I am often asked how to set up linkedin’s privacy settings in order to maximize profiles for being job found and candidate considered.   To make this easier for the individuals who attend my ‘Using Social Media for Job Search” presentations, I have made a handout of my personal settings as a reference guide for job searchers.  Simply follow my settings to set up your account in Linkedin.   [note: this is available in slideshare under my linkedin profile]

1.  In Profile Settings:  Make your profile public

For job searching – you will need to open up your public profile so that prospective employers and recruiters can find you.

Make your profile photo visible and display the full profile information.  On the next page, you will see which items you can check off for public publishing.  I recommend checking off EVERYTHING while you are job searching.  Once you have a job – you can scale it back.

2. Network updates: Maximize your view on what your network is doing

In your home page settings area of your account settings – you can manage your “NETWORK UPDATES”.   This area is where you control what updates you receive on all your connections.  If you are job searching – then choose a high number of updates that you would like to see on your home page (see below little pull down menu with the no. 25).  Then choose to see all the updates.

Networking in 2009 is about interacting and engaging.  Good interactions have good graces; engage about other people’s new news.  You see someone get a new job – congratulate them.  Increase your network size by following what others are doing.

3. Privacy Settings:  Manage what others see about your activities.

This section holds some of the most important settings.  You want to control what changes or activities other people can see.

3.1  Profile Views:  Who views  your profile?

On your home page, linkedin tells you how many people have viewed your profile.  Watch these numbers improve as you develop your profile and connections!

Beyond recruitment searches, the viewings are also driven by your status and news updates, your participation in any questions & answers as well as key terms that are picked up in key word searches (in your profile, in the summary, in the specialties listing).

When you click on “see more” – you can see five profiles of who viewed your profile.  How much you see below depends on the privacy settings for the individual.

4. My Network:  Using your network

The last setting is under “my network”.   At an initial pass, some recruiters or opportunities filter out those who are not looking for a job or contract positions.  Leave yourself open.

Good luck in your job search.

I trust that you’ve found this file helpful in setting up your Linkedin account.  Please feel free to drop me a line on how you are doing.

-        Laurie Dillon-Schalk  @ldillonschalk

This handout was prepared by Laurie Dillon-Schalk to share with newcomers to Canada and people in transition for employment resource agencies funded by Employment Ontario.