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Add Value to Your LinkedIn Profile

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Like so many of us, I gradually allowed myself to ignore LinkedIn.  I’m embarrassed to tell you that I logged in again last month, after a two-year hiatus.  I completely undervalued the free, widely used and beneficial resource that is LinkedIn.  It’s time to take another look.

Over the years I built up a solid profile, complete with endorsements, recommendations, a photo and even a SlideShare presentation and about once a year, I’d do an update and refresh.  After my inexcusably lengthy absence, I was happy to discover new profile enhancements that can showcase ambitious professionals and make us look very capable to both  connections and prospective clients or employers.

If you’re job hunting, or if you are self-employed and in constant search of project work, these features can be a real plus.  I think a visit to candidates’ profiles is a must-do for most hiring managers.  My profile strength is now at the All-Star level! Here are my upgrades:

  • LINK.  My favorite new feature is the website link that all professional experience listings now offer.  Click on the link; copy/paste the organization web address into the dialogue box; see the nice image that pops into the visuals box; click continue, then click add to profile and presto!  Your profile will now feature eye-catching images that entice interested parties to explore your affiliated organizations and the expertise that you contribute.  You can also link a photo, document, presentation, or a video and provide good  insight  into the organization and your role there.
  • SPOTLIGHT.  Above your profile photo and headline  job listing, notice the ticker tape of skills spotlight options that you can click on, fill in and add still more  information to showcase your expertise, professional activities and achievements.  I saw questions that  pertained to groups and acitivities that I participated in at school; articles that I might have recently published; and work samples or special projects that I’d like to add to my profile.
  • GROUPS.  Regular readers may recall that in October, I completed first round judging for an organization that presents awards to C- Suite level women in business (there are also mixed gender European, Asian/Pacific and American business awards that I do not judge). The organizers invited me to join the unlisted LinkedIn group for award judges and I was happy to do so.  I plan to follow discussions and find out what I can learn and contribute.  Remember to also join your college alumni group, which can be great resources professionally and personally.
  • UPDATES.  Regular readers may also recall that I recently performed editing, photo editing and self-publishing project management for a history book that was launched in September.  I finally posted that info in the update section on the home page and uploaded the book cover photo.

Other enhancements that may fit your situation might include:

  • HEADLINE. When you add a new employment listing, LinkedIn automatically makes the new job title your headline and for some, this may not be ideal.  Some of the traditionally employed might make a lateral move, temporarily upsetting the upward linear career slope.  Freelance consultants may take a part-time job that likewise enhances the overall skill set,  but may not be worthy of the branding headline.  Consider revising your headline, even if it will not precisely adhere to your official job title. Your mission is personal brand enhancement and LinkedIn, while often viewed by prospective employers, is not your official CV.  Furthermore, consider reordering your list of professional positions to give prominence to what you want to highlight.  In edit profile, click on the up and down arrows to the right of the job title and see a 4 prong icon.  Use that to drag and facilitate your job reorder.
  • URL. Rather than keeping the auto-generated LinkedIn profile URL, visit your profile page, click on edit profile, see the link directly below your photo and click again to set up a customized URL for your profile.
  • CREDENTIALS. On the profile page, click edit profile and beneath your photo and URL, see “add a section to your profile.” Below that, see “view more” and click there, to reveal an array of enhancements you can add to your profile, including certifications, patents, special projects and your professional publications.
  • RESPOND.  When connections celebrate a success— work anniversary, post a good update, move to a new job, or publish a blog post that you find interesting—send a LinkedIn email to comment and congratualte.
  • PURGE. Delete connections that no longer make sense, or those who ignore your questions or other outreach.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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LinkedIn Profile Refresh

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Happy Year of the Dragon!  The New Year vibe is still rolling,  so I wonder if you’d like to keep-up the self-improvement kick and take a fresh look at your LinkedIn profile?  Usually,  I revisit mine about once a year.  Last year,  I pared down my rather long and complicated summary section. 

 I realized that in certain instances,  less is more and simplified my statement.  About  every 12-18 months,  I think it’s useful to make sure that my LinkedIn profile aligns with how I’m positioning myself and what I’m saying in the verbal package that is my elevator pitch.   So let’s do a little housekeeping.

Purge the clutter

Comb through your job history and weed out or streamline whatever does not support and enhance your professional goals.  Retain several years of your employment history,  but limit non-aligned jobs to title,  company and a one-sentence description of your responsibilities.  Use you employment and volunteer experience to reflect your brand and professional aspirations.

Add keywords

The headline of your profile is the critical factor in search results.  Choose your most relevant keywords carefully and add to your headline.  Be mindful of the subtle difference between keywords that are vital for your business / career and terms that are frequently searched.  If you provide services for a select market those keywords should reflect that market,  even if they are searched less often. 

 Judiciously embed relevant descriptive keywords that are associated with your business category into your headline and summary sections.   Visit Google Keywords Tool and identify popular keywords that will attract a sufficiently broad audience in local searches and then drill down to target your niche by discovering keywords that industry insiders might  search.

Add apps

Install Slide Share and upload a Power Point presentation to your profile that will communicate more specific details about your services.  I use WordPress Blog Link to invite connections and visitors to my page to read weekly blog postings.  I always write an excerpt that I hope connections will find tempting when LinkedIn Updates announces the arrival of a new post.

As of last week,  visitors to my profile will now find the app that was rolled out just a few months ago,  the Skills App.  The nice feature about  Skills is that you’ll receive data on groups that focus on that skill;  companies where that skill is common;  posted jobs requiring that skill;  and the size and growth trends of other professionals who hold that skill. 

Other free apps that may serve you well include Events,  that will let connections know the meet-ups and conferences where you will speak;  Portfolio Display,  that allows creative types to showcase their work;  and Reading List,  that allows you to share with connections the professional development books you’ve read and get ideas on additional books that you might find useful.  All of the apps will appear on your profile page.

Get recommendations

Recommendations are testimonials that provide third-party verification of your expertise and further support your professional goals and brand.  Ask a professional colleague who can vouch for your work to detail your contributions to a project that went especially well. 

 Specific,  quantifiable information that highlights your impact on company objectives enhances your credibility and is more believable than effusive compliments that merely tell people how talented you are.  Always return the favor and write a recommendation for those who produce testimonials for you.  In fact,  get the process started by  “spontaneously”  writing a recommendation for a colleague so that you can receive one in return.

LinkedIn is about creating and nurturing relationships,  so do your part and engage in conversations.  Congratulate your connections when an update comes through that heralds an achievement.   When you invite someone to join your network,  tell that person why you’re inviting them.  When someone invites you,  take the time to thank that person for his/her consideration.

Join groups appropriate for your skill set and goals and become known for posing good questions,  leading discussions and sharing timely and useful information.  Visit the  “Answers ”  forum and contribute thoughtful responses to questions that will allow you to showcase your judgment and expertise.  Utilize the free resource that is LinkedIn to position yourself as a go-to resource in your niche.

Thanks for reading,

Kim