Feb 21, 2014
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So you created a LinkedIn account—now what? With more than 260 million users, LinkedIn has grown to be one of the largest social platforms as of late. Professionals use it to stay connected and advance their networking, yet there are those that feel the pressure of creating one just because everyone around them is doing it. They tend to wonder if LinkedIn will even get them the job they need or want. In reality it can help, but more importantly, LinkedIn is a place for you to establish and present yourself and brand to the Internet. The following will be a guide to how you are being judged and a few ways to stay on top of your game when it comes to LinkedIn.
No Profile at All
This is kind of a mixed bag. It could say that you are so happy and settled in your career that you don’t care about the world around you, but it could also mean that you are completely technologically illiterate. If you are not going to use LinkedIn make sure you have some type of online platform where you can showcase your talents and brand.
Having a Profile but Not Having a Picture
No picture could mean that you are insecure with yourself or that you are just lurking on the network and not really engaged in networking or trying to promote yourself. If you do add a picture, make sure that it is one that is respectable and professional. Too many times people put up pictures of them out on the town or doing something that is not very appropriate for the professional world.
A Complete Profile Speaks Volumes
The following comes from an article from forbes.com. “I judge professionalism by profile completeness,” says Kathleen Kilian Wainscott, a proposal writer and presentation coach at Deloitte. “That includes a nice headshot and a full listing of jobs and education for someone in corporate America. Or a cropped photo and one-liners for jobs for freelancers or creative types. Someone just out of college who has a professional photo and completed profile looks like an up-and-comer.”
LinkedIn is an incredible tool if used the right way. While in college we went on a school trip and were able to connect with professionals within our major that showed us around their businesses and helped us get a perspective of what the job field would have been like.
To find more ways to improve your LinkedIn profile read this article from www.forbes.com.