Appendix L

LinkedIn Tips

• Put your LinkedIn address in the signature block of your e-mail. This lets potential employers know that you have a profile and provides them easy access to it. It also helps you build your LinkedIn connections by letting everyone know you have a profile.
• Use your headline to declare your interest. If you are actively seeking a new career opportunity, state “Seeking New Opportunity” in your headline.
• Use a professional photo. Post a professional headshot of yourself in interview-quality attire on your profile.
• Use an unremarkable e-mail address. Utilize a personal e-mail address that uses a combination of your name, initials, and numbers. Your e-mail shouldn't make a statement about your personality or interests. Your address should be like your interview attire—unremarkable.
• Indicate results that you achieved. Place your well-crafted demonstrations of effectiveness (DOEs) as a stand-alone statement beneath the description of each position you have held in your career in the “Experience” section of your profile. You do not need to have a DOE for every position.
• Get recommendations. Ask direct superiors for written recommendations to post on your profile so long as they are positive. Keep recommendations to just one or two for each position held.
• Subscribe to LinkedIn Groups in your industry and profession. Additionally, there are many military vet job-finding groups out there, such as Eagles Executive Transition Assistance Network, Military Leaders in Corporate America, Recruiters 4 Veterans, and U.S. Military Veterans Network. There are many more veteran-oriented groups as well as many professional and industry groups to choose from, and more are being formed every day.
• Endorse others so that they are compelled to return the favor. Currently, LinkedIn will automatically put potential recommendations at the top of your home page. As people endorse you, you see your top recognized skill sets appear at the bottom of your profile page—a pretty powerful graphic depiction of your primary skills!
• Follow companies. If there are specific companies that you are interested in, you can follow them on LinkedIn. So, sign up!
• Use the InMail function to connect to recruiters. LinkedIn boasts that recruiters are 30 times more likely to respond to an InMail than a cold call!
• Do not blast all your contacts that you are in the job market. Craft individual e-mails/InMails.
• Use training videos. If you opt to pay for the premium versions of LinkedIn, use the training webinars to leverage the full power of the tools.
• CAUTION: Be intentional in the information that you post on your profile. Everyone can see it and gain valuable intelligence from it.