10 ideas to stand out as a more awe-inspiring LinkedIn samurai

It’s been a few weeks since I last wrote here so I wanted to give you a brief summary of 5 things (ok more than 5!) that are important in my LinkedIn world, and in yours, and/or at least should be, to make you memorable and awesome-er:

1)    We may be heading to a recession in the USA. That means layoffs, jobs harder to come by, and thus more competition for the same spot. Last month I urged you to start now to revise your LinkedIn profile, just in case. I will advise you the same again. Then you are prepared ahead of any job interruption, instead of scrambling after-the-fact. See my earlier article https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/presently-future-tense-marc-w-halpert/, aimed at baby boomers but applicable to all generations of workers.

2)    Political opinions abound, but they should not be pointed at anyone, regardless of suspected belief, as that’s’ just not good business practice. Any topic that can be offensive has no home on LinkedIn and we are obligated to self-police that and report it when we see something that is not right. I wrote on that topic too: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/kindly-apolitical-linkedin-please-marc-w-halpert/ and this will become even more compelling as we approach November 2020.

3)    I'd prefer to see fewer “likes,” instead read more comments and shared materials, to make LinkedIn a true social learning medium for business professionals. I opined about that on my blog, which promptly (ironically) received a “like.” Ahem, did I not make myself clear? Really folks, take a few more seconds and tell us why you liked something, or comment further about how this was helpful. I go back to this article to show clients how gestures are more than just simple clicks of the “like” button: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/actions-can-speak-much-louder-than-words-linkedin-marc-w-halpert/ and be sure to watch the YouTube associated with this article. Spoiler alert: get the tissues out.

4)    I finished my long-in-coming e-course for baby boomers and semi-retired people to use LinkedIn well and make themselves more attractive as candidates for positions that might ordinarily go to younger workers. Yes, a bit of a self-serving advertisement, but if you can forward this link onto someone who can use it, they will certainly appreciate your thinking of them, and that's a good business gesture too, isn't it? https://wp.me/PT2tC-6kU

5)    LinkedIn is changing rapidly, with new bells and whistles appearing, with and without advance notice. Some recent changes and Help Desk links to learn more about them are (in no particular order):

a.     Open for Business section on your profile: I'll let LinkedIn articulate how this improves your visibility on ProFinder (better than I can explain it): https://www.dhirubhai.net/help/linkedin/answer/108464?hiptopic=feed&hcppcid=IPH-SEARCH

b.     The Summary section was retitled About, and this is a reminder to you to review this vital section for inclusion of SEO keywords to help you get found in a search Then be sure your narrative is concise and accurately reflects why you do what you do, now, not what you used to do. Take the time and invest in yourself in this section. https://www.dhirubhai.net/help/linkedin/answer/92157?query=about%20section&hcppcid=search

c.     You can now arrange your experience in a certain firm as steps up a ladder so you can show how you progressed: https://www.dhirubhai.net/help/linkedin/answer/94894?query=experience&hcppcid=search. Don’t forget to explain what you accomplished in each position you held in the firm and how you were promoted to take on new more challenging responsibilities and how well you handled them. Use the pronoun “ I” and power verbs in your narrative.

d.     If you are a techie and want to show your ability n computer coding languages or Microsoft programs, you can take a skill test on LinkedIn and if you achieve a 70 grade or higher, you will have that badge to show on your profile. https://www.dhirubhai.net/help/linkedin/answer/94427?hiptopic=profile&hcppcid=IPH-SEARCH

e.     And finally, I urge you to complete your contact information on LinkedIn with you cell phone number (people text a lot), street address, email address you look at most often (you don’t want to miss an opportunity), and website address (check to be sure to works as often I find errors in this vital contact segment, leading nowhere). Add your blog, Twitter handle, YouTube channel, portfolio website but you only get 3 website IRLS to add, so select accordingly. Please leave off your birthday (unless you get melancholy that day and need near-strangers wishing you a happier day. OK, you can call me a curmudgeon). https://www.dhirubhai.net/help/linkedin/answer/34987?hiptopic=profile&hcppcid=IPH-SEARCH

That’s ten useful links to make you more effective landing bigger fish on LinkedIn.

Be real, be yourself, be responsive and be open in telling casual readers of your profile why you do what you do. How can you go wrong? You just have to want to tell us about you! And that’s; what social media, LinkedIn in particular, is all about so get over the fear and have fun with it!

Happy autumn to my readers in this hemisphere. And spring to the rest. As we look towards December and all you want to accomplish, you will do well to start that rewrite of your LinkedIn profile, planned and executed well, while you have some time. Not at the year end crunch.

I’ll speak to you in a few more weeks. Thanks for reading this far, and let me know if you have any comments or additions to this list!

_______________________________

About Marc W. Halpert, LinkedIn Trainer and Evangelist

I am a “multi-preneur,” (www.dhirubhai.net/in/marchalpert) having started 3 companies, all of which I continue to operate. My latest business, connect2collaborate, spreads my LinkedIn and networking evangelism worldwide to train and coach others to better explain their brand and positioning on their LinkedIn profile pages:

• as an “evangelist” to help nonprofits cultivate talent pool, volunteers, boards, and corporate sponsors.
• as a corporate trainer for departments needing to know how to optimize LinkedIn for their responsible areas.
• as a coach helping professional practitioners in all industries use LinkedIn to better achieve their goals.
• as a high-energy speaker at conferences.
• as a volunteer coaching and teaching underemployed baby boomers to master new better career objectives.

I blog daily on LinkedIn topics to encourage readers towards a more beneficial use of this amazing tool. I speak about LinkedIn at public events and private corporate sessions too.

Each year I “niche out” a population to teach LinkedIn best practices. In past years I have served lawyers and professional practitioners, and nonprofit professionals. I have authored two books on LinkedIn: the first one was published by the American Bar Association “LinkedIn Marketing Techniques for Law and Professional Practices” was released June 2017 and "You, Us, Them, LinkedIn Marketing Concepts for Nonprofit Professionals Who Really Want to Make A Difference" in June 2018. Both are on Amazon in paper and e-book. The second book also has a companion online e-course to complement it, available here.

In early September I will grand-announce my new "LinkedIn for Baby Boomers and Other Encore Career Seekers" online e-course. Psst--it's available now! At a reduced price too!

I encourage my fellow professionals, of all stripes, to make LinkedIn a central part of telling their career story, their “why,” and find their voice to offer their rich expertise earned over years (or decades), embrace new professional friendships, and nurture collaboration.