How to Improve your Linkedin Profile
Setting a New Pace
With the rise of 1st and 2nd round interviews being conducted over zoom and other online chatting platforms, the world of employment has also seen the rise in recruitment from online sources such as Indeed, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn. These platforms were very busy before 2020 as we all know, but have become increasingly popular and useful as we move to a more digital and virtual society. To keep up with the current state of things, I have compiled a list of 10 simple things to help make your LinkedIn profile more attractive to potential employers.
1. Choosing the right pictures to create an image
Your LinkedIn profile is most likely the first glance a potential employer will get of you. Aside from your resume which tells your story in about 800 or so words, your pictures will tell it in thousands. What are you wearing? Is your face visible? Are you smiling? These are all things to consider when choosing the right picture.
Make sure your profile picture is recent so interviewers aren’t shocked when they meet you face to face or on a video call. Keeping it recent will also show them you care about your profile and take care of it to meet your needs. Make sure your face takes up about 60% of the screen so that you stand out. If the picture is taken from a distance, your profile picture will blend into the background when compared to others that are more close up and unique. Your face can help you tell a story to these employers with a simple smile and bright eyes.
To conclude on the idea of telling a story, make sure you add an interesting background photo. Many profiles completely lack a background picture completely so having one will make your account stand out nicely. It will grab attention and add more context about what is important to you as a prospective member of a team.
2. Spice up your headline and description
This step is extremely crucial as you must remember the context of who you want to view your profile. Obviously potential employers will want to know about your current job and point in your career but your headline should also tell them what makes you passionate about your field or what you do. They found your profile because they already have a match for your skills and strengths, but what can you say about yourself to make that more appealing? What fuels those strengths?
The summary is another common part of LinkedIn to leave blank as so many profiles just don’t have one. This is not just a chance to summarize work experience but rather, a chance to tell the story about how you got where you are now. This is where you can truly market yourself to the world as a worthwhile investment.
3. Avoid the cliché
A quick glance through the majority of LinkedIn profiles will show you so many words to stay away from that employers will ask about in an interview anyways. Words such as “specialization”, “focused”, “leadership”, “creative”, and “innovative” can be found on almost any profile and this ubiquity makes them almost meaningless. This is not to say you shouldn’t use them if they’re effective, but you should be careful in their use. Just saying such words doesn’t mean you can display these qualities so make sure to demonstrate these qualities as opposed to just listing them.
4. Create a network
One of the biggest flags that pops up for employers when looking at a LinkedIn profile is how it is used. If it was obviously created just to find employers and upload a resume or apply to a job, it will be obvious. Creating a network on LinkedIn is a great way to show others that you are serious about socially connecting with professionals. An easy way to do this is to sync your profile with your email contact list. What this does is helps LinkedIn suggest people for you to connect with. Lastly, after a meeting, conversation, or any interaction, follow up with a LinkedIn follow request. Doing so will show initiative and help grow your contact list for future endeavors.
5. List your relevant skills
This one goes without saying almost but many still forget to use this resource. It streamlines the skills you have straight to whoever views your profile and makes you easier to find. The real tip here is to keep the skills relevant to whatever you’re doing professionally in the moment. When you first made your account your relevant skills may be extremely different than they are now and it’s important to really get in there and move them around if need need be.
6. Make use of endorsements
When you take the time to dive a little deeper into developing your LinkedIn profile, you’ll find that endorsements become more and more important. They serve to increase credibility on the platform and reinforce the skills you have listed on your profile. The best way to receive endorsements is to give them out! Go through your contact list and network and give out endorsements where you see fit. This will usually result in the people who received endorsements giving them back in return.
If you feel you need endorsements for a particular skill, reach out to some people and ask them to rate you in certain skills. Doing so is great feedback for you and looks good on the profile. Be careful not to reach out to just anyone, only relevant endorsements should be asked for to create the image you want the profile to uphold.
7. Show off your verified skills
There are tons of skills assessments available online that will further boost your credibility on LinkedIn. This is a great way to show employers what you can do versus just telling them since you can display a Verified Skills badge on your account. Studies show that profiles with these badges are almost 30% more likely to be hired for a the roles they apply for.
8. Share media
This LinkedIn account is first and foremost a platform for you to market yourself or your business to the professional world, meaning it’s a social platform before anything else. Nothing catches the eye on social platforms like pictures and video, so why not include some? If it’s for your business, include marketing collateral to develop a bit of depth in your profile. If it is to find employers, include pictures that help tell a story like graduation photos, pictures at work, or even shots of you at a volunteer event. Anything that would appeal to employers should be on there and you don’t have to be afraid to post pictures on the platform.
9. Start Conversations
Another use of the social side of LinkedIn is to use shared content as a jumping off point to start conversations. Network with others who are active on the platform and comment on things that they share. Whether it’s achievements, marketing collateral, learning material, or essentially anything you want to talk about, jump on it. Interacting with others this way is a fantastic way to improve your network while exposing your profile to places it might not have been visible before. Be frugal with comments, placing them in strategic threads because cheap comments are easy to sniff out and seem unprofessional.
10. Follow people more successful than you
Sounds simple enough but it is extremely important. Following those with a bigger business, that have the job you want, or with a large following will expose you to new ideas every day. A lot of the time these people are influencers in your field and can dictate the way the industry moves around you. Pay attention to things they say and what kind of stuff they comment on or like because those trends will apply to you as well.
Following influencers will also provide your profile with context. People can tell what your profile is about from just a glance and the people you follow factors into that. The businesses you interact with and people you have in your circle can say just as much about you as your profile summary and pictures so be sure to monitor that as well.
If you want a more in depth guide on how to grow your LinkedIn profile as a business or person looking for employment, we highly recommend the Blue Sky Guide to LinkedIn. As the number one job search platform on the net, it is good to learn to utilize all the tools available to you from marketing to endorsements. For more information, click here
