TherapyJobs.com Career Podcast Series

DAVID: Welcome to the TherapyJobs.com Social Media Podcast. I'm David, here with Robyn, and today we're continuing our discussion about online social networking by exploring how therapists can benefit from LinkedIn. Robyn, I think most of our listeners know the basics of LinkedIn, but why don't give us a brief overview.

ROBYN: Thanks, David. With 42 million members from 170 industries, LinkedIn is the largest online social network for professionals. Members can search the network to find and connect with past and present colleagues, former classmates and professors, friends and family, casual acquaintances, neighbors.

DAVID: Wait, ROBYN, I thought this was a professional site. Why are people connecting to their friends and neighbors?

ROBYN: It is a professional site, but as you know, your personal connections may be able to help you in the professional realm. For instance, your neighbor may know someone at a company you'd like to work for, and if you're all on LinkedIn, that connection will be easy to see.

DAVID: So your network not only includes direct contacts, but it's also made up of your contacts' contacts?

ROBYN: Well, your neighbor's contacts are considered secondary connections, and their contacts would be tertiary connections. You won't see all of their names in your contact list, but if say, you are looking at a hospital's company page and you see a name with a "3" next to it, you will know instantly that you have a tertiary connection to someone at that facility.

DAVID: So, how could you use that to your advantage?

ROBYN: You could request an introduction from your primary connection. He or she may not know the tertiary connection personally, but they could at least introduce you to the secondary.

DAVID: Who could then introduce you to the connection at the hospital.

ROBYN: Right.

DAVID: It sounds kind of complicated.

ROBYN: It's really not – once you know what LinkedIn is capable of, the site itself is pretty intuitive, but a lot of people don't know how to fully optimize their LinkedIn membership.

DAVID: So, what do you recommend?

ROBYN: Well, it starts with identifying contacts to build out your network on LinkedIn. Ideally, you want to start the process of building a network before you really need it.

DAVID: So you should maintain a presence on LinkedIn even if you're not currently looking for a job.

ROBYN: Right, regardless of your employment status, you should keep your profile updated and continue to add connections, but if you are looking for employment, there are other ways you can use LinkedIn more proactively.

DAVID: Like how?

ROBYN: Perhaps the most obvious way is to reach out to your network – tell all of your contacts you are looking for a position and ask them if they can help. The "Network Updates" feature works like a status update on Facebook and it allows you to broadcast a short message to everyone in your network. If you're uncomfortable with that, you can take a more personal approach and send your contacts individual messages asking for them to keep you in mind if they hear of an opening.

DAVID: I think people often feel embarrassed about the fact that they're out of work or that they've been laid off and they are hesitant to spread the word, but if your network doesn't realize that you're looking for work, they certainly won't be able to help you find a new position.

ROBYN: You're exactly right, David. The value of LinkedIn is in your connections but you have to be willing to ask them for help. In addition to simply putting the word out that you're looking for a position, you can ask your contacts to write a recommendation for you that a recruiter could view on your profile

DAVID: How might a recruiter come across your LinkedIn profile?

ROBYN: Recruiters and hiring managers will often go to their LinkedIn networks when looking to fill a position, or they may simply perform a search of LinkedIn profiles using keywords to describe the position they need to fill. So, professionals should make sure that their profile is complete and accurately reflects their experience in place of a resume.

DAVID: Some recruiters actually prefer to view a LinkedIn profile over a resume because candidates are less likely to "stretch the truth" on their LinkedIn profile, where former colleagues and managers might see their false claims and call them out on it.

ROBYN: That's a good point, DAVID. People are unlikely to falsify their experience in such a public forum.

DAVID: Now, you mentioned earlier that hospitals and other facilities are on LinkedIn. Is it helpful to visit a facility's LinkedIn profile?

ROBYN: Definitely, viewing a facility or practice's profile is a good way to find out if they are hiring therapists, but you'll also see a list of employees at that facility. And if you've built up your LinkedIn network to include everyone you know in your industry, it's probable that you'll notice a light blue number next to one or more of the names listed as employees of that company.

DAVID: And that light blue number indicates that the employee is in your extended network.

ROBYN: Right. You just have to click on the employee's name to view exactly how you're connected to that person.

DAVID: And then you can ask your primary contact for an introduction.

ROBYN: Right.or you could send a direct request to connect to that person.

DAVID: Even though you don't know them?

ROBYN: Yes, you can send a direct request to any of LinkedIn's 42 million members, regardless of whether or not you have any connections in common.

DAVID: And the company page shows you all the employees of that company?

ROBYN: Well, all of the employees who have LinkedIn profiles.

DAVID: Now, to me, it seems like this would be a good way to identify who is actually doing the hiring at that facility. You could then reach out to them on LinkedIn, right?

ROBYN: Definitely, but you'll increase your chances of connecting to that person if you can establish what the two of you have in common. One way to do this would be to join a LinkedIn group for therapists.

DAVID: And they have those groups on LinkedIn?

ROBYN: A quick search of the group directory using the word "therapist" returns a list of more than 80 groups. You can simply request to join a group that appeals to you, and then start building relationships.

DAVID: Well, we've learned a lot today. It sounds like our candidates could really benefit from LinkedIn.

ROBYN: Healthcare providers encounter so many people through the course of their careers, and online social networking is an easy and efficient way to keep track of everyone.

DAVID: Because you never know when someone from your past might be able to help you with your future.

ROBYN: Or when you might be able to help them.

DAVID: And hopefully we've helped you here today with this overview of how to use LinkedIn.

ROBYN: Next time, we'll continue your social media tutorial by taking a look at how therapists can benefit from Twitter.

DAVID: Yeah...I'm not totally sold on the value of tweeting.

ROBYN: Well, that's what we're going to discuss.

DAVID: I'm looking forward to it.

ROBYN: Thanks for listening to the TherapyJobs.com Podcast