10 Ways to Strengthen Your LinkedIn Profile

You never know who might be looking at your profile and what they see is very important. Your LinkedIn profile is the first impression you make on people and you need to make sure that it is looking its best.

In this article, I will be sharing 10 simple tips that you can use to boost your LinkedIn profile and ensure that you make the best out of this chance to present yourself. 

1) Curate Your Groups

When you first signed up for LinkedIn, you probably bypassed the whole group section or joined every possible group. Take a few moments to browse through your list. Participating in some carefully chosen groups can help you widen your network and grow your business.  You should delete those that are not relevant and try to find some groups that you see yourself benefiting from. You do not want to be overwhelmed, so make sure you are careful about which groups you join. For example, you can join a group that is relevant to your industry, location or job titles.

Another group to join is your school’s alumni network which will help to ensure that you stay in the loop with what’s going on with other alumni. You never know when a career opportunity might pop up and you can use your school tie.

2) Update Your Current Responsibilities

Make sure that your current position is up to date with your title, location, and responsibilities. After all, that’s one of the first things people look at on your profile. If you have switched jobs, you should quickly update your profile.

Include a short summary under each responsibilities to sum up your experience and share information quickly and efficiently. You can also add multimedia components to visually show off your work. This not only provides an actual portfolio piece a recruiter can grab, but it boosts the overall appearance of your profile.

3) Filter Through Your Skills and Endorsements

Select the most appropriate skills and place them at the top of your list. Microsoft Office or any other universally known programs should never be at the top of your list. You only can showcase up to 50 skills and you should strategically choose them. You should also rearrange your list by placing similar skills together so that it is easier for recruiters to define your core skills.

4) Customize Your LinkedIn URL

Everyone is given a very long and impersonal URL link to your LinkedIn profile. Even though it might not make an extreme difference to your LinkedIn profile, it is super easy to change so why not? Personalising your URL will also give out a professional and well-thought-out image.

Include your name in your URL. For example, http://linkedincom/in/firstnamelastname. Super simple yet it stands out! If that option is not available, try including your middle initials or your birth year.

Here’s how to do it in three steps:

– Click on profile
– Click edit profile
– Click edit right under your photo

5) Ask for a Recommendation

Everywhere you go, people are bound to ask you to send over some references. LinkedIn’s recommendations are the perfect shortcut for this because you already know who thinks you are talented and which of your skills are valued the most. It is always impressive to see recommendations on someone’s profile as it means that he/she is a great worker that people will want to endorse publicly.

Therefore, if you have done a good job, do not be afraid to ask for a recommendation. Be as personal and as polite as possible when you reach out to others. Always offer to write one in return as well!

6) Choose a Great Profile Photo

Your profile photo is the only way someone can catch a glimpse of how you look in real life. You need to portray that you are confident, successful and trustworthy etc. One way to do so will be to get a headshot taken. Make sure you are wearing appropriate clothes and you look professional. It is definitely a worthwhile investment to pay a pro to do this since you can use the photo on all your social media platforms.

These photos are absolutely not acceptable:

– A half cropped photo of you
– A selfie
– Any other person or animal in the photo
– Any other objects in the photo (e.g. food and drinks)

7) Follow the Right People

Whatever industry you’re working in, it is worth browsing through LinkedIn’s categories of industry to make sure you’ve chosen the most accurate and appropriate one. This makes it easier for you to connect with people in the same field and to keep up with key individuals in the industry. By following key leaders and influencers, your newsfeed will fill up with advice that’s relevant to you.

8) Rewrite Your Headline

Your headline is one of the first thing people see when they view your profile so you should be very wary of what you include in your headline. Every time you change your current position or company, LinkedIn changes your headline to your updated title by default. Many people miss this out which results in a very unattractive profile. Instead, you want a compelling and unique headline to make you stand out from other users on the site. You can do so by explaining your core expertise and your experience in your headline. Entice people to want to find out more about you.

9) Be As Open As Possible

You should always include your contact details on your profile so that people can contact you even if they are not connected to you. You never know who might be interested in working with you but was unable to find your contact details. Your profile summary is an ideal place to put your contact details.

Also, ensure that your profile is publicly visible so that it can be found in search engines outside of LinkedIn. You can do this under the settings tab. The more visible you are, the better.

10) Stay Connected

You should definitely connect with all of your current clients or people you have worked with. These people will be able to endorse you and they are your best source of referrals. Connecting with new contacts often ensures that your profile stays sufficiently active and fresh.

Another way to stay connected and make the best out of LinkedIn is to share a relevant status update between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM each workday. Sharing information on your feed will constantly remind your contacts about you and ensure you maintain a high profile within your network.I hope you find these tips useful! Do one every other day and you will have an attractive profile in no time!