The 10-Second Executive Presence Test

If you're on LinkedIn, then (I hope!) you care about your executive presence.

What is executive presence?

It's how people interpret your UVA = Unique Value Add. This is how you use your skills and abilities to save or make more than enough money to justify the cost of hiring you.

Unfortunately, most people don't realize how important their executive presence is until they're in a situation where they really need lots of people to know their UVA.

For example, when you get fired or laid-off and are suddenly thrust into the job market.

That's why I encourage all my clients to do the 10-Second Executive Presence Test.

The concept is simple. You can do it in a day and it only takes three steps.

Step 1: Identify 5-10 people you respect and admire in your industry that you're connected to on LinkedIn.

Step 2: Message them your LinkedIn profile URL and ask them to open it and only look at it for 10 seconds.

Step 3: Then, ask them to email back what they remember from your profile.

What you get back is how your executive presence is perceived online.

Now, if you don't like what they share. Or, they didn't fully understand the depth of the value you provide, then your profile needs work!

LinkedIn is the #1 platform used for recruiting and networking. The better your executive presence is on it, the more people you will have wanting to connect with you, or trying to recruit you.

To instantly improve your executive presence, you need to focus on the top-fold of your LinkedIn profile. That's your Headline, Activity Feed, and About Section.

That's because in 10-seconds, they just aren't going to get to the bottom of your LinkedIn profile. So, the top part is the place you need to spend the most time making sure you executive presence is sending the right message.

Here are my top 3 tips for improving your top-fold on LinkedIn:

1. Focus on making sure your best transferable skills are front-and-center. Your headline is prime real estate. Choose what you put there carefully. Avoid long sentences and words that don't matter.
2. Turn on Creator Mode and get your Activity Feed to the top so people can see what you are sharing. Creator Mode put the emphasis on the content you're sharing. It also helps you to get your profile in front of more people in your area of expertise.
3. Simplify your About section with a list of key skill sets. Instead of long, boring paragraphs, create a 2-3 sentence summary and then list out your top 10-12 key skill sets in a vertical list. This makes it a lot easier to read and absorb them quickly.

These are just a few of the things you can do to immediately improve your executive presence on LinkedIn.

As I always say, brand or BE branded. Don't leave your reputation as a professional up to chance. Own your executive presence so you can get what you want in your career!

P.S. - Want to work with me privately on your executive presence this month?

I have a new Executive Presence Program where I bring 4 executives together into a small group and teach them how to build their reputations on LinkedIn.

The program ensures you are showcasing your Unique Value Add(UVA) in a way that attracts attention from the right people.

Most importantly, it elevates your career game and will help you stay at the top of your profession so you feel more in control of your future.

If you are interested in learning more, message me here on LinkedIn and tell me what you are looking to accomplish in your career for the next 12 months. I can then share more about the program so you can see if it's a fit for you.

Cheers!