Episode 080: Tiffany Parra - LinkedIN Advice Everybody Needs To Know

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Yeah.

Cool. All right, what's going on, everyone? Casey Adams here. Welcome back to the Rise of the Young podcast today. We have Tiffany Para with us here today and we're going to be talking about LinkedIn strategies, talking about podcasting, and talking about her story and fun facts. Though we're currently down near Silicon Valley, near San Francisco, and Tiffany hit me up a couple of days ago and she's like, hey, I'd love to give you a tour of the LinkedIn headquarters. I'd love for you to come by. And I was like, all right, that sounds cool. Let's make it happen. So me and Kieran and Curtis, we all head down there, have a good time with her. And now we are doing the podcast. So thanks so much for coming on.

Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. I'm stoked.

Hell, yeah. So for everyone that may not know who you are, what you do, just kind of give them a little rundown to kind of to where you currently are working at LinkedIn, how we met, just kind of give them some context.

Yeah, definitely. So I currently work at LinkedIn as a recruiting coordinator. I'm also the host of the Work in Progress podcast and I run an Instagram page called Flex with Food. So those are a few things that I do. Basically, LinkedIn introduced their video feature in January and I knew that was gonna be a huge opportunity and it proved to be. I actually used videos to get my full time job at LinkedIn. I recently spoke on a panel for young LinkedIn leaders last Friday, and that was awesome because it was essentially like a 25 and under meetup specifically for LinkedIn.

Okay.

Yeah. So it was really cool to see a group of young people so interested in how to use a platform outside of just, you know, applying to jobs and stuff like that. So I think there's huge potential in the company and in the product specifically.

Totally. So I'm curious, so for everyone listening, that maybe you follow me, maybe this is your first episode listening. So I really don't have much, I would say, content on LinkedIn. I don't use it that much. But yesterday, after going to the headquarters and talking with Tiffany, I'm like, all right, let me change my game up. But I want to ask you a question, because I think this will benefit me as well as a lot of the other young entrepreneurs when it comes to LinkedIn. What would you say is, like, the core purpose of it? Just so people, even if they're not familiar with it or if they are, what's, like, the core purpose of using the platform?

I see LinkedIn as a way to network, essentially. I mean, most social medias are for the purpose of networking, but I feel like where the. The big disconnect comes is that not everyone uses it for that purpose. Right. A lot of people consume, but they don't create on social. And. And when you create, it gives you basically, like, a passageway to new people, because those people align with your content and then they reach out to you, and it opens a lot of doors totally. For me, I was just really focused on that job grind kind of thing. And so I knew that people hire people that they like, right? They want to hire people that they connect with. So I talked about videos, like, what I value. I talked about my whole journey. And then in that process, I was actually having employers come out to me rather than me applying to jobs.

Okay, so you. Because I know that you say. You said before you worked at LinkedIn, that was, like, your platform that you spent a lot of time on. So you kind of run me down with that. Like, how long have you been, I would say, actively pushing out content on LinkedIn?

It's been about nine months now because we're approaching the end of August, right? And when I tell you, like, I was having, like, four to five networking calls a day, like, yeah, from LinkedIn. From LinkedIn. All from LinkedIn. Yeah. This is, like, strictly from LinkedIn, reaching out to people. Like, how can I learn more about you? And the thing is. All right, so in college, people tell you to do that, right? But when you start creating content, that changes everything. Because, like, I was reaching out to people, and, like, they were just like, sure, like. But they weren't really as motivated. But then, like, even at my company now, like, at LinkedIn, right, I was like, waiting outside the bathroom for, I don't know, someone to come in. And basically, like, this woman, this, like, PM recognized me, and she's like, whoa. You're, like, from that video, right? Yeah. And, like, I was like, oh, wait, like, can we get coffee? And then we ended up getting dinner and stuff. And so that's just, like, a perfect example, right? Like, that's someone who probably would see me normally and if I didn't create content, would walk right by me.

So that's crazy. So. So when it comes to the transition of, like, just are. You're using this platform, LinkedIn, and you're passionate about it, when was the transition of, like, all right, I want to get a job there? Was that always the motto? Since day one. And then, like, I would say the following question is, like, when you got the job, how was that? Like, what. Was it a huge moment for you? Was it, like, was it something you expected to happen? Or how did that go?

It definitely was unexpected, but I knew that I didn't want to settle in my job search. I knew that was something important to me. I wanted to work at a company that I was really passionate about. It didn't have to be a big company. It could have been a small one, but I had to believe in a product. And I can honestly say there's no product I really believe in as of now, as a LinkedIn. I mean, look at where I was nine months ago, right? I was just a regular college senior, senior. And now I feel like I have friends, like, from all over the globe, honestly, like Canada, different parts of the US and that's all straight the year from LinkedIn. But, yeah, it was a grind. And like, I also want to give you guys some, like, tactical advice, right? This advice comes from a person on LinkedIn named Amy Jones. So if you use it and you get any value from it, make sure to connect with her. Essentially, I was creating video messages and in my LinkedIn connection request. So, you know, people sometimes are so lazy, they won't even write you a message when they connect with you. All right, guys, you gotta do that. You gotta write why you're connecting with someone. It's really important. It shows intent. And, like, that opens up the conversation totally.

