Michelle Post, Ph.D.

Content and Keywords Must be Optimized

Ineffective Use of Keywords

A Boring, Uninformative Headline WITH NO KEYWORDS

No Profile Photo or an Unprofessional or Distracting Photo

No Status Bar – or a Status Bar that’s Over a Month Old

Public Profile URL (Link) with lots of Numbers, Letters and Slashes at the End

No Recommendations or Very Few Recommendations

Blank or Ineffective Summary Section, Blank Specialties and Skills & Expertise Sections

No Descriptions or Weak Descriptions of Job Duties and Accomplishments

Insufficient or Ineffective Group Membership

Giving & Receiving Endorsements Become an Expert by Asking & Answering

Questions Cross Promote Yourself With Other Social Media

Sites Not having a 100% Complete Profile Additional Tips to Incorporate Into Your Profile Additional Tips to Incorporate Into Your Profile,

Cntd. LinkedIn Tips for Nurses Best LinkedIn Groups for Nurses Useful Information References

Headline - 120 characters

Status Field - 140 characters

Summary - 2000 characters

Specialties - 500 characters

Company Name and Position (Job) Title - 100 characters

Position Description – 2000 characters

Interests – 1000 characters

Keywords are not just for websites, but for individuals too

It is important to add the keywords of the jobs your are looking for --- recruiters search by keywords

Add keywords to the following sections: Headline, Specialties, Job Titles and Skills

You do not have an exciting Headline below your Profile Name

Create a headline that is unique to you, and one that really catches a hiring managers eye

LinkedIn prefers that a user adds a professional headshot, not a logo or even worse it is blank

Do not upload “action” or “family” photos, this is your calling card, make it about your professional image

The status bar is the box that is directly below your name, and if you do not stay current, then hiring managers do not think you are looking

A status update can be a simple post once a week about what it is you are learning, a special project, or your volunteer work

Make sure your public profile is simply your full name, do not try to be cleaver with this, just simple and straight forward

Seek out recommendations for current and past employers

Seek out recommendations from your professors or university administrators

It is good to have at least one recommendation for every job you list; however, the more the better

Do not leave any section blank, make sure to fill in each section

Use strong keywords in each section to really sell yourself

Use bullet points to make these sections pop

Use the full character limitations

Really think about what you are going to write in each section, especially what you did for past and current employers

Look at other LinkedIn profiles in your areas of experience and see how each section looks like

Look up job descriptions of what you have done, are doing, and want to do in the future

Join groups in the areas you are interested in

Or better yet, start a group

Be active in your group, start with one and listen and engage

Check out this blog post for a list of the top 30 groups for nurses: 30 Essential LinkedIn Groups for Nursing Students - http://bit.ly/xDFeOp

LinkedIn has added a new Skills / Expertise section and it is more easy to seek endorsements for your skills and expertise

If you receive endorsements, you should give endorsements

And if you give endorsements, you normally receive endorsements

Become an “expert” or a go to person by asking and answer questions

This is a great way to begin building your personal brand and influence others

Social media is your friend and can be critical in finding your “dream” job

If you have more than a LinkedIn account make sure your other social media accounts are professional in look and content, do not post anything you would be embarrassed to have a hiring manager read

Ensure all your social media accounts have the same look – Professional Look

Worse thing you can do on LinkedIn --- not completing your profile

Use LinkedIn’s built in function of “Improve Your Profile” to ensure you have put your best foot forward

Creating a profile is time consuming, but a good profile could mean your next job

Websites Labeled Generically, e.g. “Company Website” or “Personal Website”

Lack of Consistency/Discrepancies in Format and Structure

Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation Errors

Unattractive Formatting

A Static (Unchanging, Outdated) Profile – and thinking all you need is a KILLER LinkedIn profile

Recommendations that Contain Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation Errors – or are Just Plain Boring

Fewer than 500 Connections

LinkedIn Partner Applications and Special Sections Not Utilized

Seven “must try” LinkedIn tips for nurses. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/ny2wkJ

What Role Does LinkedIn Have for Medical Professionals? - http://blog.snelling.com/tag/linkedin-tips-for-nurses/

Tips for Nurses on Using LinkedIn - http://bit.ly/TNiZZj

ADVANCE for Nurses

Working Nurse

American Nurses Association

30 Essential LinkedIn Groups for Nursing Students - http://bit.ly/xDFeOp

The Best 7 LinkedIn Books - http://www.amazon.com/The-Best-7-LinkedIn-Books/lm/R387M1OG5BOWGX

LinkedIn Profile Tips: The 10 Mistakes You Want to Avoid and Why - http://bit.ly/lzEbx

Sample Interview Questions for Nurses - www.udel.edu/CSC/pdf/NurseInterview.pdf

10 Worst Answers to Nursing Interview Questions - http://bit.ly/vJYlPp

Video:How to Job Search on LinkedIn - http://video.about.com/jobsearch/Job_Search_LinkedIn.htm

Simple ways to get your resume on top of the pile - http://usat.ly/Z57Idh

Bernstein, Brenda (2012). How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile... And 18 Mistakes to Avoid (Kindle Locations 143-144). Wise Media Group. Kindle Edition.

De Weaver, Geoff (2012). How to use LinkedIn… 10 Secrets the LinkedIn Experts Don’t Share (Kindle Location 92). . Kindle Edition.