How to create a standout LinkedIn profile in a few simple steps - Part 1 ??

Many people tell me they know they need to work more on their LinkedIn profile, but right now they don't feel the urgency because they're only finishing their studies in another year or two, and then they'll "start investing." This is a mistake. Don't wait until the end of your studies to build your profile, start now. Like everything in life, building a professional LinkedIn profile takes time and energy. And who knows, maybe LinkedIn will soon offer you your dream job opportunity.

Did you know that 87% of recruiters in the tech industry are on LinkedIn? And what if I told you that with a complete LinkedIn profile, you are 71% more likely to get a job interview? A poor LinkedIn profile will significantly reduce your chances of getting an interview invitation, don't take that risk and start working on it now. So let's get started.

1. Your first step on LinkedIn - Decide on your goal and what you want to convey

Jeff Bezos once said that branding is what others say about you when you're not in the room. The first thing you need to think about when building your profile is what do you want to convey when others look at it? What's your branding? What sets you apart from others? When a recruiter looks at my profile, what do I want them to think about me?

2. Be mindful of keywords

LinkedIn works like a search engine, so think about SEO and add keywords that are relevant to your role, both in the about section and the headline. This will help increase your exposure to relevant "headhunters" (recruiters).

3. Add a professional profile and background photo

LinkedIn users who add a profile photo receive 21x more profile views and up to 36x more messages.

A selfie or a photo with people is not professional enough. Make sure your profile photo has a neutral background, good lighting, you're looking directly at the camera, and smiling. The background photo should also convey professionalism and be related to your field of work or something meaningful in your personality/story. For example - background photos with a meaningful motto/slogan, a significant place for you, a picture from a professional conference. You can find great background photo templates on Canva.

4. Compelling Headline

This is one of the most important parts of your profile, and unfortunately, most users don't take full advantage of it! You're allowed up to 220 characters in the description (and that's quite a lot), use it wisely to promote and market yourself in the best way possible. You can write your current job (for example: Project Manager at Company X), add skills, and incorporate industry-related keywords that you want to be associated with. Relevant keywords are one of the first things recruiters will see in search results when they're looking for candidates.

A good example:

– Digital Marketing Manager at X | SEO | Google Analytics | Conversion Rate Optimization | Maximizing Profits

A small tip: Check how people in your field chose to present themselves, it's always good to draw inspiration from others.

5. Connect with others

LinkedIn significantly promotes active users over passive ones. Therefore, it is crucial to be active on LinkedIn.

Connect with others, leave meaningful comments on posts, express your opinions, and contribute some of your background and professional experience in discussions in specific groups. Be opinionated, but it's essential not to get into arguments and judge others.

So that's it, that's a little of what's waiting for you in the next parts - where we'll dive deeper into building a winning LinkedIn profile - the experience section, about, professional networking strategy, personal branding, and more (: