<b><i>Professional Development:</i></b> I Created a LinkedIn Profile: Now What?

LinkedIn has gained popularity as the social media tool for professional networking, and there are a few good reasons: You can maintain a decent page/site without spending a lot of time on updates; and clients and prospects view it as a legitimate tool for vetting referrals and service providers. According to a 2014 report by Hinge Research Institute, nearly 60% of in-house counsel vet attorneys via LinkedIn, which is nearly equal to the 63% who will “Google” attorneys (Beyond Referrals ' How Today's Buyers Check You Out, Hinge Research Institute, 2014). As of January 2014, almost 95% of ABA members said they posted their profiles on LinkedIn. That is great news, but how many are taking further steps to make the most of their profiles?

LinkedIn Self-Assessment

Begin by asking yourself the following:

• Does my profile bring out my unique skills, experience, and my personality in a professional manner?
• Is my LinkedIn profile simply a duplication of my firm bio?
• Am I simply accepting invitations to connect, and not doing anything with them?
• Am I actively engaged in LinkedIn groups?
• Am I posting thought leadership tips or events?

Making the Most of LinkedIn

There are a few quick and easy ways to quickly boost your profile and make it work harder for business development. They include:

Create an Authentic Profile to Differentiate Yourself

Think about how your colleagues and clients would describe you. Take the time to craft your profile, make it personal and engaging, and let it show the LinkedIn universe the value that you bring to your business colleagues and clients. Consider the following:

• Say Cheese. According to Linked- In, profiles with photos are 11 times more likely to be viewed than profiles without photos. A firm bio photo is one of the obvious choices ' it is professional, crisp, and generally does not include background images or images of other people.
• Broadcast Your Brand. The headline, the first line of text that appears under your name, is where you broadcast your brand and describe the experience you have to offer. Employ keywords that users are more likely to search for in order to entice users to explore your profile. For example, “Advising government leaders on shaping key health care policies” is much more meaningful than “Healthcare Attorney, Chicago, Illinois.”
• Include Contact Information. Update your contact information so users have several ways to contact you outside of Linked-In, including your work e-mail, link to your firm bio, professional blog, and other professional social media outlets.
• Write a Succinct and Unique Summary. This is your “elevator pitch,” and tells the LinkedIn universe not only what you do, but why and how you do it, and the passion and value you bring to your profession. It is more like a letter of introduction, so consider writing in a more conversational (yet professional) tone. You also may want to include a nugget of personal information, like what you enjoy outside of work. Doing so makes you appear more approachable.
• Include Work Experience, Projects, and Thought Leadership. The Experience section of the profile is similar to what you would include on a resume, but you also have the ability enhance the descriptions by including links to work samples, media, and thought leadership. We do not advocate a laundry list; rather, stick to relevant, current examples that bolster your biggest selling points.

Connect with Others

The whole point of LinkedIn is to connect with other users. By connecting, you have the ability to:

• Increase your visibility and the work you do.
• Keep yourself in front of your contacts.
• Reach a larger audience for your thought leadership.
• Stay current with what competitors are doing.
• Connect with friends, clients, and contacts from college, law school, summer associate programs, and previous positions
• Start growing your network by connecting with current colleagues. Keep in mind that with LinkedIn, it is more about the quality of connections than the quantity.

Join Relevant Groups

Joining LinkedIn groups is one of the quickest and easiest ways to stay on top of what your colleagues, clients, and competitors are up to. Finding appropriate groups takes a bit of research, but you can make things easier on yourself by searching by specific keywords, rather than general search terms. For example, rather than searching for “labor and employment law,” which yields more than 80 returns, try searching for “OFCCP,” which yields a much more manageable 20 results. Depending on how a group is structured, you may be able to join immediately (open group), or you may have to have a moderator approve membership (private/closed group).

LinkedIn provides a perfect platform and ready audience to share thought leadership with an individual, your connections, groups, or the public. Consider sharing recent articles, white papers, links to upcoming web conferences, in-person events, and speaking engagements. If your colleagues are sharing thought leadership and/or events, consider sharing their posts with your connections as well. They will likely return the favor for you.

A Bit of Fine Print

LinkedIn provides an enormous opportunity to raise your profile provided you use it and use it effectively (and adhere to Bar advertising guidelines). So, before you start updating your profile, you should review your firm's policy on social media. In addition, consult with the ABA to remain up to date with their social media guidelines and policies.

In the End '

We recommend you spend a few minutes each day reviewing Linked-In to stay up to date on your industry, your colleagues, your clients, and your competitors. Be patient and realistic. LinkedIn is a new way to build relationships, and often one of the first steps. Real connections still happen offline, where your charming personality really shines.

Tracie Bedell is a corporate storyteller and senior writer with Foley & Lardner LLP. Reach her at [email protected]. Mayumi Wille is a national manager at the firm. She leads marketing and client development for the Intellectual Property Department and Life Sciences Industry Team. She may be reached at [email protected].

