Getting Started on LinkedIn

Did you know that LinkedIn has over 740 million members with over 40% accessing the platform daily? Well, now you do. Click here to check the statistics. If you're reading this, then you're adding to the statistics. Sometimes, hiring managers view the LinkedIn profiles of candidates before deciding whom to recruit. Okay, what do these mean for you?

This means that with focused efforts, you have the chance to show yourself to numerous individuals. Let me tell a story. A recruiter messaged a friend of mine to tell her a job was open. How did this recruiter see her? This friend had posted a certificate from a particular training she completed. This company needed someone for a role in that field and the recruiter reached out to her. That was it!

Whether you're a business owner, or you're a recent graduate looking for a job, undergraduate seeking opportunities or you've wondered about how to get started on LinkedIn, you're in luck today! This article will show you how to set up your profile, what you should be posting, and how to build authority on this platform. Let's dive in!

 Oh yes, before we dive in, I want you to clear these misconceptions:

●    That LinkedIn is only for success stories: Let me be frank, I held on to this idea for a long time. It's easy to think that LinkedIn is only for sharing a new certification, a new job or scholarship, but this isn't the case. What this does to you if you think this way is that you'll never post anything until you have a breakthrough in your opinion. But, when will that be? You don’t know.

●    That LinkedIn is complicated: If you’re reading this, you’ll know why very soon. LinkedIn is only a professional social media platform. Though its rules differ from other regular social media platforms, remember that it is a communication platform. “LinkedIn is a social platform.” I want you to tell yourself whenever you begin to feel confused. However, as with any good thing in life, you’ll have to do the work to enjoy its rewards. The question is, how ready are you?  

Now that we know what isn’t true, can we dive in already?

Why are you on LinkedIn?

I want you to be crystal clear of your motives. Why are you here? What do you hope to achieve with LinkedIn? A job? A speaking platform? To impact others? To build authority? Okay, that’s a bit broad. What kind of job? What kind of speaking opportunities? Build authority about what? I want you to be clear about your objectives so that you have a focus.

Why should you clarify this? It helps you with your headline. It’s that simple. Okay, that’s not all. We’ll find out in the second part of this series. One, two, go.

Set up your profile

Your profile is the first contact people will have with you. Don't you want to leave a good impression on your viewers? Of course, you would!

I’ll advise that you make a mental dump of your achievements, activities, volunteer roles, leadership positions somewhere. This is not entirely compulsory but it makes the next steps easier for you. That way, you won’t get stuck.

LinkedIn has a pencil icon that allows you make edits. You simply click the pencil to make your edits. Note that the images you'll be seeing below are from the mobile version of the app. The desktop version appears differently but you'll find your way around it if you're using a desktop.

●    Get a cover banner

This isn’t compulsory because LinkedIn automatically gives you one. But, having a cover banner adds a level of beauty to your profile. It shows that you’ve taken some steps to appear distinct. Okay, you’re not a designer, right? It’s pretty simple. With Canva you can make do of templates to fit your taste.

By the way, I designed this banner when I had no expert knowledge of Canva. After I learned, I figured I didn’t do a bad job. Or, did I? If you can afford to pay someone to design for you, that’s a faster approach.

 ●    Fill out your name

Obvious, right? It’s as simple as that. Do not fill your name in block letters. The sentence case will do just fine. Also, LinkedIn has a Voice Record feature that lets you record the pronunciation of your name. I’ll suggest you do that because it gives life to your profile. You may check mine to understand what I mean. 

  ●    Get a profile picture

A clear headshot is all you need. I’ll strongly recommend that you get a professional photographer to take this picture. It’s a headshot, but remember that this is the first thing anyone on LinkedIn sees. Because it’s a professional platform, ensure you look professional as possible. You may give a smile- it’s not compulsory though. Should you use a selfie? No, except you’re a Justin Bieber or an Oprah Winfrey.