I talk about all the time on Instagram where it's like. Cause I use Instagram, I would say, as like, a knockoff LinkedIn. I use it for connections. But then, like you said, there's a lot of consumers on it that aren't using it, so there'll people that will Hit me up. And they'll be like, hey, what's up? And they don't have any intent. Yeah. So I'm glad that you brought that up. Cause even when I talk about, like the value of the deal, DMs on Instagram, I think as I'm starting to use LinkedIn more, it's like you have to have an intent or no one's gonna care to reach back out, or no one's gonna have the intent to actually give you value back. And you know what I'm saying?

Totally. And I think for anyone listening, like, to this podcast, I'm guessing your audience is probably like young entrepreneurs, right? So when I talk about getting a job, like, you might feel like that doesn't connect with you. But the thing is, when you get a job, you're essentially selling yourself and you're still getting in touch with those decision makers. So going back to like the Amy Jones thing, basically you use this thing called useloom.com and it allows you to create video messages and then link those video messages so you can copy and paste the link into your connection request. And then someone sees it, they're like, oh, hey, I made a video to you. And like, imagine I do that to you, right? Oh, hi, Casey. And you're like, whoa, like this?

Yeah, yeah.

Why you're interested in them. And that got me connected with like a couple VPs at like startups and stuff. Stuff. Okay, it works.

Yeah. So when you were putting out content on LinkedIn, did they reach out to you to get the job? Or was it something where, like, you were reaching out? And then they said, alright, like, we see you're using the platform, you see you're crushing it on it. Like, how did that go when it comes to actually starting to work there?

Yeah. So there was like two instances. One was for a program that I was reached out to because a video of mine had gone viral, like semi viral. And that was cool. Like the program was super cool. That didn't actually play out. There wasn't enough spots on that program. But the way I got my specific job was because I met the person through LinkedIn. Like, I reached out to her. She was alumni guys, alumni of your school. If you are in college, like hit up alumni, that is essential.

The way to do it.

Yeah, the way to do it for sure. And just built a relationship, honestly. Like I was abroad in Madrid when we first talked, right. But then I knew how to get a job when I came back. So talked to her, hit her up. Like when I Got back around December. We got, like, lunch. Ended up talking for, like, a couple hours. It was super cool. And then she's like, hey, like, there's a spot opening up on the team. Like, you know, and that's really how the world. I mean, it kind of how the world works, right? You got it. You got to get to know people, and people who, like you are more willing to do stuff for you.

Totally know. And I totally get that, too, because I literally, from, like, everything I'm doing today has came from the people that I'm connecting with and the people that I'm actually building relationships with. So I think it's cool because, like, for me, it's yesterday. It's like, all right, I wasn't using LinkedIn. And I remember last night we got back, and I'm like, all right, trying to fix my profile. So just kind of to rephrase on things when it comes to LinkedIn, like, if someone may be using it or maybe they have it like me, and they don't put any time into it right now. What are the. I would say the core things you must do to actually start using it effectively when you're first getting on the platform.

Yeah, totally. So, like, the great thing about LinkedIn is you can link media, which I think is something that people don't do enough. Like, so linking, like, proof that, like, you actually worked on this thing. So I did, like, influencer marketing for this, like, Coachella after party event, right? And so I linked, like, my slide decks and, like, my. My actual slide decks that I would use to sponsorships, to influencers. And, like, people saw that, and they're like, damn, like, your slide deck is, like, legit. Like, I like that, you know, and that, like, opens up opportunities. So, like, you can tell people you did something, but when you actually show them your work, they know you're qualified. Another thing I'm trying to think there's, like, a bunch of ways to optimize your profile, okay. And, like, it is based on keyword searches. So, like, having specific words that you want to be known for. What's another thing? Endorsements. Endorsements, Right. I'm sure each of you probably have at least, like, 10 to 15 friends that probably use LinkedIn either passively or actively. And, like, get them to endorse you for your top three skills.

Have that. So you can, like, kind of get people's recommendations, or they can write something about you on the page and it'll show up.

Oh, totally. Yeah. Recommendations are huge. I got, like, my managers to Write me recommendations after my internships. Because people read that like they want to know. And also endorsements. So like you could be endorsed like by a hundred people for entrepreneurship.

Okay.

Right. And that look looks really good because that means a hundred people know you and they know you for entrepreneurship.

Yeah.

So, yeah, that's just a few things off the top of my head.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So I also want to touch on. And that's great advice, by the way, because I think a lot of people, even for me, I have to go in there, add my media stuff, add all the optimization features I can do. But for people that, let's say like, shout out my boy, Tristan Larson, if you're listening. So my buddy Tristan, he's used links in LinkedIn all the time. He's killing it. He has some videos that he says kind of went viral on the platform. So when it comes to, I would say putting out content because I think for me it's like I looked at LinkedIn as something where it's like, all right, people in the more corporate, I would say division or even entrepreneurs are using it to connect with people on like that sort of level. Not like Instagram. As you're putting out content, you're showing your day to day life. LinkedIn's like just to connect. So when it comes to the video portion and actually putting out content, how does that work? Like, can you put out pictures, can you do videos, can you do normal status updates? Or like, what kind of content would you say is like expected for user base to actually have good content?

