LinkedIn for women
Sue Ellson
Independent LinkedIn Specialist - Digital Mentor, Coach, Author, Educator, Consultant, Career Development Practitioner, Founder, Gigster, Keynote Speaker, Trainer, Poet, Writer, Business Social Marketing, AI??
LinkedIn for women
Free educational webinar on LinkedIn for Women - both slides and recording online at https://sueellson.com/blog/linkedin-for-women
Unfortunately, I believe that women do need to do things differently on LinkedIn.
In many circles, there are still unconscious biases.
In many situations, women don't discuss their achievements.
In many LinkedIn profiles, the full story is not shared and I have to ask why?
In many workplaces, women are treated differently.
In many cases, assumptions are made that are not correct.
I am not saying in all situations or at all times.
I can't personally change everything overnight (there are centuries of culture to overcome).
But I can provide some respectful and tactical solutions.
I recently asked a man who talks about asking for what you are worth and he suggested women should lower their voice when talking. This is the kind of suggestion that is both unhelpful and insulting.
I am much more practical.
I would like to level the playing field.
I would like there to be access and equity - and here are some of the tips I suggest that women consider for themselves.
I won't be suggesting that you become more masculine.
I will be suggesting that you take full ownership of what you put online.
I also believe that all of these tips could apply to any person, regardless of whether they identify as male, female or something else.
Specific Tactics for Women on LinkedIn
1. Don’t tell, can’t sell – you need to provide a range of information. A LinkedIn Profile is viewed on a screen, which is only two dimensional (2D). It doesn't talk and engage like you can in a meeting (it is too late to talk about your achievements in a job interview). Share your story in text, pictures, audio and video!
2. Showcase your achievements – anything that you have done that is over and above job requirements, plus anything that is within job or business requirements that has been done really well needs to be showcased. This includes anything where you were invited, selected, seconded, chosen, requested, initiated etc. not just fancy sales targets.
3. Use an appropriate Profile Photo - I recommend a high neck garment for everyone so that the focus is on your face and eyes. A low neck garment shows more neck and chest and does not frame your face and drags the eye down when looking at the image. If you are concerned about your age or appearance for any reason, don't be. It is your energy and vitality on show, not your looks!
4. Complete your LinkedIn Profile in full - if you have personal safety concerns, there are specific strategies that I recommend (not disclosed here but available via professional appointment). In most cases, a lot of information can be gleaned from online records and submitted resumes, so the information on LinkedIn should match and in some cases, show more detail. That said, if you have been very high profile and your current personal context has a different objective, you may need to save your current profile (via the More Button and Save to PDF feature) and remove some detail. However, I do not recommend that you give up a successful career to do a low paid job because the hours work for you. There are ways to negotiate a relevant position that matches your capability.
5. Give and Receive Recommendations - these are 24 hour social proof tools that can help you either in your current position or in preparation for a future position.
6. Constantly build your network - as has been said many times before, your network equals your net worth. No job or enterprise can guarantee a regular income. But a network can be helpful when you need to source more leads, income or a job. From now on, connect with everyone you meet. You may have heard of the 'boy's club.' Well now it is time to develop the 'people's club.'
7. You only need 60% competency - to mention a particular skill or capability, not 100%. In my view, every person takes at least six months to go from conscious competency to unconscious competency when they start a new position. No two positions are ever the same. Our world is changing very rapidly and new skills are being acquired much more frequently. Don't wait until you have 100% competency before giving something new a try.
8. Providing factual descriptions is not bragging – you can be proud of all of your achievements! You cannot disclose commercially sensitive information and you may need to be very conscious of the wording you use in some countries (definitely not boastful in Australia), but you can state selected facts that align with your purpose. You must not lie.
9. Use keywords to be found - You can use words like ‘Aspiring Accountant’ or ‘Future CEO’ so that you can appear in search results if you are looking for your ‘next’ role. The algorithms do not fully detect adjectives and meanings yet, so use this to your advantage if you are preparing for your next role.
10. Discuss your Education – including Subjects Completed (and perhaps topics if relevant) even if the qualification was not completed (because it adds you to the school alumni). So many LinkedIn Profiles do not include these words in their Education section and the algorithms look here. You don't need to say you didn't finish, you just say 'Subjects Completed.' If you did finish the course, you can say 'Course Completed and Conferred xx/xx/xx'.
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11. Do NOT mention years of experience - in any narrative. It will either be too many or too few and is irrelevant. Talk about where you have experience - in the areas of a, b, c etc so you can be seen as a guru. The chronological dates in the Experience section can provide the number of years.
12. Consider creating your own website at yourname.com - and link to it in the Contact Info Section of your LinkedIn Profile and in the About/Summary section as well. This is a place where you can showcase your story and your achievements in your own style. In my view, this is essential for any senior executive or enterprise owner to be taken seriously. A one page website is a good place to start.
13. Abide by the LinkedIn User Agreement - Section 8 - Do's and Don'ts is essential reading. You are not allowed to let someone else login and use your account. You must not spam.
