Get your professional presence on fleek
LinkedIn is unlike all the dozens of social media sites out there. Even though you can post interesting articles and add pictures, this platform is a professional based resource that is utilized by any person who does recruiting for a company or business. LinkedIn’s primary functionality makes it entirely different than your personal Facebook, Instagram or Twitter account, and obviously, there are some fundamental things you must know in order to put your best face forward.
49 percent of users don’t know how the hell to use it
Bottom-line according to leisurejobs.com, 49 percent of people aren’t using this resource to its full capacity. Even more importantly, the number one way that the LinkedIn search algorithm displays results is by profile completeness. You could be one of the first people viewed if you JUST finish filling out your profile.
It’s that easy.
I’m going to briefly describe what the ideal LinkedIn profile looks like, and well, then you’re going to want to make some changes.
Let’s start from the bottom and work our way down.
Let’s get scrubbin’
Name: This should be both your first and last name (and your middle if it is applicable). Simple and basic. This is how people expect to find you.
Profile Picture: Best advice you’ll get all day (and it’s totally free) – spend that little bit extra and get a professional headshot; you can use it on any platform, and it pays to look qualified. A photography pro will know all the dos and don’ts of the best headshots, but think of this picture as your opportunity at a first impression.
Make sure your background is clean, your attire is suitable for business and your expression and body language appears personable. Additionally, the ideal size for a profile pic is 400×400.
Headline: This is the area where you can afford to be a bit more creative. However, make sure that it isn’t too longwinded either. Have fun with this bit of text, but be certain to make your content clear.
Background: Include your current position as well as long-term goals or ambitions, but keep it under 2000 characters. Future employers don’t want to read a book. If you have slides, blogs, podcasts, videos or any other media source, include those here. It will only ample up the credibility of your page. Also, be certain to include all of your contact information (phone number, email, Twitter, Facebook etc.).
Experience: This will read like a resume. Don’t be afraid to be detailed about your responsibilities, but make sure not to get too carried away.
Projects: If you have articles, blogs, presentations, etc. available online, link them all here! This will help cushion any of the responsibilities you defined above.
Skills: Skills are great because your contacts can verify your areas of expertise. These skills should be ones that describe your professional role.
Education:
- You worked hard for your degrees – show those babies off!
- Connect with alumni!
- You never know who might love your alma mater.
Connections: I know it sounds silly to have a goal to aspire to for connections, but 300 seems to be that lucky number. Keep it reasonable and only link with professionals you admire, coworkers and other like-minded professionals.
Groups: Adding and showing interest in groups is an excellent way to network digitally. This may be at the bottom of your profile, but it’s just as important as a lot of the information that’s higher up on your page.
The facts
Let’s face it, a LinkedIn profile if completed incorrectly, could be the catalyst for not getting that awesome job you were hoping to score. Kick off the New Year by scheduling some time to freshen up your account. I urge you to utilize this platform. Not only is it easy to use, but it also allows you to market your best self for free. Cleaning it up could be the best professional decision you’ve ever made. You never know who’s watching!