Yeah, I mean, I think in the beginning it was video, like when I hopped on. But no, when I was before video, there was articles, right? There's always something, right. And I know a girl that like really like did well because they introduced Pulse and then Pulse was like their article section and so they were like giving out top voices awards. They might still be doing it now too, to like the top creators on the platform. Now this year, 20, I'd say beginning of 2018 was all about video. So I think I go back to my first video, right? My very first video was the announcement of work in progress as, as a video series. And the video got like a hundred likes, which is pretty good for your first video, but 8,000 views.

Okay.

So like the algorithm was like on your side, you know, and like that's obviously slowed down now, which is why it's so important to, to be able an early adopter on those things and really get on it. But I'd say in terms of views Text post get the most views. In terms of engagement, I think videos do really well. And I mean everyone speculates about that, like algorithm, all that stuff from strictly speaking from a content creators point of view. Right. But I think a good mix of both. I have become like almost fallen into this trap where I only do videos. Like it feels weird to post text.

Is that good though or is there kind of like it good to do both?

You'd say, I think it's good to do both if you can do both. But like I feel confident as like a writer and person that just puts on videos and to me it's like there's not that much time investment. A lot of my videos are like, I know the topic and I just kind of shoot off the hip and like, you'll be what I do. Yeah, exactly.

And it works literally, literally every single podcast. I have no questions, I just go in and go with the flow, you know. I totally feel you on that one. Yeah. So I'm curious. So when it comes to, I would say the transition, like you said, of putting out content, it's like me loving Instagram, then getting a job at Instagram, right. And it's like you don't really see the actual, I would say corporate side and you don't see the internal. So what would you say has been the most like, the most eye opening sort of switch of like just using this app on your phone and putting out content to then actually seeing the headquarters and seeing the entire operation? Because I think a lot of people, especially young people, it's like they see these apps, they see the social media, but they don't understand the real operations that are going, I would say going down in the back end. So for you, like what's been something, maybe it's eye opening or something that you didn't know before when it comes to just working at the corporate office now?

Yeah, I would say that. I mean, I kind of knew this a little bit, but like their investment in their employees, like they really do invest in their employees and like they actually live by their core values. So when they say transparency, like we have all hands where like Jeff speaks to us, all the C level execs are there and then it's like open forum for questions. That's like, been amazing. And I think that something that every person, every young person considering, you know, getting a job at whatever point you're in, you need to consider a couple things, right. That I maybe didn't consider in the beginning, which is when you work at a place so Big right. Each role is kind of broken down into specific functionality as opposed to like a startup or starting your own business where you're touching a lot of different things. And so I think that was something new to learn. But you know, at the end of the day it's just everyone's got to start somewhere and if you start at a company you love, you can. It's all about what you make it, you know, literally.

Yeah, but I think it's super cool because it's like you went from just, I keep saying it but using the platform to working there. And it's like you're still using the platform and now it's like you have these insights which I think a lot of people listening you, they may not know as well as people that are using the app. You have just the knowledge that you can't get anywhere else Besides at the LinkedIn headquarters, you know. So when it just comes to, I would say your day to day content creation, obviously if your podcast now, I want you to kind of touch on your podcast when you started it, why you started and kind of what it's about for everyone listening.

Yeah, definitely. So my podcast is called Work in Progress. It's available on like pretty much all streaming platforms and it's all about highlighting up and coming creators and the blueprint on how they got started. So it's kind of similar to yours because I know you focus a lot on like how did you actually do this, you know, like, rather than like where they're at now. And so with my idea is to kind of catch people while they're early on and do like check ins in a year from now, see where they're at. Yeah, because I actually genuinely believe that every one of my guests like will be successful in whatever they're doing. So I think it's just really exciting because we all know Gary Vee. Right. For Gary Vee now, but who interviewed Gary Vee when he was 25. No one caught him at that liquor store stage. So that's kind of the idea. But yeah, it's been great. I post new episodes every Monday and Friday and I sourced most of my guests from LinkedIn. So that's going to change soon. I want to like find more people on Instagram and stuff. But it's just the, you know, when you live on a certain platform, it's easy to just get comfortable.

Yeah, I think, I think that's, for me right now it's like Instagram I spend a lot of my time on and I'm like, shit. I definitely need to branch out, spend more time on LinkedIn, do more on YouTube, because I'm not right now. And I think the biggest transition is like, once we move into this build your empire house and have a content team, I'm really going to be able to like, like, do more for myself with a team. But I think from a LinkedIn perspective, like, let's say for me it's like, all right, I have my profile set up and I'm just on it right now. Where do you think you should spend the most time on LinkedIn? Is it putting out content or is it making connections? And then when it comes to like the connections, I know that you touched on when it comes to just actually knowing the people for connecting with them. So what would you say is, like, kind of rephrase that? Is what's the most important thing to do on the platform? Is it putting out content and that's how you get the connections, or is it you just kind of going through, searching people that you may know, looking at their connections or what's the best way to do it?

Yeah, definitely. So it's definitely 100% a mix of both. And that's why, like, I'm glad I started when I was in college and I had the free time to do this because now it's like kind of an adjustment thing. But I've already kind of, I've already committed to it to the point where I know I want to take it into my full time job. Right, Totally. But it's, it's a grind. Like, I'm sure, you know, with Instagram, but with LinkedIn, it's all about like, community, right? So you can't post content and expect it to do well if you're not engaged with other people and you're not like. And the thing is with LinkedIn too, LinkedIn comments aren't emojis. They're like, actually like meaningful, like discussions.

So, like, that's good to know. Yeah. Instagram people be like, nice.

