LinkedIn is a great place to grow your professional network, no matter where you are in your professional journey. Staying active on your LinkedIn account is a way for you to meet others in your field, gain valuable knowledge, and make yourself known to potential employers. If you don’t know where to start or your profile just needs a refresh, here are 7 things you can focus on:
Profile Photo
Your profile photo is your first chance to make a good impression on anyone viewing your LinkedIn page. Choose a photo that looks the most like a headshot, making sure that your person takes up roughly 60% of the available space, and make sure that it showcases your “professional side” as opposed to a more casual photo.
Headline
Your headline is the portion directly under your name and is a great way to optimize your profile to recruiters. Use your headline to highlight your skills and experience, and should be more engaging than just stating your current position and company. Your headline should be captivating enough to draw people in and make them want to view the rest of your profile.
About
Your “About” section should be informative but keep it concise. Use this space to showcase yourself to those viewing your profile, but don’t overwhelm or bore people with unnecessary information. Some key details you should include are your accomplishments, core skills, and aspirations.
Experience
Add your work experience, starting with your most recent, and include a few bullet points or a short paragraph detailing your responsibilities and key accomplishments for each role. Be sure to highlight responsibilities that would be seen as impressive and could help you stand out.
Skills
The “Skills” section on your profile is a great way to emphasize your value to potential employers. Whether you have soft skills, hard skills, or both, this is the place to really show them off. In addition to listing your skills on your profile, you can also take skill quizzes that will display badges on your profile.
Connections
LinkedIn is the go-to place for creating and growing your professional network. You should connect with your current colleagues, people you know from previous professional or academic experience, and anyone else you think would be valuable to your network. Connecting with people you don’t know all that well via LinkedIn can be a great way to introduce yourself and grow your network.
Posts
LinkedIn is a great place to share thoughts and ideas, participate in discussions, and share who you are. Some people like to keep their LinkedIn profiles strictly professional, while others like to share a mix of professional and personal content. Whichever you prefer, make sure your LinkedIn posts are informative, engaging, and appropriate for your audience.
Whether you’re starting your LinkedIn profile from scratch or making improvements to your current profile, following these 7 tips is great way to make the best possible impression on anyone that visits your LinkedIn profile.
