As a reminder, if you are a mid-career high-achiever with the goal of entering the C-suite, let’s talk about my new coaching program, Highly Promotable.  Here’s the link to learn more: https://exclusivecareercoaching.com/highly-promotable Today, I want to share some tools on LinkedIn that many people I speak with aren’t aware of.   The Advanced Search Function If you are looking for a specific person, preferably someone with a unique name, you can probably use the search bar to find him or her. However, let’s say you are looking for Susan Smith. I just did this search, and I got 13,000 results.  How do you find the right Susan Smith? By using the Advanced Search function. Here’s how to access: -Go to “My Network” in the navigation bar -Click on “Connections” in the box on the left. This will bring up all your connections. -Click on “Search with Filters” then “All Filters.” You then have the option to create searches to help you find the right Susan Smith. You can put her name in + something else you know about her – I find that putting in the university she attended tends to be the most reliable.  The Advanced Search function also works when you are trying to find someone with a specific job title whose name you don’t know. For example, the VP of Marketing for ABC Company.   Having a Differentiating, On-Brand Background LinkedIn has a standard background of shades of grey. Here are three options for changing your background: -Use a royalty-free photo site, such as pixabay.com, to find a background that is on-brand. When I am doing this for my clients, I select four photos and try each one on for how it looks with LI’s size restrictions and the fact that the client’s head will be in the bottom left-hand corner of the photo.  -Create a highly differentiating background using Canva. If you are familiar with this desktop publishing tool, you’ll need to set your size to 1584 X 396 pixels, or 16.499 X 4.125 inches. Canva allows you to include such things as a branding statement. You can use one of Canva’s backgrounds or import a picture of your company or product.  -Combine the two by using a stock photo from pixabay or another site uploaded into Canva. You can then add whatever text or art elements you wish.   Add Featured Content First off, let me say what I DON’T want you to put in your Featured Content section – your resume. This allows employers to access a version of your resume that has NOT been customized for the position they are hiring for, putting you at a disadvantage. It is better to have a robust LI profile that draws them in, then they can reach out to you for your resume (which you can then customize).  If you don’t already have content in your Featured section, you’ll need to add that section by going to the top box of your profile (where your picture and headline area) and click on “Add Profile Section.”  What might you want to include in this section? Here are some possibilities: -Information about your employer or products/services -News releases about your employer or products/services -A video you’ve created to introduce yourself – whether to potential employers or potential customers -A helpful, downloadable resource (I have my How to Assess Resume Writers on my profile) -A link to a podcast you’ve been featured on -A sample of your work You can have multiple items in your Featured section, but know that only three will be visible. You can manipulate this section to show the three you choose.   Leveraging Your Connections’ Connections I tell clients about this all the time, and almost no one has thought about this. It utilizes the Advanced Search function.  Let’s say you are connected to me on LinkedIn and you want to “mine” my contacts. Go into the Advanced Search function and click “All Filters.” -Change 1st connections to 2nd connections. -In the box “Connections of” add the person’s name whose contacts you wish to mine.  -Add whatever other criteria you wish; otherwise you’ll get ALL their connections. You