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LinkedIn and Twitter Presentation for Westchester Career Counselors' Network
- 1. & A presentation for the Westchester Career Counselors’ Network
- 2. About Me Associate Director, Center for Career Education, Columbia University Board of Directors, Director of Technology and Information Management, EACE Board of Directors, Career Counselor Technology Forum Follow Me: @geraldtang Linkedin.com/in/geraldtang About.me/gerald.tang Pinterest.com/geraldtang/ Tout.com/u/geraldtang Google+ Facebook
- 3. Overview • LinkedIn Profile Tips • Five ways LinkedIn can help with your career exploration and job search: o Research industries and career paths o Finding relevant jobs o Connecting with the right people o Helping people find you o Keeping visible and “on the mind” • Twitter Basics
- 4. What is LinkedIn? • Establish your professional brand and an online presence • Help people find you • Stay in touch with classmates, friends, employers, colleagues • Have a network when you need it • Help others • Find experts and ideas • Explore opportunities related to a job and/or business 92% of recruiters and companies surveyed use LinkedIn for recruiting
- 5. LinkedIn Profile – Quick Tips • Clear and professional-looking headshot • Keyword-rich headline • Strong summary • Keep your profile public – privacy settings • Customize your profile URL Other important sections: • Education, Experience, Skills & Expertise, Recommendations & Endorsements, Location & Industry, Groups • Media Links – Documents, Website, Videos
- 6. Profile Strength and Completeness Users with complete profiles (100%) are 40 times more likely to receive opportunities through LinkedIn and be found by others: Profile Strength and Completeness: • Industry, location, zipcode • Professional photo • Executive summary • Current position & description • 2 past job positions • Education • At least 3 skills • At least 50 connections • Freshness!
- 7. Headline The slogan for your professional brand • Demonstrate brand and personality in professional manner • Descriptive with keywords filtered in • What differentiates you? Makes you special? What do you want to be known for?
- 8. Top Section of Profile • Professional picture • Customize URL: put on resume, in email signature, business card • Location • Industry • Contact Information: Phone, address, email, IM, Twitter, up to 3 websites • Headline (see next slide)
- 9. LinkedIn Summary • An expansion of brand and headline • Includes highest character count on profile (2000) • Keywords are very important • Structure in terms of Who, What, and Why • Use paragraphs, headings, and subheadings to break up text (see below) • Include media: Photos, presentations, videos, documents, links • Tone: more friendly and personable than resume
- 10. LinkedIn Summary Interesting opening Quick overview Summary of experience Specialties and brand Accomplishments
- 12. Skills & Expertise • Allows up to 50 skills • Can remove skills • Endorse others as a thank you or to pay it forward • Helps with keyword optimization http://www.linkedin.com/skills/
- 13. Additional Sections • Projects • Languages • Publications • Honors and awards • Test scores • Courses • Patents • Certifications • Volunteering & Causes *Don’t forget: you can reorder the sections on your profile!
- 14. Keyword Optimization Show up in more searches! • LinkedIn’s algorithm values keywords in certain sections more than others: • Headline • Summary • Current and past work experience • Skills and expertise • The algorithm also looks at profile completeness, connections in common, level of connections (1st, 2nd, and then 3rd), and groups in common (in that order) • Find keywords for your industry through other members’ profiles, the Skills & Expertise tool, and job descriptions
- 15. Media • New rich media feature • Upload images, videos, presentations, documents, links • Add media to: • Summary • Each job listing • Each educational listing • Just links: Contact information, Projects, Publications, and Patents
- 17. Finding the Jobs: Jobs Section • Use advanced search criteria such as keywords, location, industry, experience, etc. • View the “jobs you may be interested in” section • Saved jobs & Saved searches *Benefit: shows you who in your network works at that company!
