If you are wanting to make sure that your LinkedIn profile is doing everything it can for you, then you have come to the right place. In this blog, we are going to talk about the multitude of things that you can do to not only get your name out there but make it highly visible to potential employers around the globe. So, if you are wondering what sections of your profile are the most important, then continue reading to maximize your visibility on LinkedIn.
Profile Basics
LinkedIn has taken most of the guesswork out of creating your profile. They have a section that is called “Profile Basics.” To start, you are going to want to complete all the items on their list. This will not take a lot of time, but you do need to remember that the better you make it the less work that you will have to do later. After all, your LinkedIn profile is going to be the cornerstone of you your online presence. You don’t want to necessarily make your profile look like your CV. When you are trying to attract prospective employers, you don’t want them to have to read through the list of all the things you have done up to that point in your life. Giving them a basic rundown of what you have done will be more than sufficient. There are other places in LinkedIn that you can provide them with these details. Once you have piqued their interest, they will likely visit that section to find out if you have sufficient skills. Just remember, the basics are to attract not gloat.
Customize
Next, you are going to want to customize your URL. This will allow people to easily find you. That way if you are in a face to face meeting with someone, you can simply direct them to your LinkedIn page with your name. If you have a common name, you may have to do a few things to stand out. Try adding your middle name or initial to differentiate yourself. Adding numbers to your name could be another way to do this. Try for important dates that will be easy to remember. Additionally, you can shorten your name. Meaning, if your name is Robert, you could go with Bob. All these little tricks will make your name stand out and easy to remember for prospective employers.
Editing
LinkedIn has a specific way that they have laid out your headline. That does not mean that you have to leave it that way. In fact, there are ways that are more effective, and you should really give them a try. To edit your headline, simply click on the “Me” icon at the top of the page. Follow that by clicking on the “View Profile” link. Finally, click on the “Edit” icon. On this page, you cannot only edit your headline but many different details about yourself. Your headline is the most important. The reason is that this is going to be the first thing they read right under your name. You want it to be something that will really catch their attention. Remember, this is not just any social media site. This is your PROFESSIONAL social media site. You should respect the platform and write something that will catch their attention without resorting to other social media tactics.
Video
Something that is a bit new to the professional market is the video resume. You should consider doing one. Not only will you be setting yourself apart from the rest of the crowd, but you will also get to tell your prospective employer about yourself. People are more inclined these days to watch a video on something rather than read it. News outlets have seen this as a growing trend. They used to only provide text versions of their stories on the internet. As of late, they have been providing the video link as well. They find that more people are clicking on the video than are not. So, take this opportunity to tell your visitors about yourself. Telling is selling in this case. Besides, reading through a dozen profiles in a day can get quite boring. You might just be the breath of fresh air they needed at that point.
Endorsements
Finally, you are going to want to get some endorsements. You are going to have to start off by listing all of your soft and hard skills. This will allow people that you are connections with to view this list. After you have made this list, you are going to want to ask your contacts to review them. If they feel so inclined, invite them to endorse you. This endorsement will have a positive impact on the way that a prospective employer will view you. Think of it as a personal review site. Since we know that a large portion of the population looks at review sites before deciding to invest in a product, we can only assume this translates to the business world. If you have a lot of people saying wonderful things about you, this will make you look desirable to a recruiter.
Conclusion
When it comes to maintaining your professional reputation, you cannot ever overlook the small things. Many users of social media don’t consider who will be looking at their profile. They do know their family and friends will be looking at it, but that is as far as it goes. You need to assume that whenever you make a social media profile, someone that you don’t want to see your stuff will be looking at it. So, while the above tips are great for LinkedIn, they would be well suited for many other social media platforms. It is never too late to boost your professional image. This is just the jumping off point. You will likely find that once you get your LinkedIn Profile looking great you will want to make your other social media platforms looking equally as great. This is not only a good idea, but it is highly advised.