LinkedIn is a powerful social tool to help enhance anyone’s career. With over 85 million members in 200+ countries, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking site. It has the ability to get you connected to the business world. The IT Industry has the most popular presence on LinkedIn with roughly 4 million members. With 4 million members, IT professionals have a huge network to enhance their IT careers. Check out 3 simple steps to optimize your LinkedIn profile.
- Cover the Basics
- Utilize the Applications
- Endorsements and Recommendations
Cover the Basics:
About half of the profiles on LinkedIn are incomplete. By simply completing your profile, you will put your profile ahead of 50% of the current LinkedIn users. However, a completed profile should consist of quality information. You need to pay as much attention to it as you would a cover letter or resume. It should be a great representation of your experiences and be up to date. Also makes sure your photo is recent and professional. After a complete profile, focus on making connections, joining groups, getting recommendations, and posting status updates. The more connections you have, the more likely your profile will show up in search results.
Utilize Applications:
Applications have the ability to take your profile to the next level. Slideshare Presentations can be added to showcase recent reports, publications, and presentations. SlideShare is a great application for public speakers, writers, graphic designers, etc. Another great application is WordPress. WordPress allows you to add your blog to your profile, which adds a personal touch and show off your expertise. Twitter can display recent ‘tweets’ on your profile. If your Twitter account is used professionally then this would be a great application to include. Applications add validation to your experiences because it showcases and proves them on a platform for other users to see.
Endorsements and Recommendations:
Recruiters want to hear from other professionals who can vouch for your skills and experience. Endorsements and recommendations are great to get colleagues to speak on behalf of your skills and make a lasting impression on future employers. While seeking endorsements and recommendations, quality is always better than quantity. Make sure the recommendation presents specific information about your experience and contribution. Ask supervisors and colleagues for the endorsements and be sure to add a personal touch when asking. A personal touch results in a better response rate. Also, follow up with an endorsement or recommendation with a thank you and returning the favor of endorsing or recommending them back. Endorsements and recommendations add credibility to your profile.
