LinkedIn

The 5-Minute Drill for Executive Networking Success

Lori Ruff, Col (Ret.) Joe Frankie III, Joe Frankie

• Publisher: Morgan James Publishing
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN:
  9781642794540
• eBook ISBN:
  9781642794557
• Topic: Personal Development
• Subtopic: Leadership

LinkedIn: The 5-Minute Drill for Executive Networking Success is written for executives and transitioning military leaders to see the immediate benefit of using LinkedIn to network, build better teams, land new opportunities, pivot, change sectors, get promoted, and better merchandise their talents, expertise, and skill sets.

Executives are busy people and LinkedIn is an extremely valuable resource. Once leaders know how to use LinkedIn for their desired purpose, they can quickly organize a 5-minute drill to accomplish their desired goals. LinkedIn represents the collaboration of two successful thought leaders, Lori Ruff and Joe Frankie III, both of whom have consulted with and crafted profiles for hundreds of executives since the early days of LinkedIn. They provide recommendations for representing oneself online as well as advice on how to navigate a daily routine for executives and leaders to keep themselves in sight and top of mind to people looking for someone just like them. Whether someone is representing their company or themselves, online image does matter and Lori and Joe show readers how to achieve online networking success.

LinkedIn® Profile Cheat Sheet

This (adapted) LinkedIn Profile Guidesheet® arms you with essentials for creating or improving your LinkedIn Profile with rapid results. It’s adapted from the 188-page LinkedIn profile SEO book, RockTheWorld™ with Your Online Presence 2.1 by Mike O’Neil & Lori Ruff, The LinkedIn Rockstars™.

So, let’s get to work!

Fire up a word processor on your tablet or laptop. You will use it to craft your LinkedIn profile text to copy/paste. LinkedIn has no spell check capability and scrolling windows make data entry difficult.

While you are at it, Fire up LinkedIn as well. First, open your settings and set Turn on/off your activity broadcasts to OFF.

Next, open two tabs or windows, one in Edit Profile mode and one View Profile so you can switch between them, refresh or reload your page and instantly see how your text looks on the screen.

But don’t stop there! Test it on your phone, too, and if you have an iPhone or Samsung, an LG, Motorola, or Huawei, be sure you ask a couple of friends or colleagues with other models to send you a screen shot or hand over their device for 15 minutes!

From the beginning of our careers, we have been taught and believed in the FIT IN but STAND OUT principle.

1. 1)Fit In to get FOUND—SHOW UP in search results, more importantly, when you are found, you want to look like someone who will Fit the Bill they are trying to fill, Fit In to the corporate culture they want you to navigate. You get the picture. Show up and be a shoo in!
2. 2)Stand Out to be the logical choice, the best choice, the defensible choice, the gotta have it choice selected from the lists, the choice to get the call, to one to make the deal!
   1. a)Not convinced? Why do schools have class standings, valedictorians, honors classes, programs, and distinctions such as summa cum laude, bachelor’s degree with honours, and university medals?
   2. b)Still not convinced? The US military prides itself on breaking down individualism—to work as one team, one unit, one command—yet offers especially rigorous training for the chance to become yet again a part of the elite teams: the green berets, commandos, special forces, or Navy Seals. And individuals are awarded medals like the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross.

Here’s a Tip!

Type your draft in a Word Processor and save your work! Then copy/paste to LinkedIn. Keying directly into the browser is problematic—you can’t save progress as you type, character limitations, etc.

Remember: once you paste and save, view the result

Use special characters like these or copy them from other profiles to draw attention (just don’t overdo it):

Be sure to view your profile and test it after each change!

Name

Seems simple but this is a place to Fit In. Do not include anything but your natural name and lettered credentials. LinkedIn DOES lock your account when they find violations [see User Agreement 8.1.c. You will “Use your real name on your profile.” and 8.2.a. You will not “Create a false identity on LinkedIn, misrepresent your identity, create a Member profile for anyone other than yourself (a real person)]. They do not want the platform to look like a used car sales lot.

Don’t be that person

Picture

Use what works best for Professional YOU. Just make it recognizable and interesting—and SMILE!

A few examples

www.linkedin.com/in/mikeoneil

www.linkedin.com/in/ileanamusa3

www.linkedin.com/in/aquatialowens

www.linkedin.com/in/marketingprstrategist

www.linkedin.com/in/natalieboden

A simple, crisp headshot from your phone is great. Be sure you have good lighting and your face is in focus. A professional photo is great, too. A clean, white background is best, but many look amazing that don’t follow the rules.

No Exceptions: no group photos, logos or replacing your image with pictures of your kids or pets… This is NOT Facebook!

Uploading and cropping are easy. The final image size is 400 x 400 pixels. (enlarged if someone clicks on your image to zoom in)

Headline (120 char.)

Your Headline is the 2^nd most important field of your profile after your Name, which should ONLY include your name. Do not accept the default “Title at Company”. Instead, use compelling, colorful words and formatting (Career Definition Keywords | Keyword Rich Why Statement).

This is your “Why” people choose to learn more about you.

About, formerly Summary (2,000 char.)

This is a conversation between you and your reader—although it is ABOUT you, this is your avatar! This should not be 3^rd person. Who are you? How do you help others? How can they help you? Include a high-level overview of current, relevant information. Be interesting, a little personal with limited historical info.

End with a call to action. Now that you’ve been introduced, what should they do next?

Experience (100 Title/100 Co./2,000 Desc.)

Include all relevant intern, resident, fellowship, and paid positions to create connection and conversation opportunities. If the company has a LinkedIn company page, be sure you connect to that page. Properly done, the company logo from their page will appear next to their name on your profile.

Have you had multiple positions at one company? LinkedIn now connects those positions to show lateral and upward mobility.

Do NOT upload resume data.

List years only and note by default they will be listed chronologically by start date.

For each position, answer the following:

1. 1)What does the company do?
2. 2)Who do they do it for (customers)?
3. 3)Where do they operate (territory)?
4. 4)What was your role there?
5. 5)What made you special, what did you do and learn then that will serve your clients better now? What did you accomplish that made you stand out, proving you could likely do it again?

Now, think about your actual and functional title. You have 100, keyword rich character spaces to work with. What do you think people will use to search for someone like you—no, not your glossary—what words will THEY use before they know you well, before they know what is brilliant about you?

Education (2,000 char.)

Not just for college: include college classes, business training (i.e., management), technical training (i.e., Cisco), and professional training (i.e., Dale Carnegie).

If you’re young—or if you like the conversation starters—it’s OK to list high school, if desired. Years only. Include special projects and educational and vocational activities.

Just like Company pages, be sure to connect to the school or company pages here as well. It will connect you to alumni.

Skills & Endorsements

Think about your Industry Knowledge, Tools & Technologies you use, and Interpersonal Skills. What other career specializations apply to you?

Interests

As you select people and companies to follow and groups to join, this is where all whom with you “affiliate” show up. Protect yo...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Acknowledgments
• Table of Contents
• Foreword
• The “5-Minute Drill for Networking Success” Outline
• Where and How to Begin
• Networking on LinkedIn
• Networking on LinkedIn
• Introducing You
• Setting Up Your Success
• Connecting You
• Promoting You
• The Sword, the Saber, and the Scalpel
• The “5-Minute Drill for Networking Success” Review
• Building and Nurturing Your Network: A Case Study
• LinkedIn® Profile Cheat Sheet
• About the Authors
• Press In
• Titles Worth Your Time