all three buttons to On--it's here where you tell LinkedIn it's ok for recruiters (they pay for recruiter level access to LinkedIn) to see what's on that resume.
7. At the top of the page, click on <Back
8. Scroll down to the very end of the right column, click on Other applications
9. Click on Microsoft Word
10. Move the button to the On position if it's not already on. This is where your profile data is set up to share it in MSWord when someone wants to have your profile outside of LinkedIn (when you said 'yes' above to share your profile data).
Everything saves when you make those setting changes.
MENU PATH TO KEY PRIVACY SETTINGS WHEN UPDATING YOUR PROFILE (aka, you don't want people to see that you're making changes just yet):
Key Privacy Settings:
1. Click on your little profile photo at the top of the ribbon when you're logged in. You'll see a dropdown list that includes Settings and Privacy. Click on that to get the next menu.
2. Click on Visibility.
3. Then click on Visibility of your LinkedIn Activity.
Change 2 settings:
4. Share profile updates with your network (slide this to OFF), and
5. Manage active status: Choose who can see when you are on LinkedIn. (choose the option No One). At this point, you're pretty much anonymous and no one knows to track you, even if you're connected to them.
RECRUITING SETTINGS: WHO SEES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A JOB
You want recruiters and hiring managers to know you're looking for a new job, and you don't want everyone else to know.
1. Go back to LinkedIn Home.
2. Click on your little photo at the top ribbon on the page.
3. Click on View Profile.
4. Looking at your editable profile page, you see your photo, then your name, then your headline and location, then your number of connections.
5. Under that there's a solid blue oval that says Open to. Click on that.
6. Click on Open to Work. Fill in the appropriate information you'd like someone to search on and find you (e.g., Job titles, Workplaces, Job Locations, Start date, Job Types).
7. Next, choose Who Sees You're Open to work:
8. Choose Recruiters only.
9. Then click Save.
10. Again, remember to Save.
To know you've done this correctly, when you look at your profile photo on LinkedIn,
there SHOULD NOT BE A GREEN SWIRL AROUND YOUR PHOTO THAT SAYS #Open to Work
It's a very rare situation or industry to have the green swirl around your photo. Having it, in my opinion and that of many recruiters I network with, that you're desperate. Desperate people will take any job as a rebound job to have until you find a job that's a better match for you. You don't want to be interpreted that way--whether you're just looking for the rebound job or not. Don't advertise it.
HIDE YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE
The following directions are using your computer to follow the instruction to hide your profile.
1. Go to https://www.linkedin.com and log in using your user name and password.
2. In the menu bar that runs along the top of your screen, select the "Me" option that appears below a miniaturized version of your profile photo, and click "View Profile."
3. Click the "Edit public profile & URL" option on the right-hand side of your screen.
4. Open the "Edit public profile & URL" menu from your LinkedIn profile.
5. Under the "Edit Visibility" option on the left side of the screen, toggle the lever next to "Your profile's public visibility" to OFF, to hide it from non-LinkedIn users and search engines.
6. You will then see a message confirming that the change has been made, and the lever will be labeled "Off." 7. Click the visibility switch to set it to "Off," and hide your profile.
LINKEDIN NETWORKING
Optimize LinkedIn Profile
• Professional Profile Picture: Use a high-quality, professional photo.
• Compelling Headline: Create a headline that clearly states your career goals
• Summary Section: Write a strong summary that highlights your education, certifications, skills, and career aspirations.
• Experience and Education: Ensure your work experience, internships, projects, and education are complete and up-to-date.
• Skills and Endorsements: List relevant skills and get endorsements from classmates, professors, or colleagues.
• Upload a pdf of your resume:
Click on the small photo of yourself in the top ribbon when you're on LinkedIn and you'll see under that photo the option for Settings and privacy
Click on settings and privacy
Click on Data privacy
Scroll down to Job Seeking Preferences
Click on Job application settings
Click to turn ON the button to share your resume with recruiters
Click on Upload resume
Upload the pdf
Building Connections
• Connect with Classmates and Professors: Start by connecting with classmates, professors, and alumni from CUNY Baruch.
• Join Relevant Groups: Join LinkedIn groups related to your field of interest or expertise.