- 18. Finding the Jobs: Jobs Section • Student & Recent Graduates Portal: http://www.linkedin.com/studentjobs • Internship and Full Time *Benefit: shows you who in your network works at that company! * Follow Companies
- 19. View Jobs: save job, share job, follow company, who you are linked to, similar jobs, and “those that viewed this job also viewed…”
- 20. Finding the Jobs: Groups Section • Job tab in groups Industry groups - Advertising Professional Alumni groups - Columbia Alumni Association Network, Columbia Athletics Company groups - Google Alumni Location groups - Sports Business Professionals - NYC Job groups - Indeed.com
- 21. Finding the Jobs: Company Section • Search for target companies • Find jobs posted on company page • Follow target companies • Receive email updates re: new jobs posted • Identify insider connections
- 22. Finding the People: Group Members • Group Member Search – find other members by typing in keywords: o o o o Company Industry Name Location Conduct a member search • See Advanced Search for more criteria Advanced Search Reach out to 1st degree connections
- 23. Finding the People: Alumni Portal • Great way to identify Alumni: www.linkedin.com/alumni
- 24. Finding the People: LinkedIn and Indeed.com • LinkedIn and Indeed.com integration
- 25. Reaching Out to Others • First connections you will most likely know • For those that are not yet connected to you, can reach out to them in a few ways through: o Group membership o Introduction tool o Upgrade your account to send InMail • Do not recommend sending a request to connect if you do not know the person
- 26. Introductions How you are connected to individual “Get introduced” button
- 27. Send a brief note to your connection asking politely to be introduced to target individual. Within the same email, add a formal email that you will write to the person. Reach out to target individual from informational interview angle. Highlight how you are connected and what you would like to discuss.
- 28. Group – Informational Interviews
- 29. Etiquette – Request to connect What Not to do: What to do:
- 30. Keeping Visible/In Mind: Groups • Group discussions o Post questions o Post responses to others’ questions o Get to know others o Reach out to people who respond to your posts o Show your knowledge and build credibility (i.e., self-branding)
- 31. Etiquette – Group Discussion What Not to do: - Ask for a job - Share too much or irrelevant information What to do: - Share interesting articles Ask thought-provoking questions
- 32. Keeping Visible/In Mind: Skills & Expertise Endorsement • Skills & Expertise Endorsement
- 33. Keeping Visible/In Mind: Skills & Expertise Endorsement Great way to identify professionals and hidden opportunities!
- 34. Keeping Visible/In Mind: Status Update • Status and Profile Updates o o o o o o o o o Profile changes Tweets “Like” an update Group postings Answer postings Recommendations Following company Follow People Status updates: • send article to connections • ask question • Mention people
- 35. Keeping Visible/In Mind: Status Update • LinkedIn Today • Industry related articles • Thought-provoking questions
- 36. Etiquette – Recommendations • Request recommendations from people who really know you and your work – Former bosses, professors, staff members – It is about quality over quantity! • Customize each request with a polite, gracious and personalized note • Provide a few words outlining the accomplishments or qualities this person might mention about you • Thank the person for writing the recommendation
- 37. From LinkedIn to In-Person Are you a different person online than you are in real life?
- 38. Wrap-Up: How to Network on LinkedIn • Good LinkedIn Profile = 40x more opportunities • Add your LinkedIn URL to your resume, email signature & your website. • You’re more experienced than you think! (However, don’t oversell your experience) • Get Personal • Join the “In” Crowd • Update your status #early and #often • Maintain your contact with Tags and Notes • Step away from the computer!
- 39. 101 Getting to Know the Basics
- 40. What is Twitter? Information Network made up of 140-character messages called Tweets Follow people Discover breaking news and latest trends
- 41. Setting up a Twitter account https://twitter.com/signup Enter your full name, email address, and a password Click Sign up for Twitter Select a username (be consistent with your social media brand - Bio) Click Create my account Check your confirmation email
- 42. Twitter Basics Tweet: A 140-character message Retweet (RT): Take a twitter message from someone else and rebroadcasts that same message to your followers. Gives credit to original posters and helps generate an engaged following Direct Message (DM): a direct messaging service within Twitter allows you to send those that you follow personal messages that are 140characters Feed: The stream of tweets you see on your homepage. It includes updates from users you follow Handle: Your username (e.g. @geraldtang) Hashtag: A way to denote a topic of conversation or participate in a larger linked discussion (e.g. #CCTF). A hashtag helps others to discover your Tweets and aggregates all Tweets that include that hashtag
- 43. Tweeting 101 Advertise your account to your audience through email, your website, other social networks, print pieces, etc. Follow other relevant Twitter accounts so that others can start following your account Respond to and engage with your followers Check your “@ replies” and Direct Messages (DM) so that you can respond to those that Tweet you Images: You can Tweet images directly through Twitter Share articles, event information and news regularly Follow & engage in conversations using #Hashtags
- 44. Twitter Glossary # Hashtag @ Call out usernames (@ColumbiaCCE) #FF Stands for "Follow Friday. Twitter users often suggest who others should follow on Fridays by tweeting with the hashtag #FF DM Direct Message These Tweets are private between the sender and recipient. Full List: https://support.twitter.com/articles/166337
- 45. Twitter Lingo LMK OMG LOL RT MT FTW BTW IMHO <3 Let me know Oh my god Laugh out loud Retweet Modified Tweet For the win By the way In my humble opinion Express my affection