Yeah. So that's really important. Like leaving like, meaningful comments and like actually showing people that you actually listened to what they said in their video or their text post. That's key. Like, engaging is so key because, like, it all comes back to you and like, those people who you support will support you back. But it's like, I know it's a pain sometimes we want to be a little selfish with our content, but that's just not the way it works on LinkedIn. And I've seen a lot of people, like, get a Little down. They'll be like, I posted something, got 10 likes. And I'm like, yeah, but that's, that's just not how it works. There's a lot of back end stuff too. So there's that, right? And then there's also identifying connections you want to make, right? And then also like, like the amazing thing about LinkedIn is that people will post articles and stuff on LinkedIn. So like you can find out what the VPs of these companies or top employees value and what they like. And they write like they want to be thought leaders, you know, so they write articles, you read the article, you say, hey, I like this article. And I liked it because of this, this and this. And that's an easy entry, right? Another thing that I did when I was just grinding, like I had so many phone calls is I kept a Google sheet and with like every person I talk to. Right, because when you talk to so many people. Yeah, yeah, like key insights into every person and like what, like what they're into, what they're about. And you can even like set that as a reminder to yourself to do follow ups and stuff like that.

No, that's super cool because I think when it comes to sort of you taking the platform and then doing these calls, is that sort of something for you to just kind of take the connection to the next level or what?

Exactly, yeah. So that's like a big thing on LinkedIn actually from like the, the user base, right? Everyone's pushing for connecting online. Like that's 100%. The motto is like, ideally when you make a connection, you want that to be an offline connection, you want it to be real. And yeah, 15 minute phone calls, 20 minute, like Zoom conversations, great way to do that. And it's like you'll be amazed. Right? Because I say for the most part LinkedIn has an older demographic or that's what it's been seen as at least. So that does two things, right, that really binds together the people who are younger on the platform, makes them more like connected totally. And then for the old, like the older, not older, but you know, the next generation, it basically gives you like so much wisdom. Like you have access for sure to so many people that have done this way longer than you have. So that's kind of the dynamic.

Yeah, yeah, no, that's super doping. So when it comes to, I would say LinkedIn, you're the podcast. Everything you're doing now with the podcast, obviously you started that.

When did you say I started in it?

In like January, like Six months or seven months now? About eight almost. So when it comes to the podcast, what was your, I would say, motivation to start it? Because for me, it was like, I really, I listened to a couple podcasts and then Gary Vee, I set up that meeting with him. He asked a podcast. So then I just started doing it. Didn't really have an intent for it, I would say, but I think for you, it's like you sounded more a little intentional with like, how you want to do it, why you wanted to do it. So for you, like, what was the motivating factor to start the podcast?

So there's like two things there. So the first would be that, like, being a young person, I think this holds a lot of people back on LinkedIn, like young college students, whatever, high school students, right? You're like, oh, I have nothing of value to share. Like, I, I don't know anything. Like, I haven't even got a job. Like, these adults are gonna call me out, they're gonna think I'm phony, you know, and people are so scared of that. So I was like, all right, I'm gonna create a series. And because I have this series, I'm gonna provide value to people every episode so that like, even if my, my own content sucks, at least I know the series will be good. So that was like. And that's what I give people advice, like when they want to create content, create a series, interview people.

Like collaborations with different people, you know, that helps build a brand, build the content and everything.

Yeah, no, cool, 100%. And then also it came down to, like, me actually being interviewed by or like interviewing one of my favorite podcasters, like Rob Johnson from Meet the Creatives, and he's like, yo, you need to get this video series as a podcast. Like, I'm gonna give you a weekend and you're gonna. I'll give you a shout out basically, like at the end on Monday. But you have to have everything ready by Monday. So I got my shit together and I did it and yeah, it's been great. I love the podcast. It's definitely like, as far as passion goes, like what I'm really putting my all into as of now.

That's cool. That's cool. So with, I would say the platform LinkedIn podcast. Do you promote your podcast on LinkedIn? Is that something you do, like, like a lot now or what?

Yeah, I do that. I primarily put like, promote on LinkedIn. It's kind of bad cuz, like, I have these videos and I'm like, all right, I should be putting them into Facebook. I should be doing more on Instagram. Well, I'm trying to do more Instagram stories, like for shout outs and stuff of the guests. But yeah, Primarily it's on LinkedIn. I'm trying to find new ways of creating that content. As of now, it's kind of looked like me filming episode and then me solely talking to the camera about a story that I learned from that guest.

Okay, makes sense.

And you know, it's been great because while my audience, like, people go look at my LinkedIn, they're like, oh, you don't even have that many followers. Right. But the thing is, it's like those people following actually, like, care.

Yeah.

And so it's been awesome because most of the people I'm interviewing are like up and comers. Right. And so they're actually getting like a couple hundred connection requests from that video shout out. And that's actually providing them value, which is awesome.

So with, I would say connections, followers, whatever you call it on LinkedIn, how does that go? Because obviously on Instagram it's like, all right, if you can get like, grow your followers, you have more engagement, you'll get more reach, we'll have a bigger audience. And to show people the social proof, it helps. Right. For LinkedIn, what's the strategy? Is it like you want to kind of keep your connections reduced and you want them to be more interactive? Or I would say, like, what's the best way to do that? Because obviously you have to connect with someone, they have to accept it, Correct?

Yeah.

