Have a Way With Words<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nYour profile is more than just your picture and background image. The first glimpse a potential employer or colleague is going to get of your personality, skills, and professionalism lies in your words– specifically, your description and job title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is why we\u2019re going to revamp your headline. Now, automatically, LinkedIn makes your headline your job title. Some people settle for that, but are you ready to take things a step further? Your profile will be so much more impressive if you add a brief, but outstanding, summary of your professional persona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The purpose of this is to show a polished glimpse of who you are and what you do. LinkedIn experts state that using dividers and breaking your headline cover into multiple sections makes it look sleeker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s take an example of someone who only lists their title– let\u2019s say a manager somewhere. They don\u2019t have their summary filled out, and every other section is blank. What do you see when you look at such an empty profile? It\u2019s the bare minimum. You have no idea what their duties are. You have no idea what their education is. You have barely any idea of what their past experience is like. In short, why would you want to connect with them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is no actual rule that says your profile page description should include a job title. You have 220 characters to fill! When you write this description of yourself, make sure to always use keywords and phrases that will come up in a search. Talk a little about why you do what you do, how you view your role, et cetera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are you struggling with your summary? A lot of people forgo writing a summary because they don\u2019t know what to write. The answer is simple. You just have to write two <\/em>sentences. That\u2019s it.<\/p>\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll find that you only need two sentences to quickly summarize what you do and your experience. In turn, this makes all the difference in the way your profile looks– and how often it appears in search results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Okay, so the first <\/em>sentence. It should be about who you are– you\u2019re an engineer, a freelancer, a graphic designer, etc. This should be followed by the second sentence, which details your experience and skills. Do you have experience working with small businesses, for example? Which software programs are you familiar with? If you want, your summary is your opportunity to express yourself, so use it for more than just talking about your job title and skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe best summaries are longer than a line, but it\u2019s better to have a short one than nothing. It\u2019s an easy way to dramatically improve the quality of your profile. Write a few drafts, invest a little time, and check out the summaries of your favorite business people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Engage With Others<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll never grow your network without stepping out of your comfort zone a little. It might seem a little daunting, but we\u2019re going to guide you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first step in learning how to navigate the world of LinkedIn is to make sure you follow the right people. LinkedIn is a two-way street. It\u2019s not just a way for people to reach you<\/em>. The platform allows you to reach people in relevant fields and in your industry, as well as the inspiring, successful people you look up to.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen you follow these leaders, you\u2019re always going to find your newsfeed overflowing with relevant information and advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now that you\u2019ve followed all the right people, you need to connect. Depending on where you work and the size of your company or previous employment, you can use LinkedIn to your advantage. It allows you to keep up with those you know from the office, and also with people from other departments, and even the people they<\/em> know.<\/p>\n\n\n\nConnecting with people you don\u2019t know well may make you hesitant, but again, we\u2019re looking to expand and grow your network. If you\u2019re hesitant, here is how you can break the ice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stop being a silent fan or a lurker on people\u2019s profiles. Take the time to like recent posts that pop up on your newsfeed instead of just scrolling past them. Whenever you like a post, you show your connection that you appreciate their effort. Add a comment saying so too. Sharing the posts that really speak to you is another fantastic way to build connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This does two things: you\u2019re making sure that your name appears on a regular, consistent basis in your connections\u2019 own newsfeed, so they become familiar with your profile. Secondly, you\u2019re taking advantage of LinkedIn\u2019s algorithm. See, when you\u2019re active, LinkedIn shows people who visit your profile your activity and interest in others\u2019 work. So, when people come to your profile and see the section with your activity, they\u2019ll see the recent, exciting updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sync Your Profile With Your Email Address Book<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThis tip will help you build your network. One of the easiest ways to grow your LinkedIn is syncing your profile with your email address book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
LinkedIn does the rest of the work for you. It starts suggesting people you could connect with. So many relevant people you can reach are going to pop up. And this also allows you to approve and vet any potential connections that come your way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And speaking of connections, let\u2019s take a moment to talk about groups<\/em>. Do you remember when you first signed up for LinkedIn? There was a group section that you– along with most people– probably ignored. Or on the contrary, you may have joined every group you found.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn both cases, you need to take a look at these groups and reconsider them. If you\u2019re already in several, browse through them again and delete any that aren\u2019t relevant to you. Make sure that the groups you do join are interesting enough that you\u2019re eager to read them every once in a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n