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You should treat your LinkedIn profile the same as your resume. It is important for your profile to be visually appealing to any potential employers and future colleagues. It can be easy to get stuck in a rut and neglect your LinkedIn page, but it is important to keep your profile up-to-date at all times - you never know what opportunities are around the corner.
We’ve put together our tips on how to improve your LinkedIn profile. This article focuses on the visual aspects to help make your profile standout, and what you can do to make sure your profile is easy to engage with.
1. Upload a suitable photograph
This may seem like an obvious start, however, you would be surprised by how many people upload inappropriate profile photographs to LinkedIn. The photograph doesn’t need to be taken by a photographer, it simply needs to be a good quality, professional image of you.
Make sure you can clearly see your face, and look happy in the photo. Even though LinkedIn is a serious platform for professionals it’s good for potential employers to recognise you as friendly and approachable from the outset.
2. Create a personal URL
When you first create your LinkedIn profile, LinkedIn will assign a line of numbers to your URL that will personalise your account. This doesn’t look great when linking to your profile, but this can be easily rectified.
- Go to your profile
- Click ‘Edit public profile & URL’
- Click ‘Edit’ under the ‘Edit URL’ section
- Choose your desired URL
- Save your changes
It's as simple as that to add a touch of personalisation to your URL. This will provide you with a link that is easy to share, and recognisable to other professionals who may be searching for you.
3. Update your profile
Updating your profile regularly is a great habit to get into. It may be just a small change, like adding in a new responsibility you’ve been given at work or uploading a new picture. Keeping your profile as up-to-date as possible will highlight your organisational skills and professional enthusiasm to potential employers.
4. Stay active on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a social media tool. Even though it is different from some other social platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, it is a useful tool to showcase your professionalism and interests to like-minded people. Therefore, it is important to post your own updates on your profile, as well as engaging with forums and discussions that interest you. This will expand your network and provide further insight into your capabilities and personality to potential employers who may want to learn more about you than just your job history.
5. Share your organisation’s content
Even if you are considering roles elsewhere, it is a good idea to share your current company’s content to your profile. This shows that you are active on your profile and that you are proud of your current organisation's work that is being posted on their social media channels. This will look good to future employers who will recognise your enthusiasm through your shares.
6. Write your own articles
LinkedIn is a great tool for professionals to share their own thoughts, feelings, and opinions on their sector and the current market. Writing an article each month is a great way to highlight to potential employers that you are invested in your industry and that you have your own mind when it comes to speaking on matters that are important to you. These articles can also spark up conversations with your following and allow you to begin build relationships through the platform.
If you don’t consider yourself to be a strong writer, why not use the tool Grammarly? This can help you to refine your writing style and picks up on any writing mistakes before you publish.
7. Don’t be too descriptive
Yes, it is important to include all relevant experience on your LinkedIn profile, but having an overly descriptive job history or summary of yourself will put off potential employers. People want to read a succinct overview of your professional history and personal interests. Try to limit each section to two or three paragraphs (apart from your summary which can be longer) this will ensure that you aren’t going overboard with your descriptions.
8. Request recommendations from colleagues
Endorsements from other professionals are a great tool to utilise on LinkedIn. It isn’t unusual for people to request recommendations from their colleagues, and it is a good idea to do so. Aim to request endorsements periodically throughout your career.
If you follow these simple steps, we believe you will get more out of your LinkedIn profile than before. Developing your profile is a great tool to open the door to new opportunities, build relationships, and get you thinking about your future in a totally different way.
If you are interested in finding a new role and would like some expert advice, please get in touch with one of our specialist recruitment consultants today. Alternatively, if you are looking for more ways to improve your LinkedIn profile, read part two of our LinkedIn series, ‘boosting the effectiveness of your LinkedIn profile.’
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