• Attend Virtual Events: Participate in webinars, virtual meetups, and conferences related to your field and connect with attendees.
• Follow Industry Leaders: Follow thought leaders, companies, and influencers in the cybersecurity and IT industries.
Engaging with Content (e.g. ‘Working it’)
• Share Insights and Articles: Regularly share articles, insights, and news related to cybersecurity and information security.
• Comment and Engage: Comment on posts from industry leaders, join discussions, and add valuable insights.
• Publish Posts: Write and publish posts or articles about topics related to your studies, projects, or trends in cybersecurity.
Reaching Out
• Personalized Connection Requests: Send personalized connection requests, explaining why you want to connect and how you can add value.
• Informational Interviews: Request informational interviews with professionals in your field to learn about their career paths and gather advice.
• Thank-You Notes: After connecting or receiving help, send thank-you messages to build rapport.
Utilizing LinkedIn Features
• LinkedIn Learning: Take advantage of LinkedIn Learning courses to further enhance your skills and add them to your profile.
• Recommendations: Request recommendations from peers, supervisors, connections (if a graduate: professors, classmates, and any internship supervisors) to build credibility.
Consistency and Follow-Up
• Regular Activity: Stay active on LinkedIn by regularly updating your profile, sharing content, and engaging with connections.
• Follow-Up: Follow up with new connections and maintain relationships by periodically checking in and sharing relevant information.
LinkedIn Message Sample: Request to Connect
Subject: Connecting with a [industry you have in common]
Message:
Hi [Name],
My name is [your name], and [what you have in common or the field you’re in ]. I came across your profile while researching professionals in [field] and was impressed by your experience at [Company/Organization].
I am eager to connect with industry professionals like yourself to learn more about career paths and gather advice as I begin my journey in [career]. I would greatly appreciate any insights you can share about the industry and your experiences.
Thank you for considering my request. I look forward to connecting with you.
Best regards,
[your name]
CUSTOMIZE YOUR LINKEDIN URL
Studies have shown that 93 percent of recruiters will search for your social media profiles after they review your resume. Make it easy for people to find and connect with you by customizing your profile’s public web address. Click on the following link for instructions on how to customize your LinkedIn profile URL: http://bit.ly/1Ma3WtB.
ADD MEDIA SAMPLES TO YOUR PROFILE
There is no better way to give employers a better sense of your accomplishments than showing them visual samples of your achievement. You can provide samples of your work by adding links and uploading presentations, videos, and images to projects you have worked on that demonstrate your expertise and skills.
REQUEST RECOMMENDATIONS: Give them to Get them!
How many times have you asked your friends for a recommendation on a product or checked out a company’s reviews on Yelp before purchasing an item? As humans, we often make decisions based upon what is known as social proof. The same process goes on for hiring decisions. Hiring managers, recruiters, and HR professionals are on the lookout for “social proof” of your talents. LinkedIn recommendations are a perfect opportunity to share reviews from your former employers, managers, peers, direct reports, customers, and clients.
Click on the following link for step-by-step instructions on how to request a recommendation: http://bit.ly/1JJgtmn. For more tips on how to select and approach the right people for your recommendations, visit http://bit.ly/1Sekv9p.
JOIN LINKEDIN GROUPS
Join and actively participate in LinkedIn groups that are specific to your industry and field. Recruiters are notorious for trolling these groups in search of qualified candidates. Do not forget to join any alumni groups that exist for your alma mater or previous employers. Click on the following link to learn more about joining LinkedIn groups: http://bit.ly/1QHSHbJ.
USING LINKEDIN FOR YOUR JOB SEARCH
Over 90% of recruiters indicated that they review a candidate’s LinkedIn Profile after reviewing their resume, but before they decide to call them in for an interview. Your LinkedIn Profile is often used as a tie breaker between you and others. Many internal and external recruiters use LinkedIn to communicate with candidates on open positions. Before actively using LinkedIn for your job search be sure to:
∆ Keep your profile up to date.
∆ Display a comprehensive overview of your current skills and objectives.
∆ Highlight your recent experience.
