In August 2020, I delivered a presentation for over 100 senior executives on how to use LinkedIn more efficiently. The goal was to give these busy corporate leaders, a set of ideas and tools so that they can spend a minimal amount of time on the platform, and still have a LinkedIn presence that's punchy and interesting. So if that is you - that is if you also want to have that visibility, but you don't want, or don't have the time, to spend a lot of time on LinkedIn - Then this podcast episode is for you.

The idea is to maximize opportunities and visibility: your LinkedIn profile and activity should position you as you want to be perceived professionally in the job market. This should be the ultimate goal.

The organizers received more questions that day then we had the time to answer. So I'm using this podcast episode to address all the questions that we received, and answer them to the best of my ability, considering I'm not a big fan of "one size fits all approach" and believe we should all be looking at finding what is distinctive about our capabilities and skills, and not copy what everyone else is doing on LinkedIn.

If you are fairly new to LinkedIn, I would recommend that you start our LinkedIn journey together by first listening to Episode 34 - How to Make Your LinkedIn Profile Stand Out.Then come back to this episode and listen to the LinkedIn Q&A. However, if you are familiar with LinkedIn and an active user of the platform, you can go ahead and listen to the Q&A, no problem!

I also recommend that you download my LinkedIn Checklist: it will help you get started on LinkedIn or do a quick review on your profile.

I'd also love to hear your feedback and opinions. As I mentioned above, I'm not a big fan of the 'one size fits all approach to LinkedIn", so I'd love to hear what has been working for you on LinkedIn. When I'm doing LinkedIn Audits or working one-on-one with my coaching clients I can tailor my recommendations to suit their needs. I love doing this, it's really exciting to position professionals for success. And I see it works for them!

And if you are listening to this episode a few months down the track, it's likely I few things may have changed on the platform. So keep that in mind, be smart, and adapt to make sure you are on top of the new trends and tools on LinkedIn. If you want my advice ongoing, join my The Job Hunting Podcast Private Group on Facebook and ask me a question in there. That's where I hang out the most and do my Live Coaching Sessions regularly.

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LinkedIn Questions Answered: Timestamps to guide your listening:

• 8:55 - Do you recommend posting your mobile on your profile as I am now finding that I am being contacted by sales teams flogging?
• 12:15 - I am using LinkedIn to re-brand and promote my consultancy side-gig. I am publishing original content, sharing relevant content, and commenting on areas of interest.  Is this to be discouraged?
• 14:30 - Do you recommend a role-specific headline or a value proposition specific headline?
• 16:18 - Should the “about” section be in the first person or 3rd person?
• 17:48 - Should the approach on LinkedIn be different for those looking for new full-time employment versus a portfolio career person?
• 21:01 – Should the “About” section be kept short or is it okay to make it longer?
• 22:19 - What are the main sections you should use keywords to describe yourself for the LinkedIn algorithm?
• 26:02 - LinkedIn has introduced an open-work banner recently - do you think this is advantageous to use or does it have downsides? If one does not wish to use the big green frame around one's face to show open to work that LinkedIn introduced recently, is it ok to show OPEN TO OPPORTUNITIES at the beginning of one's “About” section?
• 30:34 - You often see headlines with words such as “Seeking employment” or “Seeking engagement” is the term “seeking” perceived as negative to the reader?
• 31:52 - When is the work experience section too long?
• 33:02 - How often do you feel one should post articles/share/comment?
• 35:24 - Would you recommend replicating your CV in the experience section?
• 37:15 - I'm not picking up the best jobs on my job alerts. Why is that?
• 38:33 - Does the algorithm pick up content in messages?
• 39:42 - How important are endorsements, and can you have too many?
• 41:36 - Do you recommend LinkedIn Premium, what are the benefits vs standard membership?
• 43:02 - If you have recently left your last role, when should you update LinkedIn to show you have left, and how best to indicate your current situation?
• 45:16 - What’s your view on opening your connections to all? I keep my connections private despite having 750+
• 46:11 - Do you have any guide on how long you should retain links on our profile? How regularly would you recommend ‘refreshing’ with more current links?
• 47:20 - I don’t understand the “Search Appearances” function on LI. It lists a number (eg., 500) but when you click in, only four companies are listed. Why aren’t all the companies listed? 

Links mentioned in this episode:

•  Episode 34 - How to Make Your LinkedIn Profile Stand Out
• Renata's LinkedIn Check-list
• Book your LinkedIn Audit
• Episode 8 - Interview with Alistair Freeman

About the host, Renata Bernarde

Hello, I'm Renata Bernarde, the Host of The Job Hunting Podcast. I'm also an executive coach, job-hunting expert, and career strategist. I teach corporate, non-profit, and public professionals the steps and frameworks to help them find great jobs, change, and advance their careers with confidence and less stress. 

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