Perfecting a LinkedIn PageBy Ricardo Lopez

March 17, 2015

LinkedIn currently has 300+ Million users worldwide. It is a great tool to advertise yourself in the professional world. The problem many of us have is that we do not get the most out of our page. We would like to go over a few things today and help you create the “Perfect LinkedIn Page”. I myself, while writing this, decided to completely revamp my own page. Never feel like you can’t start over.

Keep your profile updatedMany people think that the only time they need to use their LinkedIn account is when they’re looking for a job or a new job. This service can be used for so much more than that. Get a promotion at work? Take a different position in the company? Make sure that you keep these events updated on your profile. Just because you aren’t looking for a job doesn’t mean that your success doesn’t translate as success for you or your company. To some degree your page is an advertisement for your company. Just as you are an extension of your company your company is an extension of you.

A picture is worth a thousand jobsThe first impression you make on someone is your profile picture. Now we all have that great picture of ourselves that we usually use for other sites but remember, this picture will viewed by your boss, your coworkers, future bosses, future coworkers... What you want is a professionally done picture. This may not always be an option. A way around this is to make your own. We all have amazing cameras on our phones we may as well use them for good. Have a friend take a picture of you in front of a solid colored wall. Try to channel more of a Presidential look rather than your old high school photo with the laser background. Another thing to consider is it should also match the industry you’re working in. If you work in an office a professional picture most likely suits you. However if you’re a park ranger maybe something outdoors with a moose in the background would give the impression you want to make to the world out there.

Make a statement with your personal summary Make a call to action in your summary it should be appropriate and still get your message across. Make sure to ask a few things before you write this out. What do you want them to learn about you from reading this? Who do you want reading this? Make it stand out and personal to yourself. Ask someone you trust to write down what they find are your best qualities. Sometimes getting an outside perspective on your better traits give you a better sense of knowing what you’re good at. Also remember to keep it under 2,000 words, any longer than that and it can tend to drag on a bit. Also don’t forget LinkedIn allows you to add video, pictures and documents to your summary.

Make sure people can find youMake sure to include your current and possibly future contact information. If you are moving to a new area make sure to update your location. If you are looking for work in Boston when people see you live in Seattle you don’t seem like a very viable option. This seems pretty obvious but people don’t always think about it.

Sometimes Beauty is in SimplicityAs the old saying goes sometimes more is less. This can also be true with your account. Past jobs in your field or volunteer work will always look good, however that bartending job you had while working through school may lose the attention of the reader. Keep it relevant to what you do today and what you want to do tomorrow.

Quality over quantityDo not get LinkedIn confused with some of the other social sites. What you’re supposed to be doing is building valuable professional relationships with trusted individuals. Before you reach out to someone always do a little research on them. LinkedIn allows you to customize how you know this person. This way people can separate someone you used to work with a few years ago from a neighbor who you met a barbeque last summer.

Get a second set of eyes. It is always a good idea to have someone proofread your work. We’ve all had those moments when things sounded so much better in our heads than when we said them. Let someone tell you if a sentence doesn’t make sense or you used the wrong form or your or you’re.

However you decide to fill your page just make it your own. This is a great way to broadcast not only your professional accomplishments but your personal accomplishments to the business world. Think of LinkedIn as a constantly changing resume of your past, present and future accomplishments.