You can use LinkedIn to assist in your job search in a variety of ways:
∆ Search for jobs: https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/157/searching-for-jobs-on-linkedin?lang=en
∆ Apply for jobs: https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/75815
∆ Let recruiters know you’re open to new positions: https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/67405?hiptopic=feed&hcppcid=IPH-SEARCH
TIPS TO BECOMING A LINKEDIN INFLUENCER
If you are interested in becoming an influencer on LinkedIn, it could enhance your professional brand throughout your company, industry, and network. Many influencers on LinkedIn also receive desirable job opportunities, based on their notoriety associated with their platform. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need tens of thousands of connections on LinkedIn to be an influencer. Here are some ways to generate more views of your LinkedIn Profile and increase your exposure:
PUBLISH ARTICLES
∆ Becoming a publisher on LinkedIn can be a powerful way to reach your target market and generate new leads and interest in you as a potential candidate.
∆ The new platform promises to match the post’s topic with users who share an interest in that vertical.
∆ It also gives you greater exposure to your current network given every post is distributed to their news feed and displayed within their notification settings (located at the very top of their LinkedIn profile).
POST STATUS UPDATES
∆ Share regular updates (daily or weekly) of your thoughts, blog posts, videos, original work, and other compelling content.
∆ This positions you as a thought leader with insight to share.
∆ Helps you stay top of mind for referrals, or when someone in your network needs your expertise or service.
∆ Creates a regular cadence of information for your network, and your profile will become a destination for these insights.
VOICE YOUR OPINIONS
While staying away from extremely controversial topics such as politics and religion can be advised in any professional setting, you can find success discussing your opinions in other areas. Is everything done one way in your industry? If you believe that the status quo is not helpful, sharing your thoughts on improvements or changes to make things better can garner positive attention. Asking thoughtful questions and voicing your opinions helps others see you as an influencer.
PRESERVE YOUR CONNECTIONS—ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE ANYONE ELSE LOG INTO YOUR ACCOUNT TO UPDATE YOUR PROFILE FOR YOU—Do this before you give anyone else permission to log into your profile:
Download your data (all or some of it). At least once, you should download your connections. From your profile settings, click
Data privacy > Get a copy of your data > Choose the items you want to download (e.g., Connections, Recommendations as well as Articles, Messages, Invitations, Registration, Imported Contacts, Profile…all or those that you choose).
Click on Request Archive, follow the prompts, and you’ll receive a notification a day later that your archive is ready to be downloaded.
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND SETTINGS
Changing the following protects your data, identify, and helps to reduce the amount of advertising that has nothing to do with you or your field from your feed. It doesn’t reduce all the junk, but it helps to reduce it significantly.
Click on your small round profile photo that says Me
In the dropdown menu click Settings and Privacy
Click on in the left column Visibility
Visibility of your profile & network
Turn off the following items:
- Page Visit visibility
- Representing your organizations and interests
- Page owners exporting your data
- Profile discovery and visibility off LinkedIn
And change the following settings:
Who can see or download your email address: Only visible to me
Profile discovery using email address: 1st degree connections
Profile discovery using phone number: Nobody
Click on the left column Visibility of your LinkedIn activity
Manage active status: No one
Click on in the left column Data privacy
Social, economic and workplace research: Off
Invitations from your network: click off of these to Off
Research invites Off
Job seeking preferences
Job application settings: Resumes and application data (save resumes and share resume data): On
Click on Upload resume: follow the prompts to upload your most recent resume, delete previous versions of your resume (best to upload a pdf of your resume)
Save self-ID information: Off
Share your profile when you click Apply for a job: On
Signal your interest to recruiters at companies you’ve created job alerts for: On
Other applications
Permitted services: edit this to add any other permitted services you choose; generally there is nothing needed here.
Microsoft Word: On
Click on in the left column Advertising data
Advertising preferences
Data collected on LinkedIn
Third-party data
Unless you want to receive advertising for using all the data you have, click on, previous employment, education, turn all these items Off
Click on in the left column Notifications in the left column
Check the settings and set your preferences for each of the following (most of these should be off unless you want to be notified about everything (whether you’re a group member or not); it’s recommended to review each of the following and their secondary page options):
Searching for a job
Hiring someone
Connecting with others
Network catch-up updates
Posting and commenting
Messaging
Groups
Pages
Attending events
News and reports
Updating your profile
Verifications
Games
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