And then once they do accept it, then it's like, boom, you can view their content and kind of see their connections as well, or kind of what's, I would say, the trick to really building that audience, Is it putting out good content that kind of goes semi viral, or is it more of just like word of mouth, people sharing you and talking about your content? And then obviously from like real life interactions, people will know you, but, like, time to answer the question, just what is the best way to sort of grow, but doing it at a rate that's actually like, you surround yourself with people that care. Mm.

Yeah, that's totally something that I've been kind of like in the, in a weird limbo of. Right. Like, I have no idea because I have like, you know, a couple thousand connection requests, but I'm like, I don't know if I want to accept them because all goes back to like, the intent. Right. And this is why writing notes are so important. You don't know like why someone is connecting with you. And so. Okay, I'm gonna first answer the connection of follower things. So basically the way it works, someone can choose to follow you and that's just like them seeing your content or they can choose to connect with you, which means that they're gonna follow you and be a connection. And which means that, like, as a follower, you won't see their posts or content, but as a connection, you'll see their post and content. So your connections really do alter your feed.

Okay.

And I think that's a really important thing to consider. Right. Because I think something that LinkedIn really has established is value. And like, I follow people whose content I view as valuable.

Yeah.

And that's why I'm a little, like, a little hesitant to follow connect with everyone, because you don't know how that will affect your feed. You don't know what people talk about. And I want it to be. Be like the platform I love. So, yeah, just going back to that, like, I'd say connect. Some people tell you to connect with everyone. Some people will tell you that. I'm not going to tell you that because that's not what I do. I connect with people and like, if they have a note, I connect with them immediately. If they're, if they're interested in something that I like, I connect with them. Like if they're a student, I always connect with students. And so, yeah, it's just finding out because you never know. Like, sometimes that initial message, you'll connect with someone and they'll just be like.

Hi, yeah, no intent. And they're just.

Yeah, yeah, you got like, how's your day? And at a certain point, like, as you get busier, like, those messages just go to the bottom, you know, you gotta be very upfront with people. I think that's important.

Yeah, totally. So I think it's cool because I think for LinkedIn and I want to touch on this because this is a question I'm curious to know. So with yourself as an individual, you can also start company profiles on LinkedIn, right. So what's the difference between those? Because I want to get more information myself. And then I'm sure other people listening, why should they put their business on LinkedIn in a sense?

Oh, yeah. I mean, 100%, like the first thing, right. As far as aesthetics go, like, if you don't have a company tied to your LinkedIn profile. So like, I did some work for like a company that didn't have what you get, this ugly gray box, right.

And it comes I have right now. Everyone.

Sorry, Sorry. For me, right? Or like, for some people. I think they're kind of just like, okay, well, what is this company? Right?

It's sketch. Yeah.

100%. And it's amazing. Like, you just quickly build. Takes like 15 minutes. Company website. Put your logo in there and then your logo appears under that, like, square.

Yeah.

And it immediately gives you more credibility, I think, like a hundred percent more credibility. So that's the first thing. Also, you can actually track, like, you can get followers on your company page, which is awesome. If you're like a company that wants to, you know, be a leader in whatever industry.

Build your empire.

There you go. There you go. Build a. Build your empire company page. Put some articles out, put some job postings out. There's a lot that can be done. I haven't experimented too much with it. For me, it was really came back to like, I wanted my podcast to have a company page.

Okay.

Not necessarily to put out content on that, but mostly just because I wanted to not get that ugly grip.

Yeah. So you can do the podcast sort of like company page as well.

Anything can be a company page.

So I can get my podcast page set up and the build your empire page set up, and that will sort of just add the credibility to you as a person and in your specific niche, in a sense.

Oh, totally. And like, people as like. Like my company page right now. I mean, I don't know, it has like maybe 50 followers, but that's only because I tag it in my post. Like, I don't promote it at all. So, I mean, if you're trying to promote your business through your personal brand, you could easily just do that and tag your company page. It'll go to your company profile and then people follow that.

That's super cool. Because that. So with. With the company page, that's sort of just like you can post content like from your company, the activities, job requests, and just sort of like stuff that's actually valuable to the company in a sense. Right?

Yeah, totally, totally. It's just about, like, what the company's doing, what you guys need, like, stuff like that. And it's. I don't know, it's a more formal way of like being direct with people. Like, I don't know, on your personal stuff. You don't necessarily want everyone hitting you up about jobs and stuff. It's just a better way to, like.

That'S section off and separate things. And then you could also have people run the company page and look for the recruits and do all that stuff internally from, like, a team perspective.

Totally. LinkedIn has a lot of really valuable tools. There's LinkedIn Learning, which used to be Linda, and that's essentially, like, you can learn anything. You can learn all the Adobe suites. You can learn, like, how to optimize your LinkedIn profile. You can learn, like, all these great things. And it's included in their $30 premium. So, like, LinkedIn learning is like YouTube, but, like, I'd say more. More narrow. Like, there's not as much, like, having to look around and scatter.

Yeah, that's super cool. So I would say paid version of LinkedIn, because I'm not on that yet. I'm about to go hard on LinkedIn starting today. But what's the difference between just having a normal profile, having a normal company profile, and then actually, like, paying for the service that they provide? What's, like, what's the main benefits?

