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Last Updated on April 22, 2023 by Work In My Pajamas
LinkedIn is a great social network for anyone interested in networking, valuable contacts, and job opportunities. Just like any other social media, it might seem easy to use: you register, set up your profile, and communicate with people. However, if you want to make your profile as effective as possible, simply filling it up might not be enough.
In some way, your LinkedIn profile is similar to a resume – you have to present yourself the right way to make valuable connects and to receive interesting offers. When it comes to resume writing, most of us feel like it’s an easy thing to do – you are either experienced in it already the or you can use a resume writing service for help. However, LinkedIn is still a bit different.
But don’t worry: this article will help you make the most out of your LinkedIn profile. All you need to do is follow these simple tips.
In This Post:
1. Choose the Right Photo
Photos are equally important both for resumes and for LinkedIn profiles. There’s a list of requirements here: you have to look professional yet friendly, smile, but not too much, and be visible enough (this means no dark or shaded photos, no faces in profile, and so on). To keep it short, you have to look approachable.
2. Add as Much Information as You Can
LinkedIn has an indicator of a profile completeness for a reason. Sure, those kinds of things always encourage people to add as many information about them as possible to reach the desired 100% point. However, this is more than a simple achievement – this also allows potential contacts to find out more about you.
View your LinkedIn profile as your professional identity, adding all you can to make the desired impression. Don’t forget to pay attention to the headline too – it has to be simple yet catchy and informative at the same time. Don’t settle with simple “Web designer” – instead choose something like “Web design expert with strong UI/UX skills”.
3. Use Silent Updates
When you update your profile, the changes are immediately shown in your contacts’ feed. This isn’t always a good thing, especially if you making minor updates or adding a bit of information about the job you have for a while already. This way your contacts’ might think you’ve gotten this job only recently, which isn’t always an impression you would like to make.
To avoid this, turn off the activity broadcasts in your profile’s settings: this will allow you to update any information silently. Though don’t forget to turn this option on again after you finish.
4. Make Your Summary Great
Just like profile’s heading, a summary is one of the best ways to present yourself to potential employers and network contacts. There are so many articles with tips on summary writing for LinkedIn, so you can always find all the information you might need. I have only two tips for you here: you can (and probably should) make it less formal than a summary for your resume and you should use keywords reflecting your profession, skills, and industry – this will help get better search results.
5. Customize the URL
By default, you get an URL consisting of your name and some random characters generated automatically. However, you are able to customize it for better search results, using either your name or your work pseudonym. So don’t miss this opportunity.
Moreover, if you’ll be able to create the same URLs for your LinkedIn, Google+, and other social media profiles, this would be even more impressive and convenient.
6. Join Groups
If you do want to network with people on LinkedIn, you have to talk to people there. Groups are one of the best ways to do so. Not only they allow to meet and make contacts with professionals in your field, but also show the others that you are interested in industry you’re working in. Moreover, you can choose groups that will be visible on your LinkedIn profile by yourself.
7. Get Some Recommendations
Recommendations are always important. Some LinkedIn users even look at them first before considering adding you to their contacts. So it’s obvious that the more recommendations you get, the better it would be for you.
How to get one? You could ask someone directly or if it feels like an uncomfortable thing to do, you could write recommendations for your colleagues first and see whether they would like to write theirs in response.
8. Proofread Your Profile
Your profile won’t look as professional as you would want it to be if errors and typos manage to slip in. That’s why after you finish adding all the information, make sure to proofread it manually and even run through some online proofreading tools to ensure no mistakes were made.
As you see, these tips are quite simple and easy to follow. However, they can benefit you greatly, helping you to make your profile outstanding.
