{"id":7449,"date":"2021-07-23T21:06:23","date_gmt":"2021-07-23T21:06:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inside.rotman.utoronto.ca\/career-services\/?page_id=7449"},"modified":"2022-01-04T16:15:38","modified_gmt":"2022-01-04T16:15:38","slug":"social-media","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/inside.rotman.utoronto.ca\/career-services\/social-media\/","title":{"rendered":"Social media"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row content_width=&#8221;grid&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1446198786982{padding-top: 65px !important;padding-bottom: 41px !important;background-color: #f4f4f4 !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element \">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<h5>Your professional digital profile<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_inner section\"><\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;25px&#8221;][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]An online presence is beneficial for both networking and your job search strategy. LinkedIn is the most important social media platform for professionals and students. We\u2019ll show you how to create a strong profile.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30px&#8221;]\n<blockquote class=\"qodef-blockquote-shortcode\"  >\n\t<h4 class=\"qodef-blockquote-text\">\n\t<span>In this section<\/span>\n\t<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#social\">Social media and your job search<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#linkedin\">Why LinkedIn?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#customURL\">Customizing your LinkedIn URL<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#profile\">Creating your LinkedIn profile<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#most\">Making the most of LinkedIn<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDYSUyMGlkJTNEJTIyc29jaWFsJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGYSUzRQ==[\/vc_raw_html][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30px&#8221;]\n<blockquote class=\"qodef-blockquote-shortcode\"  >\n\t<h4 class=\"qodef-blockquote-text\">\n\t<span>Social media and your job search<\/span>\n\t<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter can help you find opportunities and connect with new people. However, be mindful of what you post, follow and \u201clike\u201d \u2014 increasingly, recruiters and employers are looking at candidates\u2019 social media accounts to learn more about them. You should assume they\u2019ll see anything you post on a public account.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>To maintain a professional image, we recommend changing your privacy settings and using appropriate profile pictures. Never post negative comments or information about an employer or a professional contact online. Remember that content posted online is searchable, and it never completely disappears, even if you delete it.<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDYSUyMGlkJTNEJTIybGlua2VkaW4lMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZhJTNF[\/vc_raw_html][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30px&#8221;]\n<blockquote class=\"qodef-blockquote-shortcode\"  >\n\t<h4 class=\"qodef-blockquote-text\">\n\t<span>Why LinkedIn?<\/span>\n\t<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a>\u00a0is a social media platform for business professionals. It has over 750 million users from 200 countries and territories, and it\u2019s a powerful tool for networking, finding employment opportunities and exchanging information.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>LinkedIn users include recruiters, executives, HR directors, past and present colleagues, and classmates.\u00a0You can make new contacts, stay in touch with people in your network, share testimonials, browse job postings, find current and former employees of your target companies, join industry groups, share and learn information, take online courses and more.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s free to join LinkedIn and create a personal profile. If you wish, you can upgrade to a LinkedIn Premium account, which has additional features such as the ability to send messages to people outside of your network.[\/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDYSUyMGlkJTNEJTIyY3VzdG9tVVJMJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGYSUzRQ==[\/vc_raw_html][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30px&#8221;]\n<blockquote class=\"qodef-blockquote-shortcode\"  >\n\t<h4 class=\"qodef-blockquote-text\">\n\t<span>Customizing your LinkedIn URL<\/span>\n\t<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30px&#8221;][vc_column_text]When you join LinkedIn, your profile is given a default URL with a series of digits. Changing your URL to include your name instead will make it easier to read and remember. Here\u2019s how to customize your public profile LinkedIn URL:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>At the top of your LinkedIn homepage, click \u201cMe\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Click \u201cView profile.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Click \u201cEdit public profile &amp; URL\u201d at top right. This will take you to the \u201cPublic profile settings\u201d page.<\/li>\n<li>Under \u201cEdit your custom URL\u201d at top right, click the edit icon (pencil) beside your public profile URL.<\/li>\n<li>Change the last part of the URL to your first and last name:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 80px;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\">www.linkedin.com\/in\/FirstNameLastName<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">If \u201cFirstNameLastName\u201d is already taken, try these variations:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 80px;\">FirstName-LastName<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 80px;\">FirstNameInitialLastName<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 80px;\">LastNameFirstName<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Avoid using numbers in your new URL \u2014 it will look like a default address.<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDYSUyMGlkJTNEJTIycHJvZmlsZSUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmElM0U=[\/vc_raw_html][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30px&#8221;]\n<blockquote class=\"qodef-blockquote-shortcode\"  >\n\t<h4 class=\"qodef-blockquote-text\">\n\t<span>Creating your LinkedIn profile<\/span>\n\t<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Your LinkedIn profile is a professional landing page that functions like both a cover letter and a resume. It\u2019s worth investing time and effort into crafting its content and completing every section. We\u2019ll focus on these key parts, which are the first things a recruiter or an employer will see:<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Profile picture<\/li>\n<li>Headline<\/li>\n<li>Summary<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>1. <\/strong><strong>Profile picture<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Don\u2019t leave the photo blank! Profiles with a photo are 14 times more likely to be viewed, according to LinkedIn.<\/li>\n<li>Use a current, professional-looking headshot with a smile. Your face should fill at least 60% of the space.