You'd say, totally. So there's like, there's a LinkedIn learning, right? That's one tool. There's a sales navigator, which a friend of mine, Sarah Gross, is, like, super into, because she's into growth hacking and stuff like that. So she uses that. I can't speak on that too much, but I can speak on Premium. Premium was really good for me and my job search because with. With a regular profile, there's a limit to how many people you can see who viewed your profile. And so with Premium, you can see everyone that viewed your profile. And, like, if someone's viewing your profile, that means they've seen your experience and they're somewhat interested in you in some way. Right. Really good with recruiters, really good with potential business prospects. Easy way to reach back out and be like, hey, like, what's up? Like, I know you don't have to say, like, I know you saw my profile, but, like, you know, you know this your profile. And then there's InMail credits, which are basically like DMS, like Star DMS, right?

Yeah.

So, like, you just have a certain amount and you send those to people, and those, like, those have to be, like, seen by the person, essentially, because, like, they're not like a regular message which can sift through the bottom. They go to the. Exactly. To the top. So really good for outreach and. Yeah. And then you get LinkedIn learning. So it's $30 a month with. I know can be a lot for some people. It's like, held me back before, but I think it's a good. It's a really good investment.

Totally. No, I'm Definitely about to get it hooked up to experiment with it for sure. And I'm curious. Cause I think a lot of young people, it's like, even whether it's me or my buddy Kieran or whoever, it's like we're not putting as much time into LinkedIn, right. So with, I would say the transition of someone, let's say they have a brand like myself on Instagram and they want to, let's say, go put more time into LinkedIn is. What would you say when it comes to just the promotion of your profile? Or do you try to keep it separate? Like, if someone has a big YouTube channel or a big Instagram account, is it good to say, hey, go connect with me on LinkedIn, or is it something where you should just kind of keep private, build your platform on LinkedIn and just try to connect with the people on that platform? Or how does that really work?

Yeah. So it's so like, interesting, right, Because I've had like a few connections like follow me on Instagram and stuff. And like, for the most part I don't care because they're like students and stuff. But I think it's hard when you. It totally depends on how you use it, right? Like Instagram for me and like, you motivated me to get my. But like, Instagram for me has totally been like a personal thing, really. Like, I just like post pictures of me, like my friends and my family. Like, you know, I'm not really trying to do too much there. So I don't personally, like, I. On my podcast, I tell people follow me on Instagram and follow me on LinkedIn just because I know the majority of people are on Instagram. And I'm hoping to convert people, people to LinkedIn, but I think it's always good to be cross functional. Like, ideally, I'd like to get my Instagram game up. I'd like to get YouTube, everything like that. But I think also, like, for most people who haven't yet created content, it's good to just stick to one platform. Totally. Because, like, you're gonna get so much outreach. Oh, yeah. Another thing I didn't mention is when you put something out on LinkedIn, make sure to reply to like every single comment.

That's what I say about Instagram too. It's like the more you put in, the more you'll get out, like all day, every day, you know? So with that, I like how you said, like, each comment usually is like more meaningful than a nice picture. Nice post, right? It's like, so is that something that because I'm not on the platform a lot now. Is that something just like generally I would say accepted all around is high quality comments, high quality engagement. Is that something that you would just sort of say like happens more than less on the platform?

Yeah, I mean it totally depends on your content too. But like for me I think and it's, it's kind of interesting because some videos I'll just like put out and I won't think too much about them but sometimes those are the ones that and, and what I think is most exciting more than ever, like more than anything that gets me stoked is like when people start replying to one another in the comment section and they're having like full on conversations in your own pose. Like that's gold right there. Cuz like that means you're actually spreading like valuable information that people want to talk about and I think that's really important. And yeah, I'd say for the most part like quality comments are like definitely the majority.

Okay, that's good to know. Cool. So I also want to touch on just when it comes to someone, like if they're not familiar with LinkedIn at all, they download it, they put up their profile, they set up their company page. Is it good? Do you say to really be on the platform daily? Is there things to connect with daily? Is there always people messaging you or does that really come from the long term growth and actually having the audience and putting out content? Because I feel like for Instagram people obviously go on there, consume a lot and don't really actively put out content. So if you transition to LinkedIn it's like sort of the opposite where it's like you need to be connecting, you're there to connect, you're there to sort of spread a valuable message, not just post a picture of pizza. Right. So when it comes to that, if someone's just getting started, what would be like the three things you would do just to kind of like give people actual like tactical advice when it comes to boom, they downloaded it, they get the profile set up. Or like the three biggest things that are the most valuable in your eyes from actually using it and getting success from it?

Yeah, totally. So I would say like the first thing you want to do is set up either a personal WIX website which has like where you can schedule like a calendar or a calendar, a calendar which calendly is like just great because as you're doing more networking calls it just takes out that back and forth of are you available at 3pm, are you available at 2pm like, here just here's my calendar. Like, book a time that's like, goal. Like, you need to get on that makes people like, more think of you as like, wow, this person's really busy. Like, I have to book a time. And it makes them value that totally too. Another thing that I've seen really important to the platform is. Yeah, it's like the engaging. You got to give back to what you get. I think a very underrated tool is like, use loom. Like use that video message because that'll be a huge intro and that'll open some doors. Trying to think of some other stuff. Hashtags, I think, like, now they've introduced where you can follow hashtags.

Like Instagram, kind of. Right?

Exactly. Yeah. So if you can follow, like, put three hashtags. Oh, I got something. If you. You are a content creator, right? Or you're just starting create your own hashtag. So my hashtag is hashtag TIF talks.

