LinkedIn has became a handy tool to share with prospective employers your resume online. Not only has it truly taken off in the last few years, but it is becoming a necessity for job-seekers to not only have a LinkedIn but to make sure they master it and have a stunning profile on the site. With over 300 million members in over 200 countries around the world that currently use LinkedIn, it’s crucial that your profile stands out form the rest and utilizes all the features available on the site.
How can this be done you ask? We’ve gathered just for you some expert opinions from the blog on LinkedIn itself, as well as Business Insider and Huffington Post that lead us to these tips and tricks to a better profile. Enjoy them and happy editing!
- Strong Summary – The summary is one of the first chances you have to stun viewers. Make sure it’s length appropriate, creative and truly describes yourself in an interesting way that employers will like.
- Profile Picture – Opting to only have the standard gray avatar is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. According to a post on Business Insider specifically about including a photo on LinkedIn, your photo is one of the most sought after and looked at items on the profile. Glancing at this Heat Map shown in the post, the study was conducted on 30 professional recruiters and shows the areas that they spent the most time on. A winning professional photo is clearly of utmost importance.
- Add Other Visuals/Media – If any other photos, videos, or visuals can showcase your talent and work, you should put them on your profile. Marketing Research shows us that online people respond greater to visual elements as opposed to text. While your whole profile shouldn’t be photos allowing for some media on your page makes for a more creative profile
- Re-order Items For Best Layout – From top to bottom make sure that your listed items are placed in a manner that fits with most recent experiences as well as ones of most importance. It does you no good to
- Get Endorsed and Endorse Others – Endorsements are a way of professionals building their credibility. Make sure to not leave this section blank as it looks like your skills are limited and little. While you’re at it, it’s a nice thing to look at other connections skills and endorse them for something you truly believe they do well at. Who knows, they may extend the favor to you someday!
- Join LinkedIn Groups –Becoming a member of groups on LinkedIn allows you to connect with a greater number of people as well as keeping updated on current events. if you are a college graduate it is also a great idea to become a member of your respective universities’ Page as this is a way to connect with other alumni.
- Follow Companies of Interest – Is your dream company a member on LinkedIn? Not only for job-seekers but employers are also growing a presence on the site themselves. Be sure to follow specific businesses that peak your interest to receive updates on job openings.
- Get Rid of Dead Buzzwords – According to LinkedIn, the words listed below were the most commonly used buzzwords used on members’ profiles. make sure to void yourself of these overly written adjectives and develop some stronger action words to describe yourself and your abilities.
With these 8 handy tips, hopefully you can boost your LinkedIn profile and get the most out of the leading professional development website. Speaking of LinkedIn be sure to check out our Biel’s LinkedIn for updates and interesting info!