- 46. Tweeting for real? Tweets Retweet Modified Tweet (MT) Mentions
- 47. Useful Tools for Twitter URL Shortener Goo.gl Bitly.com Increase Your Followers – Twitter Directories Twiends WeFollow Twellow Social Media Management Tools Hootsuite, TweetDeck http://dashburst.com/best-social-media-managementtools/ Analytics and Boost your followers http://twittertoolsbook.com/10-awesome-twitteranalytics-visualization-tools/
- 48. Twitter Chat Group of people all tweet about the same topic using a specific hashtag (e.g. #EACE, #CCTF) Follow the conversation: Go to Tweetchat.com Type in hashtag
- 50. Resources LinkedIn: - http://university.linkedin.com/ - http://blog.linkedin.com/ Twitter: - http://support.twitter.com/ - http://mashable.com/guidebook/ twitter/ Social Media & Technology: - http://mashable.com/
Hinweis der Redaktion
- Here is an example of a Paid Fall Marketing/PR internship opportunity posted on the Student and recent grad job portal. For most of the job postings on LinkedIn, you can save jobs on LinkedIn, share this job with others through Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, follow company. When you click “Follow company.” That organizations activities (job postings, hires, announcements) will appear on your homepage and alert you to potential opportunities. In this example, you can see that Kerry Andolina posted this job. Since Kerry is a second degree connection, LinkedIn also shows that one of my connection, Kara Becker, may be able to connect me with Kerry through introduction. It also shows other industry professionals that I can possibly access and other similar jobs that may be of interests for me.
- Another place to find actual job postings is in the groups of which you are a member. There are several different types of groups that can be helpful in a job search. You can find groups related to your industry, alumni groups, Company groups, Location groups, and job-specific groups. You can join up to 50 groups with the free account. Can also look for “personal” hobby groups, where you could still find people to network with.To find groups, go to the Interests tab and click on Groups. To the right, you’ll see an example of the main page of Columbia Career Connections, which is a great group to join and also offers in-person networking events. You’ll see a “Jobs” tab once inside the group. This is a place where group members will post jobs. It is free, so a lot of employers and hiring managers like to take advantage of posting here.
- There are over 3 million company pages on LinkedIn with over 500,000 pages added last year, companies are now using Linkedin to promote their product and services and also, for job seekers, it is a great research tool. The Companies tab is another place to find specific job postings. If you have a targeted company list, you can search for these companies and follow them so that you receive email updates re: any new jobs they post with LinkedIn. You will see on the main page, further down, an area titled “Activity on LinkedIn.” Here you will find job postings as well as any changes that have occurred in the company, such as new hires, employee title changes, etc. This is extremely valuable information, which we will talk about more later on.
- In addition to finding the “right” people via the job information and company information, your fellow group members can be extremely helpful. Once inside a group, you can conduct a member search. Above is the example of the Columbia Career Connections group. Notice the “search members” box on the left. You can type in keywords or go to the Advanced Search. Let’s say I’m interested in working at Morgan Stanley as an analyst. I type in the company name, which results in seven people in this group that either currently work or have worked at Morgan Stanley. You’ll notice that I have 1st and 2nd degree contacts in this group, which makes sense because it is a relatively small program. Therefore, I am just about connected to everyone in the group. I might start first with the person that is a first degree contact, because most likely I know her the best (depending on my philosophy for connecting with others on LI). However, let’s say I wanted to contact additional people. Instead of getting introduced through my 1st degree contacts, which we will talk about more in a minute, I can hover my cursor on the right hand side of the list of members until it highlights a specific member. Then, and only then, will two links show up: invite to connect and send a message. And that is how I can send a direct message to a group member. Note that this only works within the groups!Finding connections to jobs, companies, and fields; in other words, networking
- If you are interested in identifying Columbia University alumni. You can also search through the Alumni Portal of LinkedIn. Just click on “Find Alumni” under “Network” tab and it will automatically pull up schools that you listed under your profile. If you are Columbia alumni, it will automatically default it as Columbia University. LinkedIn’s Alumni tool helps you explore alumni career paths from more than 22,000 colleges and universities worldwide – and build relationships that can help you along the wayCheck out www.linkedin.com/alumni or access the alumni portal through the Network tab. Explore Columbia University or any other (using the “change schools” button) to see where graduates live, the organizations they work for, and the types of jobs they pursue. You can also change the dates to track careers of specific graduating classes. You can also explore alumni careers based on what they studied, their top skills, and how you are connected on LinkedIn. All the graphs are interactive, just click on the bars to drill down to the specific careers most interesting to you.Let’s say you dream of working for Google. Use the Alumni tool to find graduates of your school – and with your major – who work there now. Compare their skills to what you’ve learned to see how you stack up, and where you might need to bulk up. Reach out to them for an insider’s perspective about the company. We’ve found that most people want to help out fellow students and alumni, and are open to informational interviews. It’s a great way to get your foot in the door.