Okay, that's cool.

And I have a hashtag for work in progress. So what that does actually, like, when you click on the hashtag, it's an entire feed of all of my videos. Because LinkedIn isn't like YouTube where we have creators have channels and everything. So the hashtags, the closest thing to that. Also, as I spoke about earlier, like, I threw like this LinkedIn Young LinkedIn leaders party with or like, event with a couple of friends who are also content creators. We put out a hashtag why LinkedIn campaign. So what that allowed us to do was really first, like, start this trending hashtag to where people outside of our network were actually using it to share their stories. And also allowed us to track it so we could see, like, because sometimes notifications aren't always shared. So, like, I went on the hashtag and like, people turned out sharing it more than I had realized. So, like, it basically, hashtags are actually very tactical if you use them the right way.

Totally. That's not like Instagram. It's like, you use them. Good, good things can happen. Right. But so that's interesting. So creating your own hashtag is like super valuable for your brand in a sense on LinkedIn. Yeah, that's good to know.

Totally. And another thing that people, I guess, could miss as well is like, a lot of people put as their headline, like, finance student. Right? Like, that's their headline. And it's like, if the thing is like, that's really changing now and you want to define yourself more because that's essentially your definition Right. That's the thing right under your name. So it's like Tiffany Para. And if I only put, like, business student, that's all I'll be, you know. But mine is like, Tiffany Para, like, host of the work in progress podcast, like, creator of Hashtag Flex with food, all this stuff, you know, that you do, and that's something that like, lives right under your name.

And like, Instagram bio, I talk about that all the time. Like, the first line of your Instagram bio is like the key component of what everyone thinks about you instantly, you know, Is that the same. Same sort of, like, I would say component of LinkedIn is like the first sort of like, bio section is the most important from like an instant connection standpoint, you'd say, I say with the.

Bio, that's totally something I'm learning more about too. It's really. It's interesting because you can link media in your bio as well. So that's something I'm doing more of. And also with the bio, I think it's good to have a clear call to action, right? Like, do you want someone to follow you? Do they. You want them to request with you or connection request you, or do you want them to book a time on your calendar? So I think the bio is something that's interesting. Obviously, like, you want to make it a mix of, I think, personality and, like, what you're doing. Because, like, for me, right, I did Jiu Jitsu for like eight years. And so, like, I put that in my bio because, like, what if someone saw that and they're like, yeah, I did Jiu Jitsu. So stuff like that is always good.

To have as well. Just like things that separate you and actually make you. You. Good to know. So I have, like, three more questions. So just the. I would say it's super cool because, like, your story, it's like, I just think it's dope that you use LinkedIn now. You're working there now. You have all the insights that you like, you can kind of see what's going on, what can. What to do next, and all the internal things. So when it just comes to, like, internally with LinkedIn, are there things that you'd say, let's say someone's listening right now, like Tristan Larson, for a chance, our good friend, he's using it. He's crushing it. What are some things people should do, maybe different or looking forward, that may be coming out soon, or things that are sort of like, now forming on the platform? What are some things that you may have some insight on to, like, things that you should do moving forward. If you are putting out content, you have a good profile set up, you're making connections. What is that sort of piece of advice that you put out there for people that are actually using it and like, really active on it right now?

Yeah. So I'll be like, completely transparent here to say, like, my job doesn't directly correct. Correlate with like, what's coming out next. So I don't want to like, speak from that standpoint necessarily as an employee, because that just gets kind of sticky. But I'll tell you, as like a content person, like, just like, it's interesting, right? And I think it's important to also build groups on LinkedIn that's really, really key Facebook group, sort of, kind of. There's like engagement pods, but ideally you want it to be more than an engagement pod. It's not about links. It's really about, like, actually knowing everyone in there. And I'd say with that, what's interesting is, like, certain people that you meet will get access to new features. So, like, there's a feature where you can connect locally. Like, you can turn on your Bluetooth and if you're an event, it'll see everyone that's around you and like, you can instantly connect.

Oh, that's this person. He's on LinkedIn. Okay. And you can go up to him and connect to them in a sense.

Yeah. Like, you can literally turn on your thing and it's like, connect nearby. It will like everyone in the room on your, like. And you can like, connect with all of them. Yeah. There's also a QR code that, like, essentially, you know, like, let's say you meet someone, right? You're going like, oh, how do you spell your name? Da da, da. Like, now you have a customized QR code where you can actually, like, scan their. Exactly. There's also, like, voice messages now that they've introduced where you can send people, like, voice messages like you can an imessage. And these are strictly things that are available to all people. But I think what's important here is, like, new features are rolled out, right. So not everyone gets a new feature at the same time. So it's just about expanding your network to where, like, some of your friends might get that new feature. You know, it's coming and you're just kind of waiting for it and seeing how you can implement it.

That's sort of like Instagram too, where it's like they'll. They'll put out certain features of certain people at different times and you're like what the hell? How does he have this? And I don't. Yeah. And you're like alright, now I need to look forward to having that soon.

Right?

That's super cool. Good to know. So I kind of want to wrap this up, talk about two more things. So number one is just the stance of what you're currently doing and then kind of where you want to go with the podcast, with your brand, everything like that. Because I think it's always good to just have the forward looking statement like listen to it. Maybe you listen to this podcast a year later. Like for Tiffany, what's sort of some things that you're looking forward to in the next six to 12 months just to kind of put it out there and kind of give some people some insight into what you're currently working on.

