Career & Finance, Work Skills • 25/03/2020

5 Ways You Can Improve Your Linkedin Profile

By: Miss Moraa

Photo c/o @lifeonabanjo

 

LinkedIn is like an online CV but without the plainness of the traditional CV. It allows you to expound more on who you are and what you do as a professional.  Having a LinkedIn profile is an important tool as a professional in this digital age.

You may have a profile that has been lying dormant for a while, or perhaps you would like to create an account, or you have an account and would like to know how to use it. To utilize the platform, it is important to know how to use it to your advantage.

This article will help you update your LinkedIn profile so that you can use it to connect with other professionals, and peers in your fields of career interest.

 

  1. Update Your Name And Upload A Professional Profile Photo

First and foremost, your name should appear as it does on your official documents. This will enhance the authenticity of your platform.

Secondly, how you depict yourself is how others will perceive you. They say do not judge a book by its cover, but in the professional world, the opposite applies.  Go for a professional headshot as opposed to one cropped from a group photo. Make sure that in the photo you are well dressed, smiling if possible, and looking your best. You want whoever wants to connect with you, or whomever you want to connect with on the platform to have a good first impression of you. First impressions count, even in the scrolling age.

 

  1. Update Your About Section

The About section is important in that it tells others who you are and what you do. It is important that in your headline section, you clearly state what you do and how you bring value to the table. After your name and profile picture, what people see is what you do, and how you can help them. Therefore, include keywords that are crucial to your industry, through which recruiters and fellow peers in your field can easily find you.

 

  1. Customize Your URL (to match your name)

When you sign up for a LinkedIn account, the platform automatically gives you a profile URL that you can share with others so that they find you. Since this link is like the directions to your professional house, it is best to make sure the signage is clear.

Therefore, change the default URL example, https://www.linkedin.com/in/janedoe/3de76dsj965? to https://www.linkedin.com/in/janedoe through which you can easily be found. This neat URL can also be included in your CV for easy reference.

 

  1. Update Your Professional And Internship Sections

This section is simple to update. Be keen on including relevant details that show how you add value as an employee or entrepreneur. For instance, instead of saying “I worked as a sales agent”, you can paraphrase that to say “ Through my leadership as the sales agent, sales increased by 175% within a year of my joining the team. This was achieved through digital advertising and social media marketing.”

It is important to indicate what you learned during your internship and what value you added to the companies you worked for. That way, your profile becomes appealing, as people want to associate with achievers and impact makers.

 

  1. Ask Your Colleagues For Recommendations

Social proof is very important in the professional industry. Your LinkedIn Profile can be the best, but if you are the only one blowing your trumpet, you lack social credit. Therefore, ask colleagues that you have worked with before or clients who have been beneficiaries of your services, to provide feedback that can be used as your recommendations. It is important to inform them that you intend to use their words on your profile. A strong recommendation with 2 or 3 sentences is key in showing your command in your field or career sector.

These 5 tips can easily be implemented over a lunch break. So take your time, and make that simple step in gaining visibility in the professional world.