Posts Tagged linkedin
Oops! Do You Have 2 or More LinkedIn Profiles?
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in linkedin on May 18, 2012
If you’ve conducted a People Search on LinkedIn, you’ve probably seen many duplicate Profiles: these are orphan accounts created when a LinkedIn user already has a Profile, but then accepts a LinkedIn invitation that is sent to another of their email addresses.
Think this doesn’t apply to you?
Some estimates put the number of duplicate Profiles in the millions, so if you’ve spent minimal time on LinkedIn, or had trouble keeping your Profile consistently updated, it pays to check this out ASAP.
Multiple Profiles are against the site’s Terms of Use, and can be deleted without your knowledge – putting your job search in a perilous position.
To check for a duplicate Profile, perform a People Search for your name (the Advanced Search option will allow you to specify your zip code, Employer Name, Title, and other identifying criteria).
If you do have a duplicate or orphan Profile, here’s where it might be tempting to leave it alone. In a word, don’t.
Recruiters will have a hard time identifying the “real” you from an outdated Profile, and may miss the one you’ve spent time updating. Your LinkedIn Contacts will also remain confused—either endorsing you on the old account or referring others to review it.
To consolidate your extra Profiles, follow these steps:
1 – Sign into the duplicate or unwanted Profile first.
You may need to request a password from LinkedIn if needed in order to access the old Profile.
After signing in to the old account, export your Connections, if any; this step will allow you to save Connection names and email addresses.
To export your Connections, select Contacts at the top, then scroll down the My Connections tab to Export Connections on the bottom left. Select any of the .CSV formats to create an Excel file of Contacts.
Next, take note of any Recommendations that you’ve gathered under this old account. You’ll need to make a list of these endorsements, as LinkedIn does not offer any export functionality (copy and paste the endorsements into a document, or use the File -> Save As feature to retain a Web Archive file for viewing).
2 – Invite these Connections to your new/desired account.
You’ll need to sign into your new account in order to invite any leftover Connections (in the Excel file) to your desired account.
It’s best to include a straightforward explanation, avoiding the “classic” Invitation wording with “We’ve had a connection through an old account on LinkedIn, which I will be closing. I’d like to include you in my current list of Contacts.”
3 – Close your old account.
Access your Settings (hover your mouse near the top of the screen) and select Account (at the bottom right). The screen will show additional options including Close Your Account.
4 – Re-request Recommendations.
You’ll need to wait until your Contacts accept your (new) LinkedIn invitation before requesting a replacement endorsement, as you must be directly linked in order to use this feature.
Again, when issuing a replacement request, you’ll want to forego LinkedIn’s “canned” wording.
Using a message such as “You were kind enough to recommend my work, and I’ve saved your endorsement. May I send it to you via email for re-endorsement under my new Profile?” will help you make the case for a new Recommendation.
Bottom Line
Yes, these are tedious steps to take, and cleaning up duplicate LinkedIn Profiles can be a lot of work. However, you’ll benefit in the long run by maintaining this piece of your digital identity in a single, easy-to-access location.
Originally published on Job-Hunt.org by Laura Smith-Proulx
Quick Fixes to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in linkedin profile writer on April 11, 2012
When you first joined LinkedIn, it made sense to fill minimal facts to get your Profile up and running, allowing you to begin connecting with others.
However, if it’s been a few months and you still have a bare-bones Profile, it probably won’t generate any results for your job search.
Even if it does attract visitors, they’ll quickly leave to find someone more interesting.
The reality about LinkedIn is this: it’s an amazing job search tool that brings you new leads, impresses your network, and entices recruiters to call—but only if you use it in a way that promotes your professional image.
Look at these types of problems to see if you recognize yours – and take action to improve your LinkedIn Profile before it brings your job search to a halt:
Problem #1: The Minimal-Effort Profile.
Here it is—your name, college education, and current job. Wait – where’s the rest? Read the rest of this entry »
What Recruiters Really Think About Your Missing LinkedIn Photo
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in linkedin profile writer, linkedin profile writing services, Uncategorized on March 16, 2012
For years, job hunters have been told that their resume should arrive sans photo in order to avoid 
discrimination (either in their favor or against them).
