Hi Fellow Linkedin Power Connectors-
 
When I spoke at the BizTech Expo to over 150 participants, it was their best attended workshop of the two days.  Not a testimony to my ability to teach Linkedin but more evidence that this thing is starting to take off and become a "real business resource".  After the event many people shared success stories in business development and job searching (See Wildcard tips below for more specific help on this).   Also the Milwaukee Business Journal did a survey about Social Networking tools and found out that 51% of the readers surveyed use Linkedin in their business...The question you should ask yourself is are you a part of the 51% or the 49% and just where are your competitors?
 
Here are some helps to make sure you are part of the 51% group-

 
Profile Tips--
 
When was the last time you changed your profile?  If you haven't in the last month consider doing so soon, since it not only makes you more searchable and interesting as you all learned but it gives a marketing blast to all your first degree connections that something is going on in your world.  Here are some ideas to get your thoughts going;
 
-Add honors and awards
-Where you already have education entries, add actvities, groups, societies, and describe them
-Add Applications like Slideshow, Box Net (pdf, excel, word files)
-Is your picture up, is it how you look professionally, if not consider changing it
-Remember you get 2000 characters in the Summary section.....Use them all, you are that interesting and you want to be searchable.
-Have you gotten at least 8 recommendations?
  
Connection Tips--
 
If you haven't already done this, check out the Searching video in the Learning Center http://learn.linkedin.com/  of Linkedin, this will give you some good tips on searching including the fact that you can save searches and get an email everytime a new person joins your network (all three degrees) that meets the criteria you saved.  This is really powerful and a great timesaver.
 
Wildcard Tip or Question--
 
I found a great resource for those of you in th job search mode and that is Jason Alba's DVD on using Linkedin for job searching.  He is the guy who wrote the book I highly recommend for new users of Linkedin called "I'm on Linkedin, now what?".  This DVD can be purchased through Amazon at: http://imonlinkedinnowwhat.com/2009/04/20/linkedin-for-job-seekers-dvd-on-amazon/.  It is a bit pricey at $49.95 but it I think it is worth it especially if you can share it with a few others in the "same boat".  It takes you through 5 profiles and points out the good and bad things for a person looking for a job and also gives you the Linkedin activities you should be following in order to land that next great position.  It is a "one of kind" resource.
               

Miscellaneous News and Notes--

 

Here is my upcoming schedule for teaching/speaking so you can share with other friends, relatives and business associates, JobSeeker events are noted accordingly, you can contact the venue directly for more information and registration other than the events noted as "Open" which in that case they can contact me directly

  

Linkedin Speed Training 

 

Mon Oct 26-Open Linkedin Speed Training at M&M Office Interiors 7:30-9:00am

Fri Nov 20-SBDC & South Shore Econ Adv Center; Tri City Bank, South Milw 7:30-9:30am

 

Leveraging Your Linkedin Network-Advanced Linkedin Speed Training

Mon Nov 16-Metropolitan Builders Association-their office 8:00am-9:30am

Mon Nov 16-Lake Country Chamber & WCTC-at WCTC 5:00pm-8:30pm 

 

 

Have a super week Linking in with all those #1 trusted professionals--ya never know who their #2's and #3's are!

 

Wayne
 

Wayne C. Breitbarth
President
M&M Office Interiors, Inc.
W233 N2833 Roundy Circle West Suite 100
Pewaukee, WI  53072
 
office 262-781-2600
cell 414-313-7785