Introduction
LinkedIn is an essential tool for job seekers and business professionals, but it can also be a confusing platform. If you’re not using it to its full potential, you’re missing out on opportunities to connect with other professionals and get discovered by recruiters who may be looking for someone just like you. If you want to take your LinkedIn profile from good to great, here’s what you need to know:
Make the most of your photo.
The photo you choose for your LinkedIn profile is important. It’s the first thing that people see when they look at your LinkedIn profile, and it can affect how much trust they put in what you have to say. Choose a professional photo that shows off your personality and face:
- Make sure it’s good quality and well-lit. The image should be sharp and clear, so avoid using photos where the lighting is too dark or where there are distracting elements in the background such as buildings or signs.
- Try to use a recent picture of yourself—the best pictures will be those taken within the last couple of years, so if possible, get one taken specifically for this purpose! Make sure it’s professionally done (i.e., not taken with an iPhone camera). If possible include other shots of you doing things related to your career path; these can help show recruiters/employers more about who they’d be hiring/working with if they hired/hired someone like them!
Optimize your headline.
Here’s the deal: your headline should be short and catchy. It should also tell people what you do. If you’re a copywriter, say “Copywriter.” If you write technical documentation, say “Technical Writer.”
The most important thing is to make sure that your headline is no more than 60 characters long—anything longer than that will cut off when viewed on LinkedIn’s mobile app.
It’s tempting to use clickbait headlines like “The Secrets of Success!” or “How To Make $100 An Hour With Your Writing Skills.” Resist this temptation! These kinds of headlines are annoying at best and spammy at worst. When writing your own professional bio, focus on making it clear about who you are and what value-adds you bring to potential clients/employers.
Craft a killer summary.
Your summary is the first thing people see when they visit your profile. It’s your chance to make a good first impression, so make it count! Make sure that your summary is clear, concise and relevant to your target audience. Create an engaging and professional summary by using action verbs that highlight your accomplishments. Remember: you only have 500 characters to tell people what you’ve done—so make them count!
If you’re not sure how best to write a killer summary for LinkedIn, check out this guide from our friends at [The Muse](https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-write-a-killer-linkedin-summary).
Add your experience.
The next step is to add your experience. This includes your current position, as well as any previous roles you’ve held. If you are still in school, you can include this information in a way that shows employers that you have an interest in growing professionally and continuing your studies.
Skill-wise, LinkedIn allows users to list up to seven skills they feel they excel at. It’s important not just to select the skills that best describe what you do but also those which may be relevant for the jobs you want to pursue; so if one of your desired positions requires proficiency with Oracle databases and Java programming languages (which it does), then make sure those appear on your profile!
Create a custom URL.
A custom URL for your profile is a great way to make it stand out from the crowd. This can be as simple as adding a domain name or extension like “.com” or “.me” onto the end of your first name, last name, or business name (e.g., jane-smith.com). If you do not have rights over the domain you’d like to use and don’t want to pay for one, consider using a service such as Domainr that finds domains that aren’t being used but might be available down the road once their owner decides they are no longer relevant in today’s digital world.
Showcase your skills.
If you want to build a successful LinkedIn profile, the first step is to showcase your skills. After all, your professional network doesn’t just want to know what you’ve done in the past; they want to know what you’re capable of doing now and in the future.
You may be wondering how exactly you can do this. Well, it’s simple: just post new articles or blog posts that highlight your work and experience! If your article was published in a prestigious publication or won an award, make sure everyone knows about it by adding these details to the “Publications” section of your profile page.
Additionally (and this goes for every other type of content), be sure that each piece shows off one or two specific skills/accomplishments/interests/etc., so readers will know exactly what makes YOU special enough for them to add as a connection.
Include volunteer work or other positions that show off your skills and passions.
Volunteer work is a great way to show off your skills, strengths, and passions. It also shows that you have a strong sense of responsibility and are willing to go above and beyond what is expected of you.
Whether you’re helping out at an animal shelter or coaching kids’ soccer, volunteer experience looks great on your profile, especially if it’s relevant to the job you’re applying for. If possible, include a photo or two from your time volunteering as well (it just adds another layer of authenticity).
Endorse and recommend others.
LinkedIn has a feature called Endorsements that allows you to endorse or recommend your connections for skills, accomplishments and other characteristics. This is an excellent way to connect with people you don’t know but share similar interests with. You can also use this tool to help others build their profile by recommending them when they are in need of assistance. Endorsements are a great way of showing off your expertise and credibility in the professional world!
Get endorsed by others.
Endorsements from others can help you stand out as a candidate by providing proof of your skills and experience. Endorsements can come from colleagues, clients or anyone else you have worked with in the past—and some companies even ask for endorsements when hiring.
If you don’t have any endorsements yet, consider asking someone who knows your work well to give you one. For example: “John Doe is an excellent project manager; he helped us meet our deadline every time we collaborated.”
Connect with people you know. It’s a great way to start building your professional network. You can connect with people you worked with, studied with, or just know from school or other activities. If they are in your field, they can be more than a friend — they can be an expert who could help you out down the line by making an introduction or giving advice on how best to achieve your career goals.
You can create a LinkedIn profile that helps you stand out to potential employers, recruiters and colleagues. LinkedIn is a great way to showcase your skills and experience, network with people you know and people you don’t know, find new jobs and find new clients.
LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional social network. With more than 500 million users from 200 countries in over 200 languages (and growing), it has become the most important tool for job seekers.
Conclusion
Now that you’re equipped with some of the best LinkedIn profile tips, it’s time to get started! Remember, it may take some time and practice before you feel totally comfortable with your profile. Don’t worry if things don’t go according to plan at first—just keep at it until your profile looks exactly like what you want. If something isn’t working out well for you, then change it up a bit and try again until you find something that works. We hope our guide has helped! Good luck with creating an amazing professional profile today!
