Have you ever consulted with a LinkedIn coach? Picture this: A client approaches my station, where a bright, cheery sign announces I am a LinkedIn coach for the event. Eyes are bright, posture is engaged and energy is high; this client is going to create a LinkedIn profile and be on the way to landing the job of their dreams. But underneath the eagerness, there is a degree of anxiety, with questions of trepidation appearing like thought bubbles above their heads, “Will I really get a job?” and “Who will I connect with?”. At this intersection of hope and skepticism, LinkedIn becomes a daunting proposition for the job seeker who has tried everything, with little success.
To remove some of this mystique for my clients, I have simplified the LinkedIn profile process. My method distills to the current fundamentals required for an All Star profile, LinkedIn’s highest designation, which means the profile is more searchable and findable for recruiters. The best news? It only takes about an hour! So, you will need:
- A Professional Photo. If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then a photo is the window to your personality. Hiring managers and recruiters want to see with whom they are connecting and potentially hiring for this reason. Moreover, these individuals are more likely to remember meeting you after seeing a photo and will then connect with you on LinkedIn.
- A Summary. An oft-overlooked item, the summary is vital to profile completion. Have you ever heard of an elevator pitch? This is what a summary is; merely a way to market yourself and your skills in order to convey the brand that is you!
- A Headline, Industry & Location. A simple section, because you likely know the industry of your desired employment, as well as the location. The headline, however, should take some thought. Whether you call yourself a “Financial Accountant” or a “Money Wizard”, ensure your headline describes the job you have or the job you want.
- Current work experience & two previous work experiences. Here is a secret; the easiest way to complete this section is to copy and paste it from your resume. The point is that we are trying to complete profile fundamentals, without getting overwhelmed. Later, we can change the wording to make work experience more marketable.
- Education & Skills. Another neglected section that is so easy to complete! Simply add schools, institutions, and relevant training to validate your credentials. You don’t need to add the years. For skills, choose at least 10 that reflect your capabilities, relevant to the job you seek.
- Connections. No way around it, you need at least 50 connections. But this isn’t as difficult as it may seem. You can easily send invites to colleagues to get started; LinkedIn can facilitate this by sending invitations on your behalf to your email contacts.
So that’s it. Within an hour, you can complete these sections for an All Star profile, with the exception of the 50 connections. If you allow LinkedIn to help, you may have those connections sooner than you think. There are many other considerations, of course; we will discuss each item above in subsequent blogs. In the meantime, Happy Profiling!
