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Making the Most of LinkedIn: It's All About the Details
If you're on LinkedIn (and chances are, you are), you probably fall into one of two categories:
A: You're on LinkedIn periodically to regularly and keep your profile updated to some extent
B: You created a page years ago and it hasn't really changed since
Regardless of your LinkedIn relationship, you aren't optimizing LinkedIn to its fullest potential.
LinkedIn has branded itself as a social media platform for your professional brand and has enhanced its features to mirror some experiences you'd find on Instagram and other socials.
It's time to modernize your profile and optimize the enhanced capabilities LinkedIn offers. I sat in on an invite-only LinkedIn training last week and took killer notes to share with you in this post.
Why You Should Spruce Up Your LinkedIn Profile
First Impressions: About 94% of recruiters peek at LinkedIn profiles before making decisions. Your profile is the showcase of your personal brand that sometimes may be seen by hiring managers or recruiters before they even see your resume.
Standing Out: With millions actively job hunting on LinkedIn, a refined profile helps you rise above the crowd. As a recruiter, I used to spend hours scrolling through LinkedIn Recruiter search results seeing one profile after another and they all looked the same: few details, minimal keywords, zero accomplishments, no persuasion, no compelling narrative... and I kept scrolling.
Visibility: A complete and polished profile makes you more discoverable and it also frames your personal brand and your area of thought leadership. I hear you, you're thinking "I'm not really a thought leader in anything." The truth is, you probably are. You bring your own unique perspective to your work, profession and practice... and that's your brand and where you can establish thought leadership.
Giving Depth to Your LinkedIn Profile
The most important place to start? Completing all sections of your profile. The more content and keyword optimization you build into your profile across all sections, the more likely you are to show up in searches. And isn't that usually why we're on LinkedIn? Most of us are there to grow our network and connect with others through our professional social channel.
Photo
Having a photo on your profile makes you human to your audience. This creates more trust and engagement. Avoid cropped images (where you're copping friends or family out to make the photo fit), selfies, or group photos. And make sure it's a recent photo.
If you haven't had a professional photo taken lately, I encourage you to do so. I have some wonderful local photographer recommendations in my area, but also recommend looking locally. People usually assume that headshots are expensive, but like everything, there are a lot of great options at a low cost (I got 50 images for $40).
Headline
Your headline is your shop window of your personal brand. You want to clearly depict who you are, what you do, and why you're different.
About Section
This section offers a snapshot of who you are, your journey, and what you're passionate about. It should showcase your thought leadership and the total value you bring to your work.
A lot of people are afraid of making their About Section personal, but it should have a personal feel to it and be written in first-person. This section starts to give context to more about who you are, what you've accomplished, and why you do what you do.
Remember, the Headline was the store window with the eye-catching display, the About section is your introduction to your audience once they've chosen they're intrigued and want to know more about you.
Experience
It’s more than just job titles or a copy and paste of your resume—it’s the roles you've played, the challenges you've embraced, and the milestones you've achieved. Your experience section shouldn't spend time talking about tasks or responsibilities, it should be a list of impact and achievements.
Keep the bullets brief, yet impactful and informative. Remember, we are now showing your audience how you've put your skills and competencies to work and the impact that you've created.
Skills
This is usually the most under-used section on anyone's LinkedIn profile. The average LinkedIn profile I see has 5-7 skills selected, and many don't have any selected.
LinkedIn allows you to add up to 50 skills and you should utilize all 50 on your profile. Maximize them out to maximize your visibility. Highlight your key skills and when colleagues vouch for them, it's a stamp of credibility.
Keep Your Profile Current
Your LinkedIn profile is dynamic. It grows with you, reflecting your evolving career. Did you know? In 2021, LinkedIn played a role in facilitating interviews for 122 million individuals, with 35.5 million landing jobs via a connection. But you have to be active to be seen.
Being active on LinkedIn means going in and periodically updating your profile, liking and commenting on content, and making new network connections.
You should also follow companies you're interested in and periodically engage with their content by commenting, liking or responding to posts and content.
Did you know? LinkedIn Recruiters can now see how active you've been and if you've engaged with their company. Those who have been more active and more engaged with company content are viewed higher in searches.
Need a Hand with Your LinkedIn?
If your LinkedIn profile is in desperate need of a makeover, we got this. Our team at The Resume Realist specialize in helping you shine and amplify your personal brand.
Ready to be seen? https://www.theresumerealist.com/plans-pricing
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