A LinkedIn Profile Makeover Doesn’t Need to Say, “I’m Looking”

How many LinkedIn profile holders are afraid to seriously makeover their LinkedIn profiles?because they are worried their employer might think they are looking for another job?

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Take a loooooooong look at your LinkedIn profile.? Kinda sparse?? Doesn’t stand out as anything special…just more of the same old same old?? Too few connections to be a player? ?A fuzzy selfie and a 3-5 word description for each section heading?

And you wonder why the only invitations you get are from people who want to sell you mailing list services.

?My friend, you need a serious LinkedIn makeover!

What’s that you say? “If I suddenly rip apart my LinkedIn profile and put in all the details, keywords and all that other stuff that you guys are always telling me I need, my boss will think I’m looking to quit! And then I’ll get fired, or laid off, and then what’ll I do?”

?So you sigh long and low, like an old tire slow leaking air, resigned to watch as your LinkedIn profile is as popular as last year’s newspaper.

Newsflash: It doesn’t have to be this way!

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A Radical Makeover Can Boost Your Current Career

You can drastically improve your LinkedIn profile AND give your current career a boost at the same time!?

All you have to do is to think rich media.

What’s rich media, you ask?? Rich media is made up of all those videos, images, blogs, podcasts, pdfs and links the cool kids have on their profiles.? And they are so easy to do…go to the LinkedIn Help Center (the help function you access anytime you click on the drop-down arrow under your small photo on the upper right hand side of your profile) to see what kinds of files you can add.? There are some excellent LinkedIn Pulse articles on how to add rich files to your profile.? Here's an example from Wayne Breitbarth's profile:

Your objective: create and link rich media content to your profile that promotes a product, service or problem resolution that favorably positions your current employer as it shows off your expertise.?

Here's an example of this. ?Suppose you work as a pharmacist's assistant. What do customers of your pharmacy want? Correct prescriptions every time! With this in mind, create a five or six slide PowerPoint presentation entitled, Six Ways to Ensure Consistently Perfect Prescriptions. ?You’re not giving away professional trade secrets, but outlining the common-sense steps that would reassure the average customer about how you go about filling consistently accurate prescriptions. ?Place this presentation under your current employer. ??LinkedIn will help you turn it into a slide presentation.?

Presto! ?Three things happen:

1. You’ve now positioned yourself as a subject matter by sharing how you consistently assure accurate prescriptions.?
2. People assume your current employer does this as well, and it reflects favorably on them.?
3. People viewing your formerly dull and boring profile now see both your technical skills AND presentation skills, and that you are customer-focused.?

If I’m your current employer and come across your new and improved profile with your presentation, Six Ways to Ensure Consistently Perfect Prescriptions, I’m thinking, “Who is this awesome employee who is so committed to excellent work and to our customers?? I gotta keep an eye on this rising star.”? The last thing I’m thinking is that you are doing a LinkedIn makeover to leave.

But wait….there’s more!? Other employers, ever on the lookout for top talent, see your impressive new profile and think, “This person needs to be on our radar.”? LinkedIn members and the general public, searching for information on accurate prescriptions find your profile and presentation.? Suddenly you’ve joined the ranks of the popular, frequently viewed LinkedIn profiles.?

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Six Additional Pieces of Advice to Rock Your Profile

Map out your LinkedIn makeover strategy in advance, BEFORE you start renovations.

ONE: Google LinkedIn makeover and look for advice published in the past year or two.? Consult three or four articles and you’ll know what the pros know…how to rock a profile. For example, here's a terrific article I reposted yesterday on the eight areas of linkedIn profile makeover for 2023-2024 from Wayne Breitbarth.

TWO: Use a professional photo of just you.? NO selfies, pets, dinosaurs, friends, family members, significant others, scenery, cartoons…EVER!? Just you, smiling confidently, in professional attire.

THREE: Make sure to embed the keywords relevant to career positions you desire to hold as well past positions.? This will be how viewers will find you on LinkedIn.

FOUR: Prove your capabilities by quantifying your accomplishments. Filled an average of 8.6 prescriptions per hour in 2022 with 100% accuracy sounds so much better than fill prescriptions upon demand.

FIVE: Turn off your activity feed so your connections (including your employer) are not advised of every keystroke you make during your makeover.?? Do this by clicking on your small photo, upper right of your profile, and selecting Privacy & Settings, Visibility, Share Profile Updates – set to off.

SIX: Repost articles, newsworthy announcements, and updates from your own employer. Here's an example from this morning where one of my clients posted an update from her employer.

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Bottom Line

An investment in a makeover can and will pay for itself many times over.? Don’t let an unfounded fear of sending the wrong message to your current employer keep you from a rock star profile!

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About me: Since founding Boyer Management Group 25 years ago, I’ve been blessed to work with some of the world’s top employers by helping them get the most out of their talented people. My company's extensive?leadership development course catalog provides effective skills-building for everyone in the organization, from the new / developing leader to the seasoned C-level executive.?My company's coaching programs produce significant results in compressed periods of time.?In 2023 I was named CEO Monthly's Most Influential CEO (Executive Coaching, Pennsylvania) for the results we've produced serving our clients. My company's acclaimed career development tools help people navigate the ever-changing landscape of conducting a successful job search.?To find out more, please visit us at?www.boyermanagement.com, email us at [email protected], or call us at 215-942-0982.??