Did you know that LinkedIn has more than half a billion users? Unlike other social media platforms that focus on sharing personal life details, LinkedIn focuses on helping professionals connect with one another. This site helps people share job postings, find employment, and connect with others in their industry. If you’re just starting out on LinkedIn, these tips can help you make the most of your profile:
Upload a Profile Picture
According to LinkedIn, users who have profile photos receive 21 times more views than users without photos. You might want to remain faceless on other social media platforms, but LinkedIn is not one of them. LinkedIn acts as an online resume and networking tool, so it’s important to make sure your profile represents you as well as it can. By uploading a profile picture, you’ll be putting a face to your name. The typical “no-picture” default picture might make others view you as unprofessional, but a quality picture that you’d be happy to put on a business card will help your image and make you more approachable. Only upload high-quality pictures that look professional and update your picture as often as you feel necessary to maintain an accurate representation of who you are.
Enter Your Headline, Location, and Industry
Your headline should describe what you do or tell people about the type of work you’re looking for. It’s important to create a headline that properly describes your skills and passions while also enticing potential connections and employers to look at the rest of your profile. If you’re looking for a job, your headline should clearly showcase what your abilities are and what sets you apart from other candidates. If you’re currently employed, your headline should accurately describe what your job responsibilities are, what you enjoy about your industry, and what makes you different from others in the industry. It’s also important to make sure you enter the correct location and industry information, as this will help potential employers find you and make it easier to connect with other professionals in your field.
Showcase Your Talents and Interests
Your LinkedIn profile provides a place to list your responsibilities, accomplishments, and skills that you use either at work or during your spare time. It’s a good idea to list your skills on LinkedIn, as this will make your profile 13 times more likely to receive views. There is also a space on your profile where you can write a short description about yourself and your work history. This is where you can offer details on what you’ve already shared in your headline and your skills list. Don’t be afraid to talk about what makes you great—this is the place to do it!
Add Certifications
Have you taken any online courses or received any certifications? If so, you might be able to list and link to these achievements on your profile. LinkedIn has many online courses to choose from, and users will receive certification after successfully completing each course. Taking courses that relate to your industry can help you learn new topics and trends while also enhancing your professional image. Do some research to find online courses and certification exams that relate to your industry and decide if you’re up to the task of taking them.
Connect with People
Just like other social media platforms, LinkedIn allows you to connect with other users. When you’re getting started, it’s a good idea to connect with coworkers, former coworkers, and anyone else you have met as a result of a work-related function. When you find people, you can send them an invitation to ask them to join your network. You don’t have to stick to people you already know—you can look for LinkedIn users that share similar skills, interests, and hobbies and send them invitations. You can also use this platform to connect with potential employers or look for potential employees if you have a job to fill.
Post Interesting Content
LinkedIn isn’t just for showing off your skills and learning about job opportunities. This social media platform also provides a great space to share content that relates to your industry and your interests. When you post content through your profile, all of the people you’re connected to will be able to see it. If you include hashtags, then other users who are looking at those hashtags will be able to see your content. You can post unique blogs and images, links to your website, or links to interesting articles that you want to share with others.
These tips can help you create an impressive personal LinkedIn profile. If you’re looking for ways to improve your company’s online presence, contact Pennington Creative. Our Tucson content marketing services are designed to help small- and medium-sized businesses with online marketing strategies, including social media marketing. Visit our website for more information about our content creation and graphic design services.
