If you want to change your career path, expand your network or find a new job, you have to start somewhere, right? No matter what industry you’re in, LinkedIn can be an invaluable tool for networking, marketing, and more. When creating your LinkedIn profile, it’s important to remember to make it as effective as possible.
Make sure your profile gives the best first impression by following these tips.
Tip 1: Set a custom URL
Setting a custom URL for your LinkedIn profile makes it easier for people to find you and gives you a little marketing cred.
After all, every other person on LinkedIn has a plain old URL, so if you take one extra step and set up a custom vanity URL, everyone will know you’re serious about networking and building connections with potential employers or business partners.
1. To set up a vanity URL: go to Settings > Public Profile under Edit Options – Profile URL, and type or edit the last part of your custom URL in the text box.
2. Hit Save.
Tip 2: Let recruiters know you’re open to new career opportunities
Having a profile that’s up-to-date and visible to recruiters is important, but you also want them to know you’re looking for new opportunities.
It’s easy enough, just hit your profile picture > View Profile.
Click the “Open to” button at the top of your profile.
Provide the requested information at the pop-up.
Choose whether everyone or only recruiters can see that you’re open to job opportunities.
This could help connect you with people interested in your profile.
Tip 3: Choose the right LinkedIn background photo
LinkedIn is an online business network. Make sure your LinkedIn profile reflects that.
Choose a photo that shows you in a professional setting, such as at a board meeting or presenting in front of a group.
You can also use your personal logo as your background photo, but if it’s too detailed and distracting, stick with a simple graphic or company logo, so your profile text is not overshadowed.
To change it, go to View profile -> Camera icon.
Click “Upload photo” to select an image from your computer, then click “Open” and “Apply”.
Tip 4: Create the appropriate LinkedIn Headline—The Precious Space
Stand out, impress and demonstrate expertise in your area of interest with a carefully chosen headline.
If you want to take things a step further, include keywords related to your industry or experience level to appeal directly to recruiters searching for resumes on LinkedIn.
A study shows that a LinkedIn profile headline is 46% more important than the experience section.
Remember that you should describe what you do in 220 characters or less.
Tip 5: Add skills and ask to get endorsed- LinkedIn Skills and Endorsements
LinkedIn is a professional social network, and users should demonstrate professionalism in every way they can.
One of these ways is through your skills.
If you are familiar with programs or languages such as Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc., add these skills to your profile so employers can easily see that you can do specific jobs related to those programs.
Also, be sure to ask people who know you well (teachers, coaches, mentors, colleagues, coworkers) for endorsements on LinkedIn.
You can add up to 50 skills to your LinkedIn profile.
Tip 6: Take skills quizzes
The LinkedIn Skill Assessments feature lets you demonstrate your knowledge of the skills you have added to your profile.
All you have to do is complete quizzes for the specific skills you will be awarded a badge.
A typical skills quiz consists of 15 multiple-choice questions, and each question tests at least one concept.
Beware that the questions are timed, and you must complete them in one session.
Conclusion
It’s easier than you think.
Follow these simple steps, and your LinkedIn profile will be gaining traffic in no time.
Once your profile is strong, it’ll do a lot of work for you, helping you build relationships and land jobs and freelance gigs.
Best of all, it will make your social media experience a lot more meaningful and powerful.
If that isn’t reason enough to revamp your LinkedIn profile today, then I don’t know what is!
