Optimize LinkedIn for Career Growth: Part II

The following article was published in One Up Your Career - the daily info-vitamin capsule by Unnati to help you growth hack your career.

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Hey Folks,

Continuing our theme for the week, today we focus on the LinkedIn cover photo. I have often seen people leave their cover photos blank or post a random picture. If you are one of those who belong to the above category then let me explain why having a good cover photo is important on LinkedIn.

A picture speaks louder than words and a compelling cover photo on LinkedIn creates an impressive first impression. The banner image visually reinforces written information on your profile. Leaving the space blank would give an impression that either you do not know how to use LinkedIn or you do not care about your profile.

There is no rule on how often the cover picture should be updated. You can even change it every month with the latest development in your career. Each time you update your cover photo, your connections get a notification. This will in turn increase traffic to your profile. The constant update of the cover photo depicts the constant advancement of your career.

Ideas for LinkedIn Cover Picture

• Your Company - For an entrepreneur, having the company logo as the cover picture is ideal. Because it is the biggest part of your professional identity. You are the foremost brand ambassador of your business. So, use the space to advertise your company. It will make it easier for clients to locate your profile. I have chosen to keep my background simple white with just the logo. You can also have an info-graphic explaining your business.

• Product or Service - You can feature an image of the product that you are offering. A photo showcasing your product directly on your profile can instantly intrigue potential buyers and partners. If you are associated with service then search for images related to the service but do not use images from Google. Check out sites that offer free photos like unsplash.com, pixabay.com.

• Your Customers - A cover picture representing your customers or the community will impact them directly. Make sure that the image is not too crowded. On the website, your profile picture is placed on the left and on the mobile app it is in the center. Thus, the image should be spaced out in such a way that the view is not obstructed in any platform.

• Word Cloud - This is a good alternative to an image. If you belong to a technical field like IT or finance then there might be certifications and areas of expertise that you want people to know. In such scenarios create a word cloud highlighting the main points.

You can download a banner from the free sites or you can create a banner on canva.com. It is a free site where you can choose from ready-made templates or create your own design. The interface is user friendly and comfortable to use. Recommended size for the cover image is 1536 (w) x 768 (h) pixels.

P.S - Do not use pictures from Google because they are copyright images.

Do you have any questions related to job search or career enhancement? Ask us here. Each month Akshay Datt, founder of Unnati, will mentor the jobseeker who poses the most interesting question.

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