How to create an awesome LinkedIn profile
While people are fluent in most social networks that exist on the internet today, LinkedIn is one that still mystifies them.
A sizable chunk treat the site like an online resume, thereby ignoring its true power to connect potential business partners and employees with great employers.
How can you create an awesome LinkedIn profile? This post will clue you in on a few tips that will help you make the most of this underutilized social network.
Get a stunning professional photo taken
As much as we don’t like to admit it, looks count for a lot in our modern society. While the resumes of old gave people the benefit of the doubt at first, hiring managers often look at LinkedIn profiles first these days.
Those that post professional looking photos will find themselves making it past the first cut more often than not. If you are applying for a job at a firm that has conservative work culture, you’ll want to emulate David Barcomb by wearing a shirt and tie.
In other instances, wearing a business casual shirt is perfectly fine, so long as it is clean. One more thing: don’t forget to smile!
Make good use of the summary field
Many people simply give a rundown of their career from start to finish. Don’t be afraid to use the summary field to accentuate the biggest achievements in your work life to date.
Additionally, most people aren’t aware that you can upload media files as well. If you translate well to video, be sure to create a video introduction that allows prospects to evaluate your verbal and presentation skills.
Done right, this can give you a big edge over your competition.
Add links to online portfolios
If you are a creative, making use of the ability to link to blogs or online portfolio sites is key to getting noticed.
By allowing prospects to see your writing or graphics work, they will be able to quickly make a decision on whether to proceed to the next stage of negotiating a working relationship with you.
Get recommendations from fellow colleagues
The true power of LinkedIn is the ability to garner recommendations from your fellow connections in your network.
By having fellow professionals put into words how your expertise in a given area makes you a suitable candidate, you will be able to launch partnerships and get interviews much faster.
Use your status updates to flaunt your expertise
LinkedIn is not like Facebook, where users post status updates about what they had for breakfast. On LinkedIn, the power of the status update lies in the fact that you can post essays disclosing your thoughts on current events in your industry, or by broadcasting news on a given topic that may be of interest to your fellow colleagues.
When potential business partners or employers see this sort of activity on your feed, they know that you are in the loop, making you more attractive to them.
Guest Author: Lolita Di