Reply to: Linkedin

[SallyPlanIT]

Regarding previous roles/positions, how much detail do you include in your profile?

I know some people have a cut 'n' paste of their CV whilst others just have a basic position held/title and date.

I need to update my profile and was thinking of something in between such as a summary of the position.

This ties in with my view of Linked In in that it should be a 'shopfront' and not an exhaustive record of your career.

However, in these times, am a little bit un-sure if this is the correct approach to take.

Any thoughts?

The following is quoted from the linkedIn course I'm doing:

Start your first three paragraphs strongly, saying exactly what you do, your specialities,
and your niche.
Remember to use your Key Level words in the summary, and if possible in your first three
paragraphs.
Use the rest of the summary to expand on your Key Levels using paragraph spacing and
some simple graphics.
Try and build on the first three paragraphs offering more detail building up a written picture
of your experience.
I do see some people incorporating links and urls into their summary, if you do this
remember that people cannot click on them to use them, they will just cut and paste them:
I am unsure how effective this is, especially when LinkedIn already gives you the
opportunity to create clickable links in another section.

[Fred Bloggs]

I tend to copy/paste my CV, others don't. Which is right or better? No idea.

[Aman]

I tried to set up a profile but the site asked for dates and it looked too much like a CV. I can't see how to set it up so here is a current and past client list.

[thunderlizard]

I just updated mine yesterday.

My "Summary" is just "X professional with Y years' experience in the Z industry".

My "Specialties" () is a copy & paste of the IT acronym soup that comes towards the top of my CV.

In my "Career history", because I went contracting straight out of university so have never had a proper job, just has one entry: "Consultant at ThunderCorp" and it contains a list of my last 5 contracts, with the name of the client and a 1-sentence description of what I did at it.

[Clippy]

Regarding previous roles/positions, how much detail do you include in your profile?

I know some people have a cut 'n' paste of their CV whilst others just have a basic position held/title and date.

I need to update my profile and was thinking of something in between such as a summary of the position.

This ties in with my view of Linked In in that it should be a 'shopfront' and not an exhaustive record of your career.

However, in these times, am a little bit un-sure if this is the correct approach to take.

Any thoughts?

[cojak]

I keep my contacts locked down as well. I'm a member of some groups and I don't want anyone messing with my network.

[SallyPlanIT]

From a different perspective, I have a personal account which I have gained new clients through. I'm currently undertaking an on-line course to learn how to use it more effectively. I think it has a big role to play in the future.

[Dearnla]

I've had a few contacts on it, but never right for me. I don't accept all the invites I get either - if agents are patently trawling to build up their networks.
I'm a member of a couple of particular networks on there, so I see some of the jobs going anyway. That way, I can choose whether to respond or not.

[v8gaz]

Got my last 3 gis via linkedin, using the 'available in X weeks' status for the final 4 weeks of previous gig. You really need to have a decenty sized network - 200-300 should do it.

Also, I don't connect with agencies, as they will simply trawl your conection list.

Connect with anyone you meet and trust at your gigs - you never know who will be looking in future.

[configman]

Linkedin helps me get gigs - but don't let it destroy your current gig. Put something like confidential in the company name or your Ltd Co. If you don't you will soon end up with agents and salesbods not only emailing where you work but also calling reception to get hold of you. A couple of gigs ago reception was bombarded with callers wanting to sell various software and I was hauled up because my mail box was full of job specifications that I hadn't asked for. Messages left at reception were often to say it was a personal call and that wasn't taken so well by reception. It is easy to guess your current gigs email address and try and get through reception. They can all get hold of you through linkedin and should use that.

[thunderlizard]

Ace, thanks!
hmm, but first to beef up my profile before drawing attention to it I think...

[cojak]

Yep, that's the place.

[thunderlizard]

status update is just under your photo.

or in my case, under the bit where your photo would be...
so, "post an update"?

(I am sure that every time I log off LinkedIn, an alarm goes off in LinkedIn HQ, and this signals to somebody to move all the stuff around before I log in again.)

[cojak]

Go into 'Edit profile', status update is just under your photo.

[thunderlizard]

"Contract ending on DD/MM. Looking for new opportunities. Please get in touch for updated CV".

& where do you put that? as "Current Position?"