How to optimize your LinkedIn profile in 6 easy steps

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

With more than 1 billion users in 200 countries worldwide, LinkedIn is currently the largest professional networking platform. So, either for professional networks OR job search For goals, it's more important than ever to personalize and optimize your LinkedIn profile. Similar to advertising, visitors to your profile page are likely to spend only a few precious seconds forming an opinion, so it's imperative that everything is clear, concise and on message. Fortunately, LinkedIn has a powerful feature set that allows for a lot of customization. Unfortunately, many on the platform overlook key parts of their profile, in some cases not including them at all and often not optimizing what they have.

While creating your LinkedIn profile, the basic objective to keep in mind is that you want to clearly articulate four things in a concise and digestible way: who you are, what you do professionally, what you've done, and what. you're looking for – especially for job seekers. You should remove anything that does not contribute to any of these points.

Below are six key considerations and configurations in terms of optimizing your LinkedIn profile:

1. Your profile picture

When you see a person's profile on LinkedIn, at the top is a cover image in the background. It's shocking how often that critical piece of real estate is left empty. It's easy to customize, so be sure to upload a cover. Anything is better than nothing, but I strongly encourage you to make the most of that space; just don't put a solid image or pattern there. Capitalize on that key point by choosing an image that provides some meaning and, ideally, validation to you (see minefor example, showing an interview in progress) or, at the very least, convey some kind of feeling about something important to you.

2. Get a verified token

Under your cover photo, you want a verification check next to your name. This is a free service from LinkedIn and assures potential employers and partners (as well as recruiters for job seekers) that you are who you say you are. Fraudulent profiles are often created, so this verification gives your visitors extra confidence that your profile is legitimate. If you don't currently have your profile verified, find a way to verify if possible (or next time you can, do it; it's important for the future, even if you can't have it now). Of course, you can have privacy concernsand the same privacy concerns are, in reality, relevant to everything you do online via your desktop and mobile phone. Just keep in mind that this is a vital verification for your career.

3. Draft your headline

Almost everyone on the platform has an embedded title. Many of them are in dire need of improvement. This is a small space to communicate some very critical information. Avoid any extra words that do not contribute to your definition. Avoid using too many symbols. Avoid using broad and general language. Be concise, be specific and use this point to clearly convey what you are, do and/or want.

4. Present your work on your “personal billboard”

LinkedIn has a dedicated section that you can add, but many people don't use it at all. Featured articles may include posts, newsletters, articles, links, media or featured content from your profile. You can also sort the list, which is essential since visitors will usually only see your first two to four items (depending on the viewing platform) without scrolling.

5. List your skills – and endorse the skills of your colleagues

LinkedIn allows you to list your key skills and others can endorse you for those individuals Skill. Often, people have over 50 skills associated with their profile and endorsements for some of them. Are you aware that visitors to your profile page only see the first two in the list (unless they click to see more, which most don't)? And, did you know that you have the ability to sort the list? Be sure to list your skills so that the first two reflect the most important things that a potential business partner or employer would want to see.

6. Share your experiences

Vitally important is your experiences section, where you list each of the companies you've worked for. The first mistake people make is using the description to describe the company. Think of this page as your CV; this space is where you should describe your role in the company. A line or two about the company is fine, of course, but also consider using bullet points to highlight critical functions and accomplishments you've made while working there. This is especially important for your most recent experience or the last couple if the most recent is a short duration. It is often overlooked that you can associate skills with any definition of experience. You can also add media, such as press releases, white papers, interviews, or other media related to your involvement with that company.

Incidentally, if you happen to subscribe to LinkedIn Sales Navigator, there is a tool available on the platform called “Social Selling Index,” which measures your social selling efforts. This tool assesses your overall brand, relationships, people and insights. The brand portion of your index is linked to your profile.

Some say that LinkedIn is the replacement for the CV. I wouldn't necessarily go that far, but it's definitely a vital professional tool for him Networking and it's worth your time to configure and optimize. In some cases, verbatim is used instead of a resume. In some cases, you will never get asked for a resume unless your LinkedIn page tells the right story up front. I encourage you to explore each section, test each configuration, adjust each adjustable list to highlight what's most important, and be careful with the images you use.

Source link