- Did you know that some of the job aggregate sites including Indeed.com has an integration with LinkedIn where you can identify insider connections for some of the searches? When you search for a position on LinkedIn, you can select more and view (Find my contacts), when you click on LinkedIn, it will automatically open a new browser with LinkedIn and pull up anyone in your network that can connect you with current or former employees at the firm. It is a great way for you to identify possible insider connection before applying for a position. Also, don’t under-estimate these former employees as you can be able to get more insight about their experiences about the firm.
- When you reach out to others on LinkedIn, It is best to start with your first degree connections. First connections you will most likely know them. For those that are not yet connected to you, can reach out to them in a few ways throughGroup membership (common interests), Introduction tool(connect with someone through a mutual friend/colleague) or Upgrade your account to send InMail (not needed for college students and recent graduates). We Do not recommend sending a request to connect if you do not know the person since they don’t know you and your intention. Spend some quality time building, maintaining and expanding your network.
- Want to contact someone you don’t know about a job opening? LinkedIn Get Introduced messages let you reach your extended network (including people you don’t know) through one of your 1st degree connections. Here is an example of one of my second degree connections – Chris Luick. As you can see that LinkedIn shows me that I can connect with Chris through Rachel (my connection). In this case, I can request Rachel to connect me with Chris through the “Get introduced” button.
- When you request an introduction, you’ll be prompted to write a note to your mutual connection and also adding a separate note to the person you want to meet. In both cases, draft a compelling subject line and a short note that introduces you and explains why you hope to connect. Just remember never to ask directly for a job –it’s neither polite nor appropriate. People with free LinkedIn accounts can only send 5 Get Introduced messages per month. Once the person accepts your introduction, you can interact directly; however you won't become a 1st degree connection with him/her until you and the person elect to connect. If you know someone's email address, you can send them an invitation to connect without having to get introduced through a connection, but be sure to customize the invitation to let them know why you want to connect. If your 1st degree connection is highly influential or knows the end recipient well, work the opportunity! Don’t just send him/her a Get Introduced message to be forwarded, ask him or her to call or write to the person on your behalf or see if you can set up a lunch with both your friend and the target person.
- When you request an introduction, you’ll be prompted to write a note to your mutual connection and also adding a separate note to the person you want to meet. In both cases, draft a compelling subject line and a short note that introduces you and explains why you hope to connect. Just remember never to ask directly for a job –it’s neither polite nor appropriate. People with free LinkedIn accounts can only send 5 Get Introduced messages per month. Once the person accepts your introduction, you can interact directly; however you won't become a 1st degree connection with him/her until you and the person elect to connect. If you know someone's email address, you can send them an invitation to connect without having to get introduced through a connection, but be sure to customize the invitation to let them know why you want to connect. If your 1st degree connection is highly influential or knows the end recipient well, work the opportunity! Don’t just send him/her a Get Introduced message to be forwarded, ask him or her to call or write to the person on your behalf or see if you can set up a lunch with both your friend and the target person.
- One of the most important LinkedIn etiquette on LinkedIn is Be personal and tailor your message. When you invite others to connect with you, LinkedIn provides a basic message “I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn,” however, it’s a good idea to customize your requests. You’ll get a better response rate if you write a brief, personalized, polite note to each potential connection reminding them how you met (if necessary) and explaining why you’re interested in connecting -- e.g., to ask for advice or to keep in touch after meeting at a conference or an informational interview.
