Maximize Your Web Presence with LinkedIn

A thoughtfully managed, carefully crafted Web presence is no longer optional for professional people. It is not merely helpful to have a positive Web reputation; today, most professions and industries expect you to have one. Remember that your Web reputation reflects not only on you, but on the organization you work for.

LinkedIn is the largest online professional network worldwide. Hundreds of millions of professionals around the world maintain a profile on the service. Here’s a few tips on how to make your LinkedIn profile work for you, especially if you’re looking for career advancement or change:

  • Change the vanity URL on your LinkedIn profile to include your name.
  • Use keywords from your target job descriptions and your résumé that are applicable to your skill set. This increases the chance that hiring managers who search for talent on LinkedIn will find you within their target searches.
  • Use the power of your contacts to help build a target list of companies where you want to work, and to locate appropriate contacts at those firms.
  • Join groups on LinkedIn to help expand the reach of your connections. LinkedIn advises that you must have a minimum of 50 connections for this search function to produce favorable results, but a minimum of 100 connections is most beneficial.

The certificate you earned from eCornell looks great listed under the Education section of your LinkedIn profile. Here are the instructions from LinkedIn on how to add an Education section to your profile and populate it:

  1. Click the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage, then View Profile.
  2. If you have not added to your Education section before, click Add profile section in the introduction section. From the Core dropdown, click Add education.
  3. If you have added to your Education section before, scroll down to that section and click the + (plus) symbol.
  4. Type your education information into each applicable field.
    1. School: Enter Cornell University and select it from the dropdown.
    2. Degree: Enter the word “Certificate,” followed by name of the program that you completed. For example: Certificate, Marketing Strategy.
    3. Field of study: Leave blank.
    4. Start date: This field is optional. If you choose, you can enter the date you began your first course.
    5. End date: Enter the completion date listed on your certificate.
    6. Grade: Leave blank.
    7. Activities and societies: Leave blank.
    8. Description: This field is optional. If you choose, you can enter the certificate description, faculty authors, or course names — whatever you decide is most relevant for those viewing this certificate listing on your profile.
  5. Click Save.

If you have completed multiple eCornell certificate programs, you may choose to enter them all under one Education listing. In that case, enter the following information.

  1. Type your education information into each applicable field.
    1. School: Enter Cornell University and select it from the dropdown.
    2. Degree: Enter the word “Certificates” only.
    3. Field of study: Leave blank.
    4. Start date: Enter the completion date listed on your earliest completed certificate.
    5. End date: Enter the completion date listed on your most recently completed certificate.
    6. Grade: Leave blank.
    7. Activities and societies: Leave blank.
    8. Description: Enter a list of all completed certificate programs. For example:
      1. Marketing Strategy
      2. Data Analytics
  2. Click Save.

As an eCornell student, you are welcome to join eCornell’s Official Group on Linkedin. It is a great way to network with your peers and gather valuable information helpful to your career.