First things first! Get everyone on your team on LinkedIn and make sure they have complete Profiles along with a professional photo.

• Attach your Twitter account to your Linkedin profile and select   “only post tweets with #LI or #IN” so you don’t flood your followers with tweets. (Twitter note: please don’t just tweet job openings”.)
• Remember that LinkedIn public profiles are often found on Google, so make sure all profiles are public and include relevant keywords where appropriate on your profile.
• Use the Summary Section of your LI profile to introduce yourself or company (elevator speech works). Don’t just copy and paste the summary of your resume.

Connecting:  Start by linking with candidates and clients you know.

• Tip:  Hide your Hiring Manager/Candidate contacts from competitors by changing the default Profile settings to “Select who can see your connections” to “Only You”. 

Make sure your team is utilizing the “Companies” feature to follow key clients.  How many times do recruiters get told “She is not a good “fit”?” Make sure you get a bird’s eye view of your client culture by understanding where employees went to school and what company they typically come from.

• Learn about company culture fit by identifying trends – what companies are they coming from? What are their educational backgrounds?
• Track new hires, promotions, or job changes.                                             

Groups - Every recruiter/salesperson should join Groups that match their industry or technical focus.

• Don’t start posting jobs right away, members are tired of recruiters posting. Listen, comment, and Like group discussions before posting jobs.

Use “LinkedIn Answers” – Everyone claims to be the “expert” in their field. Stand out from the crowd by answering questions in your field.

LinkedIn Etiquette: Do not put your email address in your title. Go ahead and pony up the 19.95 a month and become an Open Networker.

Building a network is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. LinkedIn is more about being deep rather than being broad.

What did I forget?  Let’s keep the list going with comments. Thanks and I hope this is helpful.

Larry Hernandez - @recruiterlarry