how to develop a great linkedin profile
TRANSCRIPT
HOW TO DEVELOP A GREAT LINKEDIN PROFILE
1. SIGN UP/CREATE ACCOUNT
● Step one is to open a professional social media profile on LinkedIn (www.LinkedIn.com)
2. GETTING STARTED
● Complete your profile using your resume as a guide.
3. PERSONAL HEADLINE
● Include a headline that differentiates you, e.g. current job title and/or brief statement about your uniqueness.
4. PROFILE PHOTO
● Upload a smiling professional headshot photo, a smile radiates warmth.
5. BACKGROUND IMAGE
● Select a good background photo that conveys your personality and personal style. The background image appears at the top of your profile. Think of it as a wallpaper for your profile.
6. PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
● Include a summary - who you are, what you have done, what you can do, what you want to do and use keywords.
7. WORK EXPERIENCE
● List positions held, current and previous, dates, companies and your major achievements.
8. EDUCATION
● List your educational qualifications.
9. HONORS AND AWARDS
● List any relevant honors, certifications and awards.
10. CUSTOMIZED PUBLIC URL
● Choose a customized Uniform Resource Locator (URL) or web address for your public profile with your name, for example: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yourname
● To get more details, search using the term “Customizing Your LinkedIn Public Profile URL.”
11. EDIT YOUR PROFILE
● Proofread your online profile and check for spelling and grammatical errors.
12. NETWORK / ADD CONNECTIONS
● Reach out to people you have worked with, gone to school with, add them to your network.
13. SEEK RECOMMENDATIONS
● Request for recommendations from former workmates, business partners etc.
14. RECOMMEND OTHERS
● Recommend others sincerely – former colleagues, bosses, business partners, classmates etc.
15. INCLUDE YOUR INTERESTS
● Add your interests or hobbies, they can make you connect with others and be more relatable.
16. FOLLOW COMPANIES
● Search for and follow the company you work for; follow other companies that you like or admire.
17. MANAGE PRIVACY SETTINGS
● Manage your privacy settings and notifications according to your personal preferences. Also customize how your public profile should appear.
18. ADD LANGUAGES
● Add your language skills - bilingual and multilingual language skills are an asset.
19. FOLLOW INFLUENCERS
● Search for a few inspirational influencers who speak to your heart and follow them.
20. INTRODUCTIONS
● Ask for introductions/referrals if you need them and return the favor to others who need your assistance.
21. VOLUNTARY EXPERIENCE
● Include your community experience, volunteering gigs and causes that you care about.
22. WORK PORTFOLIO
● You can add a portfolio of a few high quality work samples or examples that you are proud of. Be careful not to violate any non-disclosure agreements with current or previous employers and/or clients.
23. ADD KEY SKILLS
● Include at least three or more of your top/specialized skills.
24. ENDORSE PEOPLE’S SKILLS
● Endorse the outstanding skills of your connections/network. A good practice is to endorse people for only those skills you know they possess, this adds to the value of the endorsement.
25. JOIN GROUPS
● Join a few good groups in your niche area or your areas of interest.
26. SHARE, LIKE AND COMMENT
● Share, like and/or comment on articles, postings and discussions that make an impression on you.
27. SHARE THE LOVE
● Congratulate/give kudos to your connections on milestones e.g. work anniversaries, new job, promotions etc.
28. READ POSTS
● Read articles published by others that can help you grow personally and professionally.
29. PUBLISH POSTS/ARTICLES
● You can also publish your own articles on topics that you care about that can add value to others.
30. DISCOVER CHANNELS
● Find and follow any channel that features articles and topics that are of interest to you such as technology, entrepreneurship, leadership and management etc.
31. LINKEDIN SLIDESHARE
● Learn many exciting topics and slide presentations via SlideShare - https://www.slideshare.net You can also share/upload your presentations.
32. ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
● Update your professional social media profile on a regular basis. Synchronize your LinkedIn profile with your resume to ensure consistency of your professional experience.
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