Deep Nishar announced on the LinkedIn blog that membership in the business networking community has passed 200 million, with members from 200 countries and territories around the globe representing every industry and area of specialization. That was a couple of years ago... As a result, LinkedIn is now one of the main tools used by recruiters to source talent.

 

Are you putting your best foot forward?

 

Your profile is critical to your success in building a solid network on LinkedIn. Unfortunately, many are ineffective. How can you make yours a powerful tool for networking? There are many ways to optimize your profile, but here are a few key steps for getting started:

 

1 – Add a professional photo to your profile. Profiles with pictures get viewed more often. Your photo should be a recent headshot. Keep it professional: save the pictures of your favorite pet for Facebook.

 

2 – Use the name that you do business with. Keep titles and qualification initials out of it. This makes it easier for people to search for you.

 

3 – Develop a headline that grabs attention. Just like a headline in a newspaper, your headline needs to pull people in so that they can see what you have to offer.

 

4 – Write a compelling summary of your experience. Think of it as sales copy: write a summary that is interesting enough to make your profile viewers want to read the specific details in the rest of your profile.

 

5 – Use good keywords in your summary and throughout your profile. While you need to keep your writing ‘human-friendly’, it’s important to use keywords that ensure your profile will show up in searches.

 

6 – Make your profile public. This makes you visible to people outside of your LinkedIn network, and increases your chances of making connections.

 

7– DO NOT just copy and paste elements of your resume into your LinkedIn profile. They are two very separate documents that should support one another and compliment one another.

 

LinkedIn is a powerful networking tool, and it takes time for members to maximize its usefulness. That time is well-worth the effort, as it has the potential to expand your network around the globe.

 

Need help moving forward with LinkedIn? HigherBracket can help, all of our resume packages include a customized LinkedIn profile re-write so that all your career marketing documents work in concert with one another. Contact us today at MemberServices@HigherBracket.ca to learn more.

 

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Mary Gillespie is HigherBracket.ca's professional writer-in-residence. With a Master’s degree in English, extensive experience teaching at the university level and working internationally, Mary adds valuable insight to our professional services division. She is responsible for editing and content creation and managing our professional resume writers. You can reach Mary at MaryG@HigherBracket.ca.

 

Premium Members: Have our Career Services team review your resume to ensure you are not missing out on opportunities to land the interviews you need to move your career forward!

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