Your Headline

This is where you sell your market (in the Nigerian parlance). You may write it in a sentence form or just as a list. See the examples below. This is where you tell the world what you do or what you're interested in. Are you a graphics designer? Put it there! Do you host events or perform MC duties? Put it there. If you have several things going on with you, keep the most important features as the first three.

Below is an example of a conversational headline. Can you peep her cover banner also?

Okay, what if you're a student? You don't have a job and you're not even sure of your plans. Good question. Here's what you should never do: Do not write "Student at Obafemi Awolowo University." I want you to think about this, if you see this on someone's profile, how would you feel? Are you endeared to the profile? No. Why is that? This headline is ambiguous. What's your viewer supposed to do about your studentship? Here's what you can do:

•  Ask, what am I interested in? Do you advocate gender equality? Personal Development? Or Personal Finance? Mental wellness? Child rights? Only you can tell so get thinking. If your course is a professional course you may include "budding" into that profession. If I was an undergraduate, mine would have been a "budding lawyer." Your University is in the education section of your profile so you need not include it in your headline.

Your Professional Summary

This is the “About” section. Please, do not leave this blank. If yours is blank, don’t feel bad. Mine was blank for the first two years I was on this platform.

Why bother about a professional summary? It lets people (recruiters or prospective clients) know what you do, and how you can provide solutions. This is needful if you’re seeking a job. I’ll recommend a conversational summary but it’s totally up to you. Whatever style you use, ensure it’s concise, states your offer, and leaves a call to action. Should they call you? Or send a mail? Let them know! 

You're free to read up on other people's summaries. I did that and was able to find a style that inspired me. Please, reread your summary. This is not the place to make grammatical errors. You may ask a friend to proofread for you or pay an editor to do the same (I'm an editor by the way).

The Experience Section

This is where you fill out past jobs, internships or pro-bono services. If you feel you don't have any experience here are things to consider: Do you own a small business? Then you're the lead! Have you held a position in the past? In clubs, associations or religious associations? It's part of it. If you can't come up with any, it's high time you got involved!

Education

You may go as far back as your Secondary School education. If you won awards or participated in clubs and societies, include it. Your University education should be clear. If you've graduated, leave the class of degree you finished with. LinkedIn allows you to describe each section. You can come up with sentences describing what you did during your education. 

Licenses and Certifications

Have you taken free or paid courses? Or was there this event that issued certificates to you? List these there. Be deliberate about what you put out here. If you attended a food competition and you won a certificate for preparing the best food, if you’re not looking for a cooking role, you may not include that.

Note: LinkedIn allows you to include the details of your certificates. However, you can only input the URL to the certificate. If your certificate is in a PDF format or just a regular picture, you can simply upload it to your Google Drive and copy the link from there. That way, anyone viewing your profile can see the credential as well.

Volunteering

That class campaign, the ICT team you headed, those designs you made for free for your department or did you visit the orphanage with a team? This is where people see your human side. It's easy to conclude your interests by seeing the volunteer activities you've engaged in.

Skills and Endorsements

LinkedIn has a myriad of skills you can choose from. You can select up to fifty skills but don't include what you aren't skilled at. I have twenty skills as you can see below. You can reach out to people who know you to endorse your skills. Just remember that one good turn deserves another. You should be ready to endorse other people as well.

Accomplishments

Projects, Courses, Test scores, language? Beginner or expert? Let people know! This is where you shine.

Contact

Your URL: This is a custom link available for every LinkedIn user. If unedited, it has your name and some numbers. You’d like to make this as professional as possible so you remove those numbers. You may leave it as your first and last name, or include your profession. Can you see mine?

Don't forget to include your email address. Your birthday? Not compulsory.

Now that you have your profile set up, it's time to connect with people. LinkedIn suggests people based on the information on your profile. You may commit to sending five invites every day if you're just starting. Oh, not everyone will accept your invitation. Don't feel bad if that happens.

Now that you've got some connections, what next? How can you get seen? What are you supposed to post here? In the next article, you'll find answers to these questions and more! I'll see you in the next article!

Just before you go, please give this article a like, and share it with your connections. This helps the post reach more people. Thank you!