<\/li>\n<li>Ask someone to take your photo rather than using a selfie. The back-facing camera on your phone will provide better image quality, and the photographer can stand farther away, which often makes portraits more flattering.<\/li>\n<li>Avoid cluttered or distracting backgrounds.<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t use a photo with other people in it.<\/li>\n<li>Upload a high-resolution image.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. <\/strong><strong>Headline<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On your LinkedIn profile, the \u201cheadline\u201d is the short section (one to three lines) right below your name. A compelling headline will encourage a viewer to keep reading, so make it great! You have up to 120 characters to write something brief but high-impact.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You <em>could<\/em> just type in your job title and employer (or student status and school), but that would be a wasted opportunity. Instead, focus on your marketable qualities and the value you offer. Your personal pitch will come in handy here.<\/li>\n<li>Use words that will resonate with the companies and recruiters you\u2019re targeting, just as you would tailor your cover letter and resume.<\/li>\n<li>Use action verbs to describe success stories. \u201cLed (For a list of action verbs, visit our \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/inside.rotman.utoronto.ca\/career-services\/cover-letters\/\">Cover Letters<\/a>\u201d section.)<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t include your contact information (email address, phone number or a URL) in the headline.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Your LinkedIn summary is the section below your photo and headline. This is where you share an overview of your professional experience, skills, strengths, goals, etc. You have up to 2,000 characters, but no need to fill the space \u2014 quality is better than quantity. Your summary is a good place to leverage your personal pitch, and it\u2019s helpful to refer to your personal branding notes and your resume.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Write your summary in first person (\u201cI\u201d) rather than third person (he, she, they). And, as with any content you share with the world, ensure it has no spelling, grammar or punctuation errors.[\/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDYSUyMGlkJTNEJTIybW9zdCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmElM0U=[\/vc_raw_html][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30px&#8221;]\n<blockquote class=\"qodef-blockquote-shortcode\"  >\n\t<h4 class=\"qodef-blockquote-text\">\n\t<span>Making the most of LinkedIn<\/span>\n\t<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Here are other ways to take advantage of this powerful platform:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Join LinkedIn Groups and follow companies in your industry.<\/li>\n<li>Ask for Recommendations from past or current colleagues. (Recommendations carry more weight than Endorsements.)<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t use auto-generated messages when connecting to other users. Take the time to personalize your greeting.<\/li>\n<li>Invite people you meet at Rotman events, conferences, etc., to connect on LinkedIn.<\/li>\n<li>Use LinkedIn to research people such as event speakers, interviewers, employees at target companies and potential mentors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Hide your activity (for now)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While you edit your LinkedIn profile and start to research target companies and people, you may want to hide some of your activity on LinkedIn. This doesn\u2019t mean that your profile will be hidden \u2013 people will still be able to find you \u2013 but it will temporarily stop broadcasting changes to your network.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>To hide your activity, <\/strong>click \u201cMe\u201d at the top of your profile and select \u201cSettings &amp; Privacy.\u201d On the left side of the screen, click \u201cVisibility,\u201d followed by \u201cVisibility of your LinkedIn activity.\u201d On the right-hand side, scroll down and change the settings to stop sharing profile updates with your network.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>At this stage, you may also want to show up as \u201canonymous\u201d when looking at other people\u2019s profiles. You can change this setting to fully visible when your profile is ready for decision-makers, hiring managers or influencers to look at.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>To view other profiles anonymously, <\/strong>click \u201cMe\u201d at the top of your profile and select \u201cSettings &amp; Privacy.\u201d On the left side of the screen, click \u201cVisibility,\u201d followed by \u201cVisibility of your profile &amp; network.\u201d Click \u201cProfile viewing options\u201d to change the setting.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Tip: LinkedIn\u2019s platform is constantly evolving. For the best and most up to date advice on using the features and functions of the platform simply search Google.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30px&#8221;]\n<blockquote class=\"qodef-blockquote-shortcode\"  >\n\t<h4 class=\"qodef-blockquote-text\">\n\t<span>Next steps<\/span>\n\t<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Attend a Career Services LinkedIn workshop.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Next: <a href=\"https:\/\/inside.rotman.utoronto.ca\/career-services\/professional-image\/\">Professional Image<\/a><\/em>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;40px&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row content_width=&#8221;grid&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1446198786982{padding-top: 65px !important;padding-bottom: 41px !important;background-color: #f4f4f4 !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text] Your professional digital profile [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;25px&#8221;][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]An online presence is beneficial for both&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":746,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"full-width.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7449","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inside.rotman.utoronto.ca\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7449","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inside.rotman.utoronto.ca\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inside.rotman.utoronto.ca\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inside.rotman.utoronto.ca\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/746"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inside.rotman.utoronto.ca\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7449"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/inside.rotman.utoronto.ca\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7449\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8924,"href":"https:\/\/inside.rotman.utoronto.ca\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7449\/revisions\/8924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inside.rotman.utoronto.ca\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}