[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30A7D0u1Tx0&feature=youtube_gdata[/youtube]
LinkedIn now has 200M users, with 2 new users added every second. To help our donors, volunteers and partners showcase their good work on the professional social network, we put together this recorded webinar.
Giving back and professional development
- Volunteers are 27% more likely to find a job after being out of work.
- Individuals can grow their networks, learn new skills and gain key connections by giving back.
- Volunteering could mean hands-on work for an organization or professional volunteering, like serving on a board or being engaged with a nonprofit group like Women’s Leadership Council or Employee Campaign Leaders.
LinkedIn background
- Started in 2003, LinkedIn is one of the oldest social networks still being used.
- LinkedIn turned 10 on May 5, 2013.
- There are currently more than 200M users on LinkedIn.
- LinkedIn users tend to be affluent, educated and influential.
- LinkedIn launched the ability to list volunteer experiences in 2011.
- Only 1M members include their volunteer experience on their profiles, so this is an untapped opportunity.
- Of those who list their volunteer experience, 62 percent are millenials.
HOW TO: List your experience on your LinkedIn profile
To add your volunteer experience, go to this edit page (you may be asked to sign in to LinkedIn). You can list three types of volunteer and cause information:
Causes you care about –
- This is an opportunity to list topics or issues that you care about.
- LinkedIn has created the list of options.
- Click to check the box next to those causes you care about.
Organizations you support –
- These are organizations that you donate to, care about, advocate for or believe in.
- Click on the bar below the question and start typing. The name of the current organization will eventually appear, click to select it.
Experience –
- This includes roles you’ve held with organizations, like being a member of the board, serving on a council or leading a committee.
- Fill in all the appropriate fields, including the description, like you would if you were adding a job to LinkedIn.
- To edit roles you’ve previously posted, go to your profile and click “Edit Profile.”
LinkedIn Groups
- Groups are a way to connect with peers, share discussions and make professional connections.
- To find groups you belong to, hover over “Interests” in the navigation bar and click “Groups” when it appears.
- To find groups to join, simply search for the relevant topic in the search bar.
- In a group, you can post discussions, host polls or share information or interesting articles and news – all the things you could do at an in-person event, but translated to the digital space.
Company pages on LinkedIn
- Companies and organizations also have pages on LinkedIn. Here, they might share news about the organization or articles they think you might be interested in.
- You can follow a company by clicking the “Follow” button.
- Organizations might also have a “Services” tab, where they list their offerings for the community.
- In the same way you recommend an individual on LinkedIn, you can also recommend or review a service from an organization or company.
If you have any additional questions about LinkedIn, please add them to the comments.
Also, if you participate in the offline world, please consider joining our LinkedIn groups for Young Leaders Society, Women’s Leadership Council and Employee Campaign Leaders, as well as following UWATX on LinkedIn.
Additional resources:
- Volunteering and Employement [Corporation for National and Community Service]
- History of LinkedIn [LinkedIn]
- Infographic – 10 Years of LinkedIn [Marketing Land]
- Millenials are doing it, so should you [LinkedIn]
- How to highlight volunteering on LInkedIn [Hands On]
- The Beginner’s Guide to LinkedIn [Mashable]
- Five things you didn’t know you could do on LinkedIn [Mashable]