LinkedIn has gained popularity as the social media tool for professional networking, and there are a few good reasons: You can maintain a decent page/site without spending a lot of time on updates; and clients and prospects view it as a legitimate tool for vetting referrals and service providers. According to a 2014 report by Hinge Research Institute, nearly 60% of in-house counsel vet attorneys via LinkedIn, which is nearly equal to the 63% who will “Google” attorneys (Beyond Referrals ' How Today's Buyers Check You Out, Hinge Research Institute, 2014). As of January 2014, almost 95% of ABA members said they posted their profiles on LinkedIn. That is great news, but how many are taking further steps to make the most of their profiles?

LinkedIn Self-Assessment

Begin by asking yourself the following:

• Does my profile bring out my unique skills, experience, and my personality in a professional manner?
• Is my LinkedIn profile simply a duplication of my firm bio?
• Am I simply accepting invitations to connect, and not doing anything with them?
• Am I actively engaged in LinkedIn groups?
• Am I posting thought leadership tips or events?

Making the Most of LinkedIn

There are a few quick and easy ways to quickly boost your profile and make it work harder for business development. They include:

Create an Authentic Profile to Differentiate Yourself

Think about how your colleagues and clients would describe you. Take the time to craft your profile, make it personal and engaging, and let it show the LinkedIn universe the value that you bring to your business colleagues and clients. Consider the following:

• Say Cheese. According to Linked- In, profiles with photos are 11 times more likely to be viewed than profiles without photos. A firm bio photo is one of the obvious choices ' it is professional, crisp, and generally does not include background images or images of other people.
• Broadcast Your Brand. The headline, the first line of text that appears under your name, is where you broadcast your brand and describe the experience you have to offer. Employ keywords that users are more likely to search for in order to entice users to explore your profile. For example, “Advising government leaders on shaping key health care policies” is much more meaningful than “Healthcare Attorney, Chicago, Illinois.”
• Include Contact Information. Update your contact information so users have several ways to contact you outside of Linked-In, including your work e-mail, link to your firm bio, professional blog, and other professional social media outlets.
• Write a Succinct and Unique Summary. This is your “elevator pitch,” and tells the LinkedIn universe not only what you do, but why and how you do it, and the passion and value you bring to your profession. It is more like a letter of introduction, so consider writing in a more conversational (yet professional) tone. You also may want to include a nugget of personal information, like what you enjoy outside of work. Doing so makes you appear more approachable.
• Include Work Experience, Projects, and Thought Leadership. The Experience section of the profile is similar to what you would include on a resume, but you also have the ability enhance the descriptions by including links to work samples, media, and thought leadership. We do not advocate a laundry list; rather, stick to relevant, current examples that bolster your biggest selling points.

Connect with Others

The whole point of LinkedIn is to connect with other users. By connecting, you have the ability to:

• Increase your visibility and the work you do.
• Keep yourself in front of your contacts.
• Reach a larger audience for your thought leadership.
• Stay current with what competitors are doing.
• Connect with friends, clients, and contacts from college, law school, summer associate programs, and previous positions
• Start growing your network by connecting with current colleagues. Keep in mind that with LinkedIn, it is more about the quality of connections than the quantity.

Join Relevant Groups

Joining LinkedIn groups is one of the quickest and easiest ways to stay on top of what your colleagues, clients, and competitors are up to. Finding appropriate groups takes a bit of research, but you can make things easier on yourself by searching by specific keywords, rather than general search terms. For example, rather than searching for “labor and employment law,” which yields more than 80 returns, try searching for “OFCCP,” which yields a much more manageable 20 results. Depending on how a group is structured, you may be able to join immediately (open group), or you may have to have a moderator approve membership (private/closed group).

LinkedIn provides a perfect platform and ready audience to share thought leadership with an individual, your connections, groups, or the public. Consider sharing recent articles, white papers, links to upcoming web conferences, in-person events, and speaking engagements. If your colleagues are sharing thought leadership and/or events, consider sharing their posts with your connections as well. They will likely return the favor for you.

A Bit of Fine Print

LinkedIn provides an enormous opportunity to raise your profile provided you use it and use it effectively (and adhere to Bar advertising guidelines). So, before you start updating your profile, you should review your firm's policy on social media. In addition, consult with the ABA to remain up to date with their social media guidelines and policies.

In the End '

We recommend you spend a few minutes each day reviewing Linked-In to stay up to date on your industry, your colleagues, your clients, and your competitors. Be patient and realistic. LinkedIn is a new way to build relationships, and often one of the first steps. Real connections still happen offline, where your charming personality really shines.

Tracie Bedell is a corporate storyteller and senior writer with Foley & Lardner LLP. Reach her at [email protected]. Mayumi Wille is a national manager at the firm. She leads marketing and client development for the Intellectual Property Department and Life Sciences Industry Team. She may be reached at [email protected].