Setting up a LinkedIn profile is the first step to maximizing your career opportunity. Setting up a LinkedIn profile is as easy as going to LinkedIn and entering your email address. If you’re not sure, why you should set up a LinkedIn profile, just listen to these facts about LinkedIn: Over 50 million employers, 800 million users, and 15 million active job listings! If you’re still not sure, check out this great article on LinkedIn statistics: 81 Facts About LinkedIn
Once you’ve set up your LinkedIn profile, you’ll want to make sure it actually generates results for you. This can take some time to get right but is well worth the effort!
- Add a professional headshot of yourself and an eye-catching background photo. The background photo is something many people overlook, but it’s a great way to make your profile stand out.
Pro Tip:
I always tell clients that investing in a professional headshot will almost immediately pay back the investment. Companies want to hire people who are professional and present themselves well in front of others. Furthermore, most employers have some sort of company software that will require a headshot anyway, so the investment you make now will also help you once you’re employed.
- Write a strong headline with compelling language to encourage people to read your profile. An employer isn’t going to take the time to read your profile unless you give them a solid reason. Here’s an example to help you get started: Results-focused manager with 10+ years of experience and a track record of overseeing million-dollar budgets.
Creating a great headline is critical to making a strong first impression. If you think about it, besides your headshot, your headline is the first thing someone reviewing your profile is going to see. Make sure it’s great! To really supercharge your LinkedIn headline, read this in-depth article about the do’s and don’ts of headline writing.
- Craft a professional summary that actually summarizes the most important points in your career. Your LinkedIn summary is not the place to talk about your objectives, your personal interests, or vague statements about long-forgotten skills. Use this valuable space to explain what results you’ve accomplished and how you made an impact on other companies.
If you’re just starting out in your career, and you don’t have many accomplishments yet, use your summary to explain your most important qualities. Are you a hard worker – if so, provide an example. Are you reliable – tell them why. Can you stay organized and work independently – explain how so.
- Add the last ten years of your work history to LinkedIn. Write clear job descriptions that recap the most important responsibilities of each position you’ve held. Provide accurate dates for your employment.
As a professional resume writer and LinkedIn specialist with Resume Writing Group, I’ve seen thousands of resumes and LinkedIn profiles missing job descriptions and accurate dates. Although this may seem simple at first, writing about yourself isn’t always easy. If you can’t decide what responsibilities to include, stick with anything that led to an accomplishment or was something only you could do.
- Don’t forget to add at least five skills to your profile! This is really important because recruiters find you on LinkedIn based on how well your skills match their search criteria. LinkedIn limits you to a maximum of 50 skills, so make sure you’re only including your most relevant and important skills.
Following these guidelines will help you build a professional and marketable LinkedIn profile. But, if you’d rather let the experts write your profile for you, our team at Resume Writing Group can work wonders.
