While LinkedIn is an effective networking tool, it is not an easy task to distinguish yourself from the half a billion other users who are trying to be unique. But just a few small improvements can have a huge impact. Five minutes is enough to take your LinkedIn profile to the next level. Yes, you just need 5 minutes. Try these ways to improve your LinkedIn profile.
Ways to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile
Make your LinkedIn Profile Public- Go to your account settings and ensure that your public profile is visible. This simple change will allow you to show up in the searches.
Update the location- This will enhance accuracy when someone searches. Let’s say for example, “Engineers in Dallas.” This step is not only beneficial if you want to be recruited or appear in searches for the clients; it is also one method to take your online network offline. It is how people in your extended group will know you live in their city/ area- so they think to meet you for a coffee.
Be strategic about your endorsement skills- Do you have endorsements for the brunch of run-of-mill skills that do nothing to assist you to stand out. If yes, they are detracting. You want your skill section to do two major things. These are including keywords that make you appear in every search and reinforce the story that you are telling about yourself and what are the things that you can do. So, click into that section and do three things:
- Add skills that are important for someone in your role and industry
- Delete meaningless skills, if any
- Reorder the list so your most significant skills are on the top
- Before you say endorsements do not matter, you must know they do!
Make a customized URL- A customized URL makes it so much simpler to send individuals to your profile and it means there is no need to worry about whether they will find you or not.
Add background- It is one of the most important features. It gives you a chance to show creativity and highlights your company. Think about what people will immediately associate with what you do or choose from over 20 free of cost, professional options that are available.
Update your picture- As per LinkedIn, profiles with headshots are viewed more when compared to the profile that does not have a profile picture. Your headshot must be clear, professional and include only you. So, it is always better to browse your phone for any pictures like that. Once you find it, spare five minutes to load in.
Update your contact information- Ensure your phone number, email, website and other professional information. Always keep in mind that LinkedIn InMail is just available for Premium users, and you want to ensure that anyone can contact you regarding great opportunities.
Build up your headline- This is your opportunity to impress potential clients and employers, so do not waste this important space. Most of the professionals list their current position or title, but they do not stop here. They always add one important attribute that will help them stand out from the crowd.
Turn your summary into your story- To make your LinkedIn profile stand out, you must make sure that you have a summary. It is surprising to see how many people still leave this area blank while creating their LinkedIn profiles. Your summary is a chance to tell about yourself- so do not use it to just list your skills or your job titles. Try to make others understand why those skills are important and the difference they can make to those who work with you. Do not be scared to invest some time, try a few drafts, and come up with an ultimate summary. This is your most personal piece of content writing- and it is worth the hard work.
Expand your network- One of the easiest and simplest ways to improve your LinkedIn profile is to sync your profile with your email address book. This allows LinkedIn to suggest people with whom you could connect with. It is amazing how efficient this can be at surfacing important people for you to reach to- and no connection requests are sent without you giving permission, so you can check all of the potential connections. Apart from this, you should follow up meetings and conversations with LinkedIn connection requests- it is a great method to keep your network vibrant and updated.
Filter your endorsements and skills- Do you remember, when you clicked “add” to the endorsements people sent you because you were so thrilled people thought you were good at, well anything? As awesome as that may have been for you, some endorsements and skills should not cut. Think of this as your time to safeguard the gate.
Look for a recommendation- If you are interviewing, you are bound to reach that point in the process where you have made it after a couple of rounds: Would you mind sending over some references? Recommendations of LinkedIn are the right shortcut for this as you will come to know about people who think you have talent, and which of your skills they prefer the most. Better? People who scroll through your profile will see that you are a great worker who they want to endorse publicly. So, spare a few minutes and ask a previous supervisor, a current employer, or a co-worker to spend a few minutes writing one for you.
When you are approaching someone for that recommendation, ensure to keep the request personal and include why you believe this person would be perfect to write it for you.
Follow the right people- To improve your LinkedIn profile, it is necessary to follow the right people. Believe it or not, LinkedIn goes much beyond your network. It lets you keep up with people in your industry and successful people who inspire you. By following important influencers and leaders, your newsfeed will fill up with suggestions that are relevant to you.
Receive and give recommendations- Recommendations are like references and simple to get on LinkedIn. Reach out to colleagues, your previous supervisors, and current managers. You can ask them to share their thoughts on your work and your best qualities- but be sure to return the favor.
Personalize your header picture- Customize the header image to add some unique personality to your profile: There are a few stock photos available, but if you can, make your image ( PNG, GIF, or JPG, NOT MORE THAN 4MB and between 4000×4000 and 1000×425 pixels). Look at other people’s header to get some inspiration, but anything in line with your company, personality, or brand will work. Ensure it is professional that you want your future company to observe.
Do some cleaning- You might have created your LinkedIn profile a few years ago and just kept adding experience, skills, endorsements, connections, and groups. If so, it is the time for a change. Make sure your profile is clear, concise, and focused. List only those skills and experiences that are relevant to your career goals. Knowing Microsoft Word or knowing things about the internet will not make you stand out in the crowd. You must leave groups or remove connections that are not interesting or useful anymore.