In the modern era of remote work, LinkedIn is more important than ever before. Now, professionals must ensure that their online presence effectively showcases their skills. By using LinkedIn, professionals have a digital resume for potential employers or clients to view. However, you should ensure that your LinkedIn profile is working for you, not against you. Follow the tips below to improve your LinkedIn profile
Having a bad photo, or even worse no photo on your LinkedIn profile will mean potential employers or clients won’t even look further. In fact, profiles with pictures receive more views and messages. You should ensure that your profile photo is professional, after all, it is the first impression someone may have of you. This doesn’t necessarily mean a classic headshot though, as many professionals now use photos of themselves in the field. For example, at a speaking engagement, running a workshop, or while working. Always use high-resolution, and well-lit images.
Using your headline space to your advantage can significantly improve your LinkedIn profile. The headline space is designed to help you provide a snapshot of your brand. Use strategic keywords and descriptors to help your profile rank higher on the LinkedIn search pages. This is similar to SEO on your website, so use relevant keywords and make the 120 characters you have count!
This is where you can add substance and detail to what you’ve mentioned in your headline. Summary statements are the first item that people will likely read once on your profile. Thus, it is important to sell yourself and your brand. Key details to mention in this area are your title, what that means, your experience, and any goals you have moving forward. It is important to cover this in an interesting yet concise way. Use your summary to showcase your personality alongside your skills.
The majority of people will remember what they see, over what they read. Thus, adding a background image to your profile can really help you make a great first impression. Ensure you select a relevant, high-quality image that demonstrates your brand and industry niche. Always double-check how your image looks before hitting publish. You can add words or phrases into your image, however, ensure that you place these in a way that is still readable. Use your branding colors and font to create a seamless, professional aesthetic. Example: If you are a speaker, a photo of you speaking on stage can work great!
LinkedIn is a professional networking site. Therefore, to get the most from it, you should use your profile as your online portfolio. Make sure you utilize the project section by uploading images, presentations, and videos of your work. You can also take advantage of the reference and endorsements section, to boost your portfolio. In this section clients, employers, and fellow colleagues can leave a recommendation or endorse your skills. Both of these will help to boost your professionalism while building trust with potential clients and employers. These are also the areas, employers look at when researching potential employees.
LinkedIn is one of the best social media networks for professionals, and the only one completely designed for professionals. As such, if you are looking to boost your career and expand your brand, it’s time to improve your LinkedIn profile. This can help you to network better and build professional relationships online. Thus leading to more opportunities and potential job offers.
