USSSA's Members Only Group on LinkedIn

Setting Up a LinkedIn Account to Join a Private Group via Invitation Link

Step 1: Open LinkedIn in Your Browser

1. Open your preferred web browser (like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari).
2. Go to www.linkedin.com.

Step 2: Begin the Registration Process

1. On the LinkedIn homepage, click the “Join now” button (usually at the top right corner).
2. You will see a registration form pop up.

Step 3: Enter Your Personal Details

1. First Name: Type your first name.
2. Last Name: Type your last name.
3. Email Address: Enter a valid email address (this is required because you will be sent a message by LinkedIn to verify you are legit).
4. Password: Create a strong password (at least 8 characters long, using letters and numbers).
5. Click “Agree & Join” to proceed.

Step 4: Verify Your Email Address

1. Check your email inbox for a message from LinkedIn (this usually arrives within a few minutes).
2. Open the email and click on the verification link provided to confirm your email.
   • If you don’t see the email, check your spam or junk folder.

Step 5: Enter Basic Profile Information

1. Country/Region: Select your country from the dropdown menu.
2. Postal Code: Enter your postal code.
   • Click “Next”.
3. Job Title: If you're creating this account solely to join a group, you can type something simple like “Community Member” or “Group Participant” or "Retired."
4. Company: You can leave this blank or type “Independent” if not applicable.
   • Click “Next”.

Step 6: Skip Optional Profile Enhancements

1. LinkedIn may ask you to upload a profile picture, driver’s license, etc. None of this is required so click “Skip.”
2. You might be prompted to connect with people you know. Click “Skip for now” to proceed directly to the next step.

Step 7: Use the Invitation Link to Join the Private Group

1. Once your account is set up and verified, open the invitation email sent to you containing the private group link.
2. Click on the link provided in the invitation.
   • This link will take you directly to the LinkedIn group page.
3. On the group page, click “Request to join”.
   • Your request will be sent to the group administrator for approval.

To view the directions including screenshots and additional LinkedIn features click HERE to download a PDF.

No. Messages in private groups are only visible to members of that group.

A basic LinkedIn account is FREE.

Higher tiers of service are available from LinkedIn for a fee, but this is not necessary to fully utilize USSSA’s Members Only Group.

LinkedIn may ask you to upload a profile picture or a driver’s license, etc. None of this is required so click “Skip.” You might also be prompted to connect with people you know. Click “Skip for now” to proceed directly to the next step.

Optional Steps for Using Additional LinkedIn Features

If you’re interested in exploring more of what LinkedIn offers, follow these brief instructions:

Step 1: Complete Your Profile for Better Visibility

1. Click on your profile picture at the top right corner and select “View Profile”.
2. Fill out sections like:
   • Professional Headline: A brief one-liner about yourself (e.g., "Marketing Enthusiast" or "Aspiring Data Analyst").
   • Summary: Write a few sentences describing your background or interests.
   • Experience: Add any relevant work experience, if applicable.
   • Education: List your educational background.
   • Skills: Add skills you’re proficient in.

Step 2: Build Your Network

1. Click on the “My Network” tab at the top of the page.
2. Send connection requests to colleagues, friends, or professionals you know.

Step 3: Follow Companies and Join Additional Groups

1. Use the search bar to find companies, groups, or hashtags relevant to your interests.
2. Click “Follow” or “Join” to stay updated.

Step 4: Engage with LinkedIn Content

1. Visit the “Home” tab to see posts from your network.
2. Like, comment, or share posts to engage with your connections.
3. Post your own updates by clicking “Start a post”.

Yes, but only to members of the group. In fact, the group is unlisted and cannot be found without the invitation link.

LinkedIn and Microsoft have VERY strict guidelines for accessing customer-owned content. While they could access content, it would require authorization and special permissions.

Five administrators have been appointed to monitor both access and content in the LinkedIn private group. Usage guidelines for members remain nearly identical to those in place for the current message board.

Usage Policy for USSSA Members Only Group on LinkedIn

The purpose of this policy is to ensure respectful, positive and appropriate usage of the USSSA Members Only Group on LinkedIn.

The Members Only Group is available to all USSSA members and is a forum for expression of opinions on various subjects including USSSA affairs, member situations, social events and other areas of interest. When posting messages, please be brief and try to post in the appropriate thread.

This policy prohibits Members Only Group posts that are considered by the Board of Directors, the message board moderator(s) or the webmaster to be uncivil, inappropriate, accusatory, profane or of a commercial nature.

The Members Only Group should not be used as a utility to argue, intimidate, insult or influence others toward a specific cause or belief. This type of activity discourages many of our members from participating on this community platform or even logging in to our private LinkedIn page. That is detrimental to our esprit de corps.

The Members Only Group should not be used for communications to the Board of Directors, state directors or our executive director. Questions, suggestions or complaints about USSSA Board governance should be submitted via email to the regional directors.

When posting lengthy articles that can be found on the Internet, please use the URL instead of posting the entire article. Postings that are deemed to violate this policy will be removed. This will be done at the discretion of the Members Only Group Moderator(s) or the Board of Directors.

Failure to follow these rules can result in having your USSSA membership suspended or permanently revoked. Members who view a post that appears to violate this policy should do one of the following:

• Use LinkedIn's messaging feature to contact a listed admin directly.
• Email us at USSSAgroupadmin@secretserviceassociation.org for fastest response.
• Share feedback anonymously via this form: https://forms.gle/KgnsCJJW39y1JYBC6.

The hosting platform it relied on to work was obsolete and could no longer be supported. USSSA had no choice in shutting down the Oldstar message board. We were given notice of the year-end deadline and began the search for a suitable alternative. While migrating the site was possible, the amount of historical messages that would need to be moved was enormous. First year costs alone would have been in excess of $7,000. Plus, the new forum software would look and feel completely different and change the functionality of the message board, and there still would be no way to integrate it into the USSSA website. Staff at DMS in Des Moines worked closely with USSSA volunteers to find an alternative that is secure, cost-effective, searchable, and user-friendly. Not only does the private LinkedIn group meet these requirements, it is already widely used by many members – and it is FREE. The Board affirmed this recommendation at their September 2024 meeting.

The entirety of the legacy message board is archived at DMS, but it is only accessible to IT staff.