Now, we’re being urged to provide a photo in order to be considered for a new job, all due to the new “normal” that is LinkedIn.
What happened? Well, it seems that the “social” part of social networking has become even more critical to your job search success.
As an example, LinkedIn Profiles have emerged as a part-professional, part-personal way to convey your brand—meaning that as a job hunter, you’ll benefit by responding to the age-old need to pair a face with a name.
After running a quick survey of recruiters who actively source candidates on LinkedIn, I found that the subject of Profiles that are “missing” a photo stirs some intense feelings. Read the rest of this entry »
Are You Over-Sharing On LinkedIn?
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in executive recruiters, job search, linkedin, social media on February 6, 2012
LinkedIn—that all-purpose gathering place for professionals, recruiters, and employers—allows you to converse with like
-minded experts in your field, learn about industry-specific topics and events, post resume information, and send private messages to employers in hopes of securing that perfect job.
However, if you’re divulging too-personal details, or letting others have uncomfortably close insight into your job search, it can take longer to find a suitable job - or you can be blacklisted entirely by recruiters.
If you’ve started to confuse LinkedIn connections for your Facebook friends, it’s time to take a step back and consider whether you’re harming your job search.
Here are some signs that you’re wading too deep into personal territory on LinkedIn:
1 – Posting negative comments about your job search in a LinkedIn Group.
While it’s perfectly normal to be frustrated with a job search that’s taking too long, LinkedIn is not the place to blow off steam about prospective employers, HR contacts, or recruiters.
Yet, you can peruse Groups forums and find this type of activity nearly every day, with disgruntled professionals posting information about negative exchanges with employers, and the occasional rant against a particular company or hiring manager. Read the rest of this entry »
Who’s Viewed Your Profile on LinkedIn – And What Do They Want?
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in executive recruiters, linkedin, linkedin profile writing services, recruiters, social media on January 20, 2012
Scroll down the sidebar of your LinkedIn Home Page, and you’ll eventually notice the blurb that asks “Who’s Viewed Your Profile?”
If you click on it, you’ll see a page entitled Profile Stats, which is designed to show you other users that have looked at your information.
To get a glimpse of who is searching for you, you’ll want to leverage Profile Stats.
Start by changing LinkedIn Profile Settings (hover the mouse near your name at the top of the page to click on Settings).
Click on “Select what others see when you’ve viewed their profile” and choose Your Name and Headline (recommended) to allow others to see YOUR information when you review THEIR profiles.
Now, on to the good stuff: there are common categories of users who are surfing your Profile (right now!). Go to Profile Stats to see the types of LinkedIn users who are looking for you – and why: Read the rest of this entry »
Reconsider Saying No to LinkedIn Invitations
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in job search, linkedin, linkedin profile writer on December 15, 2011
In the midst of job hunting—but still refusing LinkedIn invites from others you don’t know? You could be hurting your job search (or even your career future) by doing so.
Here’s why: LinkedIn is built on the premise that we are each separated by just a connection or two. Nearly every invitation you accept can put you closer to someone you really want to know.
But there’s another twist as well. Outside of sending InMail (LinkedIn’s internal email), recruiters and employers aren’t able to reach out to you unless you belong to the same Group.
Only a limited number of InMails are included with every account type, which means that power users, such as recruiters, are continually trying to find ways of contacting you for free. Don’t you want to make it easy for them?
Besides, what’s worse about limiting your network is that you’ll encounter situations where YOU need THEM. If you’ve tried to run a closed network, but find that you now need an introduction to facilitate your job search, you’ll be forced to hunt through potential contacts to string together a chain of forwarding InMails (not the most efficient use of your time).
Proponents of using LinkedIn for real-world connections often argue that, unless you’re a declared Open Networker (accepting all invitations), it makes better business sense to restrain your volume of connections.
However, refusing to add someone to your LinkedIn network when you’re job searching can be downright foolish… especially if this person has a wide circle of influence themselves.
So, forget about the implications that seem to come with taking on a new connection (it isn’t “friending,” after all).
Unless you have a very good reason to ignore that new invitation, it’s possible that clicking Accept might put you closer to your career goals.
- Dedicated to Mark
Recent Comments