- So what do we mean when we say “keeping visible,” “on the mind,” or even “brand yourself”. What we mean is you want to make sure your network is thinking about you the next time they have a job opportunity or project. You want to continually strengthen relationships with your current connections, make new connections, and build a reputation or credibility in your field. You want to keep yourself in people’s minds. So how do you do this with the exception of sending a message everyday saying, “Hi! I’m here! Don’t forget about me!”One way is to participate in group discussions. LinkedIn allows you join up to 50 groups, which is a lot. You may be thinking, “I really don’t have time to keep up with 50 groups!” Choose a few groups to concentrate on whose members are people who are most likely to be able to hire you or connect you with hiring managers. In other words, you want to concentrate on groups that focus on your industry, which would include professional associations. For example, I belong to the Alumni Career Services Networking, which consists of professionals who work with alumni on career issues within higher education. This group has pertinent discussions, which is not the case of all groups, posts jobs that are relevant, and could potentially be a future colleague. This is a group that is worthy of my attention, even though I am not looking for a job right now. If I participate in group discussions, offering feedback on a member’s question or issue, post helpful resources, or even post my own question, I am putting myself out there. I am allowing others to get to know me, and I will most likely be creating a “brand” for myself. I will also get to know others. One day when I need a new job, I can reach out to these folks with a little more confidence.
- In group forum, it is best to share interesting articles or ask thought-provoking questions to encourage other group members to comment. It is a great way for you to stand out among the crowd. On the other hand, it is not a good idea to share too much personal or irrelevant information in group discussions or posting questions that are just asking for jobs. It can be a turn-off for a lot of people. Use LinkedIn Today as a starting point for posting any interesting articles!
- So what do we mean when we say “keeping visible,” “on the mind,” or even “brand yourself”. What we mean is you want to make sure your network is thinking about you the next time they have a job opportunity or project. You want to continually strengthen relationships with your current connections, make new connections, and build a reputation or credibility in your field. You want to keep yourself in people’s minds. So how do you do this with the exception of sending a message everyday saying, “Hi! I’m here! Don’t forget about me!”One way is to participate in group discussions. LinkedIn allows you join up to 50 groups, which is a lot. You may be thinking, “I really don’t have time to keep up with 50 groups!” Choose a few groups to concentrate on whose members are people who are most likely to be able to hire you or connect you with hiring managers. In other words, you want to concentrate on groups that focus on your industry, which would include professional associations. For example, I belong to the Alumni Career Services Networking, which consists of professionals who work with alumni on career issues within higher education. This group has pertinent discussions, which is not the case of all groups, posts jobs that are relevant, and could potentially be a future colleague. This is a group that is worthy of my attention, even though I am not looking for a job right now. If I participate in group discussions, offering feedback on a member’s question or issue, post helpful resources, or even post my own question, I am putting myself out there. I am allowing others to get to know me, and I will most likely be creating a “brand” for myself. I will also get to know others. One day when I need a new job, I can reach out to these folks with a little more confidence.
- So what do we mean when we say “keeping visible,” “on the mind,” or even “brand yourself”. What we mean is you want to make sure your network is thinking about you the next time they have a job opportunity or project. You want to continually strengthen relationships with your current connections, make new connections, and build a reputation or credibility in your field. You want to keep yourself in people’s minds. So how do you do this with the exception of sending a message everyday saying, “Hi! I’m here! Don’t forget about me!”One way is to participate in group discussions. LinkedIn allows you join up to 50 groups, which is a lot. You may be thinking, “I really don’t have time to keep up with 50 groups!” Choose a few groups to concentrate on whose members are people who are most likely to be able to hire you or connect you with hiring managers. In other words, you want to concentrate on groups that focus on your industry, which would include professional associations. For example, I belong to the Alumni Career Services Networking, which consists of professionals who work with alumni on career issues within higher education. This group has pertinent discussions, which is not the case of all groups, posts jobs that are relevant, and could potentially be a future colleague. This is a group that is worthy of my attention, even though I am not looking for a job right now. If I participate in group discussions, offering feedback on a member’s question or issue, post helpful resources, or even post my own question, I am putting myself out there. I am allowing others to get to know me, and I will most likely be creating a “brand” for myself. I will also get to know others. One day when I need a new job, I can reach out to these folks with a little more confidence.
