It’s Time to Give Your LinkedIn Profile a Makeover

LinkedIn is still the most valuable and most under-appreciated social platform for business professionals. With the politicization of Facebook and Twitter, professionals are escaping to LinkedIn where they can focus on brand building, resource sharing, and creating profitable, long-term, and professional relationships.

Now is the best time to take a thirty-minutes to update your LinkedIn profile. Here are our tips for quickly whipping your profile into shape.

Profile Photo + Background Photo: First Impressions Matter

A professional headshot is a must-have business tool. On LinkedIn, your profile photo is the first element visitors will use to form their initial impression of you. Think of your photo as the cover of the book that details your expertise and experience. That poorly cropped shot from your bachelor or bachelorette party won’t get the job done. Invest in getting the best possible photo.

Next, replace the header background photo with a shot that represents your organization’s brand. The header picture sets the tone for your profile. Showcase key products, popular exhibits, or iconic shots that people already associate with your business.

Pro Tip: Gather several photos and replace your header photo quarterly.

Tell Your Story

On top of listing your title at your current role, the title section is a great way to showcase the single most important aspect of your job. For example, if you are a Sponsorship Manager, you could highlight your job’s main goal within your title by saying “Sponsorship Manager: Creating Win/Win Partnerships with Respected Organizations”.

The About Me section is your best opportunity to frame your work to show your expertise in a certain field. This is useful whether you are searching for a new job or gaining credibility in an industry. Use the About Me section to share your work motto, great events you’ve gotten to work on, the type of work you like to do, and skills you’ve learned throughout your professional career.

Job Experience: Demonstrate Your Value

For every job your list in your experience section, be sure to focus on your unique skill set and experience when you list your job duties. Each job should show how it made you grow as a professional and has made you an expert in your field.

Posting Consistently is Key

To stay on the top of your network’s radar, it’s important to post regularly. Posts from your network are the first thing you see when you log into LinkedIn, so be sure that your post will be near the top every time connections are online. Share articles that are related to your industry and ask for your network’s opinions on them. Post photos of some great work you’ve accomplished. Talk about your fellow team members and work anniversaries. All of this will show your network how committed you are to your work and your field – and will definitely get you noticed in the job market.

Get Noticed with Hashtags

LinkedIn’s power users rely on hashtags to quickly find relevant information on the site. Adding hashtags to your status updates helps to get everything you post in front of a larger audience. Use hashtags for the city you work in, your industry, and more.

These quick changes will help you stand out from your competition and give you a platform to tell your story.  Schedule time in your calendar now to give your profile the makeover your business deserves.