14. You only need one LinkedIn Profile - even if you have different roles so make sure you add all of your email addresses (past and present) to your LinkedIn account so that you do not accidentally create a Duplicate account. I am both a business professional and a creative - if I had two accounts, someone could accidentally connect to the wrong one. You can list your different roles on the one LinkedIn Profile and list the one most aligned to your primary objective on LinkedIn first. (For example, if I was a Senior Executive and a part time Artist, I could focus on the Senior Executive role first. If I was secure in the Senior Executive Role and wanted to us LinkedIn to promote my Art, I would list the Artist role first).
15. Support others, including Competitors - if you see something that is good, Like it! Or Comment or Share or congratulate! There is enough for everyone out there. We can't be all things to all people. Supporting others is the way forward, not keeping all your cards close to your chest. When you have a surplus, you can share it around. They may have a surplus and not share, but that is not a reason not to acknowledge other peoples' achievements.
16. Allocate time to update your LinkedIn Profile and engage with the Newsfeed - my general recommendation is around 20 minutes per week - after you have completed your LinkedIn Profile. Paying for Premium is not a guarantee of success if you haven't FULLY completed your LinkedIn Profile. I don't know how many times I say to people I meet that you MUST UPDATE your LinkedIn Profile. Buddy up with a friend if that's what it takes.
17. Complete some LinkedIn Learning Courses - it is a great place to gain some current micro-credentials. This is a benefit of a Premium Membership but here in Australia, it is also accessible free of charge through a local library membership (and no, you don't need to access it at the library although it might be a nice change of scenery).
18. Be prepared for offers - and be willing to negotiate. If you really do optimise your LinkedIn Profile, you may be contacted and offered new opportunities, beyond your wildest dreams - so be prepared to answer these requests and negotiate terms that work for you. If you adequately describe your value, you will be approached.
19. Do your due diligence - don't go from the fat to the fire. If you are offered new opportunities, do your research and make sure you get what you deserve. Make sure you are a good fit (from both sides). Be prepared to say no. This can be difficult but saying no to the wrong gig can lead to the right gig coming along. Be clear about what you do want. If you say you want 'anything,' then you may end up with 'anything.'
20. Develop alliances - mentors, coaches, business and industry friends and bookmark some of their LinkedIn Profiles so that you can 'check them out' occasionally and support their activity online. Showing you care about the VIP's in your life will reap rewards, especially those that have supported you along your journey - don't ever be afraid to say thank you both privately and publicly (remember the 'Give Kudos' option from the More button on their LinkedIn Profile). Be specific in your praise, not just 'You are amazing.'
I trust you find these suggestions helpful and I welcome your thoughts, comments and perspectives below.
Other items of interest
Enjoy the rest of your day!
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First Published:?21 July 2021
Last Update:?14 March 2023
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Sue Ellson?BBus, MPC, CDAA, ASA, WV, SPN?is an Independent LinkedIn Specialist, Business and Careers Consultant, Trainer and Author.
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Work Health and Safety Consultant at Total WHS
2 年Thanks Sue, this is great information. It demonstrates that I need to do some fine tuning to my profile.
Higher Education Leader I Learning & Teaching Consultant I Medical & Health Professional Education Specialist I Governance & Policy Reform
2 年Very helpful tips Sue … thank you.
Social Media for the Socially Reluctant ? LinkedIn? Training, Consulting & Profiles ? Speaker ? Transforming Profiles for Results
2 年Great tips but I don't really see anything different in your list that could be recommended to men. I might add: "Don't be afraid to block people" - I find my women clients use that less often than the men. Perhaps they're afraid the person will be notified (they won't) or it makes them seem not a nice person.
Disruptive PR Strategist Transforming Brands into Industry Newsmakers | Personal Branding Consultant | LinkedIn Profile Coach | LinkedIn Profile Optimization | Helping You Stand Out Online | Paddleboard Fanatic
3 年Oh my goodness....I somehow missed this post which you so kindly tagged me in. My apologies! I agree with every single one of your points here...and want to emphasize inclusion of keywords. They really do work and make a difference in helping one's profile be discovered. Thank you, Sue!
Your LinkedIn Strategy is Hurting My Heart and My Eyeballs | "America's Top LinkedIn Thought Leader" - Forbes | Helping 7-8 Figure Businesses Claim The Top Spot w/ Most Lucrative Position, Niche, and "BSOT" Messaging.
3 年No matter how you feel about marketing great Frank Kern, I always think of a quote of his when it comes to creating a LinkedIn profile - especially the headline and the "About" section. "Throw a brick through the window." Another great expression of this is from Revenue Climber founder Larry Kaul: "Poke holes in the balloon of the current ethos." In other words, in your industry, there are popular ideas, myths, and narratives that everyone seems to be talking about at a particular time. If you are the person who can challenge those "dominant narratives" and show a viable alternative, you are going to get to move to the front of the line relatively quickly. As a woman, you don't need to be aggressive or put anyone else down, but you can challenge that popular idea with your own distinct shift in perspective. One great example of this what Brynne Tillman has done in her work w/ Social Sales Link: "Instead of telling everyone how you're going to help, just start HELPING!" Seeing her model gave me full permission to "teach not sell." The last thing I would say is that idea works best when it's singular, concrete, and gives me something (as your audience) that I can EASILY share with others who don't yet know you.