- Status and profile updates show up in others’ “connection update feeds”. For example, in the screenshot above, I see on my LI homepage a list of my connections’ updates. I see Maggie posted a status update, Andrea has a new connection, and Maggie likes someone else’s status update. There will also be other profile changes that will show up in my feed, connections’ tweets, new groups, presentations posted. Many LI members browse this list now and then, even via their phones, to see what is going on. This keeps these people on my mind, and I see how active they are in their professional career life. Note that you can alter these settings, both what updates from your connections that you can see and what updates of your own that your connections can see. We advise you to keep as open as possible, especially if you are building your online presence and brand and are actively job searching. Note that you cannot choose certain people to receive your updates – it is all or nothing.Some of these updates are more “passive” updates. You can also purposefully post status updates, which perhaps send something useful to your connections. For example, if you come across an article, you might want to send it to your network (cannot choose who in network – shares with all)
- Status and profile updates show up in others’ “connection update feeds”. For example, in the screenshot above, I see on my LI homepage a list of my connections’ updates. I see Maggie posted a status update, Andrea has a new connection, and Maggie likes someone else’s status update. There will also be other profile changes that will show up in my feed, connections’ tweets, new groups, presentations posted. Many LI members browse this list now and then, even via their phones, to see what is going on. This keeps these people on my mind, and I see how active they are in their professional career life. Note that you can alter these settings, both what updates from your connections that you can see and what updates of your own that your connections can see. We advise you to keep as open as possible, especially if you are building your online presence and brand and are actively job searching. Note that you cannot choose certain people to receive your updates – it is all or nothing.Some of these updates are more “passive” updates. You can also purposefully post status updates, which perhaps send something useful to your connections. For example, if you come across an article, you might want to send it to your network (cannot choose who in network – shares with all)
- And this is what comes up after clicking the “get introduced” link. I fill out my contact information, select a category, and write a subject line. I then write a message to Kevin, which would be like any networking message. Even though I would like to work at Kevin’s company, I know I should not ask for a job but rather approach this conversation as an informational interview. I then also send a brief note to my 1st degree contact, Lisa, explaining that I would like to be introduced to Kevin. Lisa will be able to reach both my message to her as well as to Kevin. If she accepts, she will be sending my message to Kevin from her account. Kevin will receive a message from Lisa and my message to him, but he will not see my original note to Lisa.
- Remember to keep your online profile consistent with who you are in person. Be sure to support your online networking with real human contact. Set up phone calls, attend live events, and send snail mail notes to people you interact with on LinkedIn. Remember that online methods should supplement, not replace, in-person relationship-building.
- 100% complete = 40x more opportunities You can’t build connections if people don’t know who you are or see what you have to offer. Your LinkedIn profile is your online business card, resume, and letters of rec all in one. Users with complete profiles are 40x more likely to receive opportunities through LinkedIn.2. You’re more experienced than you think, The more information you provide, the more people will find reasons to connect with you. Think really broadly about all your experience, including summer jobs, unpaid internships, volunteer work, and student organizations. You never know what might catch someone’s eye.3. Get Personal As you build your connections on LinkedIn, always customize your connection requests with a friendly note and, if necessary, a reminder of where you met or what organization you have in common. If you’re being referred by a mutual friend, write a brief intro of who you are and why you’d like to connect. You’ll impress people with your personal touch.4. Join the “In” Crowd Another way to form new online relationships is to join LinkedIn Groups. Start with your university group—alums love to connect with students—and then find volunteer organizations or professional associations you already belong to. As a member, you can comment on discussions, find exclusive job listings, and meet people who share common interests.5. Update your status #early and #oftenNetworking is not just about who you know; it’s about who knows you. Stay on other people’s radar screens by updating your LinkedIn status at least once a week—you can do this directly on LinkedIn or by linking your Twitter account and marking tweets with #in. Mention events you’re attending, projects you’ve completed, and other professional news.6.Do your homeworkBefore an informational interview, a job interview, or a networking get-together, use LinkedIn to learn about the background and interests of the people you’re scheduled to meet. Access Company Pages to research organizations and their employees, and use Advanced Search to find things you have in common with people you’re meeting.10. Now step away from the computer!Be sure to support your online networking with real human contact. Set up phone calls, attend live events, and send snail mail notes to people you interact with on LinkedIn. Remember that online methods should supplement, not replace, in-person relationship-building.