Three quick wins for a standout LinkedIn profile
I recently held a webinar with former Salesforce Account Executive and LinkedIn expert, James Batup. As someone who trawls the platform day in and day out, it was super refreshing for me to get an outside perspective on the technicalities behind a a great profile. Sure, we all know when a particular profile leaps off the page — but have you ever really questioned why it was so good?
In the webinar, James and I get granular on what exactly compiles a great LinkedIn profile. From the top of the page to the bottom, James was able to highlight clever tips and tricks to getting yourself noticed. For example, how much time have you spent completing your industry, role, and work history sections? Did you know that these are all filters recruiters use to headhunt candidates?
Whilst I recommend jumping in and listening to the full webinar — you could listen whilst making a morning coffee — I thought I’d give you a taster with three quick tips. These won’t take long to action, but potentially mean a whole new level of profile views.
Tip #1: Add a photo of yourself
You would be surprised how many LinkedIn users neglect to upload a profile picture. For those we consider the ‘digital generation’ — ie. those who have grown up with social media and online profiles — sharing photography of yourself is completely natural. But for older generations, it can feel a bit confronting. That is, until you consider the stats.
A great profile picture will earn you:
- Nine times more connection requests
- Twenty-one times more profile views
- Thirty-six times more direct messages
When choosing a photo, makes sure you opt for something clear, bright, and well-lit. Avoid black-and-white or heavily filtered images, and dress for your industry. If you’re in corporate, don your corporate attire. If you’re in creative, opt for smart casual. Add a smile, neat hair, and clean teeth — and you’re set!
Tip #2: Create a profile headline
On LinkedIn, your profile headline normally defaults to your current title. But as James points out in the webinar, your job title is already in the recruiter view format and is therefore one of the first things recruiters see.
So, replace it with something else — why do you do what you do? What motivates your work? What ethos do you work by? Get creative, and think about a one-liner that best captures your personality, and work ethic.
Some eye-catching examples might be:
Digital marketing is nothing without an original strategy. That’s my job.
I spark joy in recruiting, and enabling candidates to be successful.
I love to dig into customer problems and solve them with emerging technologies.
Feeling creative? Keep up the energy and review your About summary while you’re at it. (More on that in the webinar)
Tip #3: Upload a folio
In my opinion, the folio section of a LinkedIn profile is seriously underutilised. Being mindful of what is considered confidential by your company, you should be including links, summaries, screenshots, or presentations relating to your work. You can do this under the Featured section of your profile — if you’re not sure where that is, or how it works, you can check out the FAQs here.
Creating a dynamic, visually appealing representation of your skillset is an instant way to grab attention. And far more interesting than a written description, don’t you think? Take the pressure off by consistently adding to your folio, and keeping it updated month-to-month. If you’re working on something fantastic, check with your management team if it’s ok to share online, and upload it in real time. Before long, you’ll have a small library to show off to potential recruiters.
+++
So, there’s three small steps towards leveraging LinkedIn for the incredible platform that it is. The more you put in, the more you get out — so take a moment to listen to the webinar, and put aside your time to creating the best LinkedIn profile you can!
Build A Great LinkedIn Profile with Garth Kharitou and James Batup is available to view here.
