The vast majority of professionals now have a presence on LinkedIn and those that don’t could be missing out on an extremely valuable tool.
LinkedIn is useful for a number of purposes:
Whatever reason you are using it for, what’s important is that you tailor your profile and activity on LinkedIn to get what you want out of it.
If you’re looking to improve your LinkedIn profile, here are a few pointers that you need to remember:
Your profile photo is extremely important
LinkedIn is a professional network and your profile image should be a professional one. It is the first thing that your new connections will see and they are highly likely to make a judgement about you from this image. A bathroom selfie may be ok for Facebook, but it doesn’t look so great on LinkedIn.
Your LinkedIn photo should ideally be a picture of just you wearing business attire that reflects your role. A head and shoulder shot is best so that connections can clearly see your face.
Your profile should make you approachable
This is particularly important if you are trying to use LinkedIn to promote your company, grow your clients or boost your sales. Avoid including a sales pitch or call to action in your LinkedIn bio, as this is off-putting for potential new connections. Keep your bio professional. Write about what you do but in a non-salesy way that doesn’t shout BUY MY PRODUCT/SERVICE NOW!
Your profile should reflect your profession
It’s important that the appearance and content of your profile are in-line with what you do and where you work. Use the same phrases as your company to talk about products and services. Consistency will help to establish you as an expert and professional in your industry.
Your profile should be concise
It’s unlikely that anyone visiting your LinkedIn profile is actually going to read the whole thing, especially if it is very long. When writing about your role, skills and experience choose your words carefully and keep your descriptions short. Basically, try not to waffle.
Your profile should be selective
Just like your CV, what you include on your LinkedIn profile should be relevant. The experience listed on your profile should demonstrate a clear career path and career progression. However, do try not to leave significant time gaps between roles as this could raise questions for potential employers.
Following these key points will help you to make the most out of your LinkedIn profile and make the impact that you want.
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