4 Ways to Make Your LinkedIn Profile Stand Out
Dust off your neglected LinkedIn profile — it’s time to take it to the next level. Whether it’s just your professional face online or your digital resume, your profile needs to look complete and awesome if you’re going to have a profile at all.
If you complete these four suggestions, you’re LinkedIn profile will be miles ahead of where it was before.
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Upload a professional headshot. The worst LinkedIn profiles are those without any image at all. How many people do you think are named “Dan Johnson” on LinkedIn? At least 3,000. No one will know it’s really you unless there’s a picture to go with the name. If you have an image already, give it a hard look. Is it professional? Is it different than the photo you use on your personal social media pages? Is your face clearly visible? If the answer to any of these is “no,” it’s time to update your profile image. Dress professionally and have a friend or co-worker take your headshot with a decent camera — this isn’t the place for selfies.
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Fill out your summary. View your profile and the summary is right above your work experience. This is where you say in bite-sized fashion who you are, what you do, and why you do it. The summary shouldn’t be long. Just long enough to give someone an idea of who you are (and if they recognize you).
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Write a killer headline. Didn’t know you had a headline? Many LinkedIn users don’t. Take a look at your profile. Right under your name at the top is likely your current job position. Click “Edit Profile” and the edit icon next to that line. Then you can write a custom, compelling headline. You need to encapsulate your work in just a few words. LinkedIn provides examples, even from others in your industry, but don’t just copy one from someone else. Think of it like creating your own job title. A creative, informative headline will stand out from the crowd.
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Add links to content you’ve created. When you’re in edit mode, you can add links or upload files to each position in the experience section to showcase your work. This can include the actual work you’ve done, spec work, or articles about you, if related to the position.
Pro Tip: Turn off activity broadcast when completing a profile overhaul. Otherwise your contacts newsfeed will be filled with every small change you made to your profile!
The information provided in this blog is intended for general information purposes only. Readers should seek the help of an HR professional for guidance on specific issues.
