NOT YOUR FATHER'S LINKEDIN

ByTedJanusz

aybe what now seems like eons ago, you created a profile on Linkedln, the
professional social networking site. Like many users, though, you haven't
done a thing on the site since then.
Visit again (linkedin.com), and you may be surprised
how a few recent changes could heip promote
your career in the parking profession.

to

see

Find YourTribe
First, if you haven't already, join your fellow IPI members

in their Linkedln group. It's free and easy! Across the

top ofyour Linkedln home page, click on the "Interests"
link and then "Groups." On the right side of the next
screen, simply click the blue "Find a Group" button,
type "International Parking Institute," and press enter.
You

will be taken to a world of 5,000

members who are having

1ive1y

see the photos, job titles, locations, and graduation

years of some of your classmates. By clicking on the
"Notables" link on the page, you will be taken to the

will

thumbnail profiles of some of the movers and shakers

in your and other lndustries.
Ifyou attended multiple co11eges, you can get similar
information for other educational institutions by simply
clicking the "Change School" button.

Be a Leader
Linkedln gives you the ability to easily spread your
message among your conrrections. Post your

article on LinkedIn. It's easv!

At the top of your Linkedln home
page, to the right ofyour profile photograph, simply click the pencil icon
(to create a post) or the paper clip icon
(to attach a file).
I attached a file to my Linkedln pro-

discus-

sions, announcing promotions, and

posting or searching for jobs. Need

to find or contact someone in your
industry? You can also see or search
for other members of the group.

Say Congrats

file less than 24 hours ago, and my article

Linkedln can present you with

has already had 46 views. You

screen full of the smiling faces of

your connections who are celebrating
birthdays. new jobs. or work anniversa-

link for "Connections" and then from

the resulting drop-down menu, select "Keep in Touch."
You then have the ability to quickly and easily say

will get

summary of your activity by looking

to the right of your home page; "Who's
Viewed Your Updates."
a

ries. Click on the

TED JANUSZ is
a professional
speaker on the topic
of "social media

"congratulations!" as a way to keep in touch. Be sure to

update your Linkedln profile when you have your own
good news to share, and you will flnd your connections
offer you congratulations as well. This might be the
first step in reawakening former business relationships.

for baby boomers,"

author, and marketing
consultant. He is the
author of the Socral
Media Marketing
Guide for Parking

Professionals,which
is a free publication
for lPl members and
can be downloaded
from parking.org/
socialmediaguide.
He can be

reached attnd@
ia n uspre$entfftio,is.
oom or 614.440.7487.

14

YourAlma Mater
The next option in the Connections drop-down list is
"Find Alumni." By clicking on this link, you can find
at a glance summary information about your college
classmates on LinkedIn, including:

Company Page
You have probably thought

ofl,inkedln

as a

place to store

and maintair-r your online resume, but did you realize

By creating a company page, as

Linkedln

and promote your products and ser-vices."

* What they

Worth Another Look

&

If you haven't visited the website in a while, you may

be surprised to see how user-friendly

How you are connected (as either a first, second, or

third connection or

as a member of a group).
Beneath that graphic in classic yearbook stvle, you

TNTERNATIONAL PARKTNG tNST|TUTE I

rrenUnnV

says, you can

"raise brand awareness, announce career opporfunities,

x Where they live.

a Where theywork.
do.
a What they studied.
a What their specific skills are.

that

your parking facility can now be represented for free on

the site, which has 300 million members?
Perhaps you have created a Facebook page for your
parking facility. Why not do something similar on the
world's largest professional social networking site? At
the top ofyour Linkedln home page, click on the "Interests" link and then "Companies." On the right side of
the screen, click the yellow "Create" button.

ZOrS

Linkedln now

is.

More importantly, you may be able to use Linkedln to

find new ways to easily connect with others to advance
your career in the parkingprofession.
O