How to Make Your LinkedIn Profile Stand Out and Catch Eye

If you’re serious about improving your career, your personal brand, and eventually your financial situation, then getting a job is one of the first things you need to do. But how to get started? How can you make the most of your networking and professional networking efforts without feeling like an undertaxed social worker who popped up out of nowhere two years ago and has no personal life? Well, that’s where an effective LinkedIn profile comes in. Since this is where people look to see whom they can follow on Twitter or Facebook or Google+ or whatever social media platform is current at the time, it’s also the perfect place to showcase what you’ve got so far as opposed to listing all the things that are so sorry. In other words, make sure that when people Google ‘LinkedIn profile’ they get answers such as ‘what is a good LinkedIn profile?’ This will not only help them with their search results but will also help them land interviews faster.

Tell people what you’re good at

LinkedIn users will mainly be looking for work-related skills and credentials if they are in hiring or have led to hiring in the past. To demonstrate that you have what it takes and are a good fit for what they’re looking for, you should include a few of the following topics in your profile:

Be transparent and honest

This should be obvious but still worth saying. Your LinkedIn profile should be as transparent as possible about your experience, skills, education, and any relevant experience you have outside of work. People want to know what you’ve been up to, not just the facts. If it’s a judgmental profession, be sincere and honest about why people shouldn’t be too quick to judge you. For example, people make mistakes sometimes when it comes to race and your work environment could be a significant factor in how you handle certain issues.

Use your network wisely

How do you go about using your network to its full potential? Are there ways you can leverage your connections to help you get more out of them, such as by suggesting topics to discuss or events to attend? How can you use your professional network to your advantage, such as by booking a meeting with someone you know or sending them to a social event that you are attending? A great way to show off your professional network is to suggest meetings or events that your contacts should be interested in. For example, if your network consists mainly of HR or finance people, then suggest events or meetings on human resources or finance. This will not only help you show off what you know, but it will also help you get more out of your professional network in return.

Be yourself but also include a bit of fluff

This may sound obvious, but it’s the one thing you need to do to stand out from the crowd. Your LinkedIn profile is exactly what people will see when they visit your profile page. It’s also exactly what people send emails and letters to when they want to discuss your skills, experience, education, and any other relevant information you have. It’s how you start your profile and how you finish it that will make or break your profile. At the top of your profile, make sure that you include a link to your website or social media channels. You can link to any content that you have that people might be interested in, such as a blog entry or a picture of you doing something interesting. If you have a professional network, consider adding theirs as well, so that you can show off what they have to offer in a profile picture.

Show, don’t just tell.

In your LinkedIn profile, show rather than tell. This means that you want to include information that your LinkedIn connections would want to know but isn’t necessarily written in your profile. For example, if you’re a marketing professional with experience in influencer marketing, you could include a few examples of campaigns you’ve helped launch, a few case studies of brands you’ve worked with, and links to external websites where people can find more information. Similarly, if you’re a financial advisor with experience in retirement planning, you could include a link to your blog or a case study of a company you worked for that provided retirement planning services. Instead of listing things that you have or have had, list the stories that other people can tell about you. There are so many stories that can be told about you and your work experience that you’ll be amazed how many people will be interested in hearing them.

Conclusion

LinkedIn is a great place to look for work opportunities, but you need to put in the groundwork before you can get a job there. In order to get a head start on creating a LinkedIn profile that will get you noticed, we’ve outlined the steps you need to take. Once you’ve finished, your LinkedIn profile should look like this: Keep it brief - Your LinkedIn profile should be no more than two pages long and should include around 2-3 relevant topics. Keep it consistent - Your LinkedIn profile should contain information relevant to both your education and current job. If you have a different career path in mind, make sure that you include it in your profile. Use your network wisely - Your LinkedIn profile is a great place to show off your professional network, but you should use it to its full potential and suggest events or meetings that your contacts should be interested in. The show, don’t just tell. - In your LinkedIn profile, instead of listing things that you have or have had, list the stories that other people can tell about you. There are so many stories that can be told about you and your work experience that you’ll be amazed how many people will be interested in hearing them.

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