Linkedin has become a must-have account for your social media presence for professionals. It is a huge platform where professionals from all backgrounds and streams. Linkedin which started in the May of the year 2003 acts as a major boost to your career if you have a solid profile that displays a plethora of certificates in different expertise. The Linked page has various features which can display your skills by writing an article or you can get endorsements from fellow Linkedin members about your skills. Employees frequently search for Linkedin profiles to know more about the candidate which is connected to professional life but not written in a resume.
Purpose of your Linkedin Profile
Deciding the purpose of your Linkedin profile comes first. The purpose of making a Linkedin profile is to increase your presence on this professional dais so that recruiters can identify you. Increasing connections so that you will get to know many industry experts’ opinions about various topics. Increasing followers so that you can give opinions or provide some expert input about a topic. Linkedin works on the expression of words creatively and expertly. If you want to join Linkedin for any of the above purposes then work towards it. Like, If you want to increase connections, then work towards it steadily.
Tips to write Linkedin Profile
Imagine what you want
To remain sorted through the process, imagine what you want your profile to display. Once you know how you want your profile to appear, you will know what information should appear where. You can also take a look at other Linkedin profiles to get an idea of what is displayed and in what way. Going to profiles, same as your profession would be better, and then checking out profiles of related and other industries can be done. Many people write about their professional success or some write about the emotional encounters while pursuing their professional dreams.
Go through Linkedin sections
Linkedin has sections that are to be filled, which makes the job quite easy. Some sections only have to be filled with factual data like degree type and year of completion. For other sections which require an elaborate write-up, some research needs to be done. Fill those sections first which require factual information. While writing the headline choose one-two lines that deliver powerful content. After that go to a section like “about me” which will need thoughtful consideration about things to write. You can decide the tone you want to use like casual/ formal or even funny as per your profession and writing style. A combination of two or more styles in a balanced way is also a good option.
Write the latest first
When writing about your career credentials both educational qualifications and the companies you worked for, the latest should display first. This becomes more important when you have worked in different profiles or have changed your career. Linked page should display it in reverse chronological order.
Write correct information
This point is obvious but it is very important to write the correct information on a Linkedin account, especially facts like years of start and completion. Any kind of wrong information may become a problem or will atleast not give the desired results. If certain years of experience is required for a job and you are fit as a candidate but the years of experience mentioned is different then it will pose a problem. Although this mistake can be rectified easily, just double-checking the written facts will be good.
Use a profile photo
A profile photo helps other Linked members including future employees to recognize you. When a name has a face attached to it, it becomes easier to remember. While using a profile photo for a Linkedin page, consider your profession. Although there is no restriction on the kind of photo that can be used but a relevant photo that displays your face in a formal or semi-formal location would be good. A picture with your back to the camera is better avoided.
“About ” Section
“About” is not a factual section and requires some creative inputs on your behalf. It requires an expression of your talents and credentials in a way that covers all without becoming too mundane. Start the section with a punchline or something powerful enough to attract attention. You can provide details about the factual information provided. For e.g. if you recently earned a certificate then write about why you wanted to do the course or the inspiration behind it. You can also write about your soft-skills which were helpful in getting the certificate like working efficiently to manage studies and job. This section has a word limit of 2600 so there is a lot that you can write. But rather than just filling up the word count it is important to remain relevant through writing on a Linkedin account.
Updates
Once the profile is made, keep on updating it to fill in any new information or even change something if you want to. There are various tools on Linkedin as well which are helpful in acquiring new skills. There is a creative mode as well if you want to use it. Many things are under Premium on your Linkedin profile. Checking regularly will also give you industry updates or a chance to increase your connections.
Making the most of your Linkedin Profile
Joining Linkedin is a huge opportunity for learning various new things related to your job, opinions of the employers, latest updations regarding social structure which directly or indirectly affect the job. For making the most of your Linkedin Page, follow a few points.
Use your profile section
Profile section is the About section. This section is an opportunity in itself as it frees you from the clutches of date and numbers bound information. While factual information is very important, to get to know you as a professional or as a person out of working hours in a deeper sense, the “about” section works best. Put in your career profile in detail either using bullet points or paragraphs or both. Make it interesting by adding your source of inspiration or your observations regarding some skill. People like to read things written with honesty and good intent as it just catches their attention.
Do free courses on Linkedin
Various courses are available on your Linkedin account, and many of them open up when you give tests related to that skill. If you do not get good scores in the skill test then the course will be available for some time. The courses give you an opportunity to upgrade your skill in a short duration which gives a sufficient career boost. Moreover, the course are not limited to a certain industry and has a lot of variety to it.
Increase your connections
Increasing your connections on a Linkedin account has a lot of benefits. You will have a greater audience for whatever you post. There will be various inputs in your feeds with a large number of connections including those related to job hunting. It depends on your privacy level to increase your connections. But for connections to be made a request is sent and when approved by the other person, a connection is made.
Increasing followers
Increasing flower count for a Linkedin page is different from increasing connections as connections mean a two-way street where messages can be passed on to each other. Followers can only follow the post, they can comment on it as those posts will be in the public domain of Linkedin but followers cannot send messages to you. Followers can be increased by regularly posting relevant content. This again requires dedication and consistency.
“Open to Work”
This is another feature of Linkedin that when put on notifies employers that you are searching for a job. This increases your chances of getting noticed by employers or consulting firms. If your primary purpose for joining Linkedin was job hunting then this feature is meant for you to use. It puts a tag on your profile picture that mentions “open to work.” Linkedin also provides filters for these options such as only your connections can see it or only potential employers can see it. One more option includes open-to work displayed for everyone.
Conclusion
Many people join Linkedin as a job site but it is much more. It can give you glimpses of what lies in the future of your current job. It can give you the resources to become better at your job or even switch your career. Establishing connections with various industry experts or employers presents better job opportunities. Many connections can endorse you which establishes you as an expert in a certain field. All this goes a long way to improve your career profile via Linkedin. In short, Linkedin is a great platform for increasing your professional credibility.
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