Yeah, definitely. So I think like I really want to work on work in progress, like really get that off the ground. Yeah, just work on, work on that and, and ideally like somehow I want to monetize the podcast just because I spend so much time on it. But I think another thing I recently am like launching right now is my consulting. So it's build like BLD consulting and I'm basically trying to help people establish their personal brands on LinkedIn, also businesses as well consulting for that. So I don't know, I've. You gained a lot of insight from spending hours and days and nine months on a platform. Kind of want to bring that to people and I've been helping out a lot of people like all the time I think and now it's just about how do I transition this into a business because yeah, I just want to help people grow and I think that for me I know the platform's changed my life and I know it has the capability to change a lot of people lives. So yeah, I just want to help others and yeah, just build something and.

That'S something we were talking about last night. And for everyone listening, if you're just getting started on LinkedIn, I'm gonna make sure that you can connect with Tiffany on Instagram, on LinkedIn and I'll make sure to put everything her podcast in the description below. But I definitely want you to connect with her. Even we're gonna get her set up on the Modi app today. But if you want consulting for LinkedIn she's gonna be having services that if you want to reach out to her, you can get things set up. Because I know that I'm gonna be working with her and everyone listening. If you're not on LinkedIn, I think it's super good to know that you have someone like Tiffany that you can reach out to and actually get insights from, from someone that has used it. You know, the insights. Now you work there, so you have extra insights. Right. So if everyone's listening, whoever you are, if you're just using it, or if you're like, my homie Tristan, that's killing it, definitely reach out to Tiffany. She will get you hooked up. She will get your account looking good. She's gonna be helping me, and I know that she can help you too. So. Last thing I want to touch on before we wrap up and have everything just sort of wrapping up with the podcast is just when it comes to, I would say, the most important thing from LinkedIn and the way it's changed your life. When you first started on it, how did that sort of go? Was it just something where it's like, you weren't using Instagram as something business oriented and you just saw LinkedIn as the go to platform just to kind of give give people context on, like, how this all started Kind of. Kind of before we end this up.

Yeah, definitely. So, like, for me, before, before work in Progress and before LinkedIn, there is Flex with Food. Right. Which is like, this project where I'm sure if, you know, if you run a couple projects, like, there's always that one that, you know, as time gets busy, you get super busy. Like. Like, it kind of gets let go of.

Right.

And so I'm in the process of, like, identifying what I want to do with Flex with Food. So for anyone listening, Flex with Food essentially merges street wear and, like, we just combined food and fashion. Yeah. The two things millennials love. Right. I was just, like, on Instagram and I couldn't really. I mean, I wasn't really investing the time other than having good content. I felt like our content was really good. Investing the time, learning about Instagram and Instagram growth.

Yep.

And then my friend was, like, killing it online. LinkedIn Shout out to Eliza Mango Wang. And she. Yeah, she was just killing it. And I was like, wow. Like, I really respect what you're doing. Like, I like what you're doing. Ended up studying abroad together in different countries. And we weren't friends before that, became friends through visiting each other in these different countries. And then we would just be on these, like, train rides, and we're like, yo, like, what are we gonna do when we get back? Like, it's time to grind. Like, we're gonna get on LinkedIn, we're gonna, like, make something happen, because this video thing is gonna be huge. And, yeah, that's kind of where it started. Like, I just kind of put out content, and I never felt like I had a voice until I was on that platform. I think I just, like, found my audience. Never really tried to find my voice on Instagram. I think that I was just a little hesitant towards it just because there's so much competition where on LinkedIn. I felt like I was, like, the only one from my school. Like, I would walk into parties and people would be like, yo, I saw your video on LinkedIn. I'm like, so weird, but okay, I guess.

Yeah, yeah.

So, yeah, that there's. I mean, with any platform, right? Like, you want to be the early one on there. LinkedIn is not an early platform. It's been around for, like, over a decade now. But, you know, even now, like, I'm always. I'm kind of searching around for, like, what's next? Because there's always something that's next, so that's super dope.

So, to wrap it up, everyone make sure that you follow Tiffany on Instagram on LinkedIn. We're gonna get her set up on the Modi app so that you can do consulting calls with her. But make sure you hit her up because she's gonna be offering the consulting for. I would say, what would you call it? Personal branding on LinkedIn, to be specific.

Personal branding as well as businesses like leveraging, like, business insights and kind of. I think the important thing for businesses is, right, like, sometimes it's hard to connect with people when you're speaking from a business standpoint. So how can you maintain your reputable reputation but also still connect with people?

Makes sense. Well, cool. Well, that's good to know. I know that I'm going to be getting the insights right after this podcast, getting my account hooked up more. But I just want to say thank you, Tiffany, for coming on the show and everyone listening. Makes you go check out her podcast. I'll have to get on there sometime soon and we'll make that happen. So I'll be keeping you guys updated. And we're about to head down to Monterey for car week right now. So we're going to go head out right now. We're in San Francisco near St. We're in San Jose, right? Near San Francisco. But, Tiffany, thank you so much for your time and everyone. Keep building your empire. I'll talk to you guys soon. There you go. Hold on, let me end the audio, dude.

You're so good at asking questions.

Thank you. Thank you.

You do. You really do.

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