5 Tips for Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile
By Hannah Goldberg
LinkedIn is one of the most powerful business networking platforms in use today, with an estimated 300 million users. Uniquely different from Facebook, which is used more for personal social networking, it is the perfect platform to promote one’s professional brand. It’s the first place an employer will look to find out more about a candidate, with an estimated 1 million jobs posted on the site. Active job seekers may wish to elevate their LinkedIn membership to the paid Job Seeker model, which offers additional visibility and benefits.
1. Complete Your Profile Summary
Having a compelling profile summary will multiply one’s page views tenfold according to LinkedIn findings. Use a minimum of 40 (well chosen) words, including easily searchable keywords, especially those that are aspirational. The summary statement is where your personality can shine through.
2. List Your Work Experience: The Whole Story
A résumé should be as concise as possible, but LinkedIn is where users should expand and elaborate on their whole life experience as this opens up more connections. State at least four work experiences (including titles) and well as details of accomplishments (in bullet pointed form) and individual strengths of each position.
3. Highlight Your Cheering Section: Skills, Endorsements & Recommendations
Skills, endorsements and recommendations sections make you cringe because they feel too self-promotional. Ticking them off, however, increases search fourfold, so it is worth biting the bullet. Check 10 or more skills and have at least two recommendations.
4. Take Advantage of Your Academic Network
More often than not, people skip where they went to school or received their training, figuring that it’s ancient history. Including your education, however, can triple the number of page views received. Education provides context about where you came from and your foundation. Listing your education provides instant access to alumni networks and news. People tend to connect with others who have a shared history and attended the same educational institution.
5. Invest in a Professional Headshot and Custom URL
If you use LinkedIn to establish your personal brand, then treat yourself to a professional headshot. Promote your personal brand by customizing your LinkedIn URL to reflect your name or expertise: Locate your URL link under the profile page headshot to edit.
Hannah Goldberg is the former head of Finance & Services Marketing Solutions at LinkedIn and a NYWICI board member. She is currently Head of Sales – Major Accounts, Zoom Video Communications. This article was originally published in June 2018.
