182: 11 Steps to a Better LinkedIn Profile for Marketing Yourself [Podcast]

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These 11 steps to a better LinkedIn profile will help you be found by recruiters and will also help you brand yourself to future and current employers.

While a lot of people spend time on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms, LinkedIn is the one platform that is more connected to professional impact more than others.

11 Steps to a Better LinkedIn Profile

Your LinkedIn profile is likely to be the first thing people see about you. Do the following steps to create or refresh your profile.

1) Good Headshot Photo
It should show your face well, be professional (as it applies to what you might want to do – no need for a suit and tie if you’re going to be a professional skydiver). Best to get it made by a professional photographer – but at very least a well-lit headshot from a friend’s iPhone.

2) Your Name
This is no place for nicknames unless you are professionally known by them.

3) Professional Headline
The headline is not your job and title. Instead, make it information that will draw your potential visitor into wanting to find out more about you. It should tell me how you can help me. Also, if you are moving away from one career toward another, make sure the headline tells more about where you want to go.

4) Your Location
Since we often search for people by location, this is critical.

5) Customized Profile URL
LinkedIn provides you with a default URL that you can – and should – customize. After all,
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalecallahan/ looks better than http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dalecallahan/4b/z25/146/ ?

7) Status Updates
Your Activity will show your latest status update – do you have one? Get into the habit of updating your status regularly. This helps others know what is on your mind. Share thoughtful, insightful, and relevant news. Consider what might interest your visitors. Shoot for updating it once a day. Unlike Facebook or Instagram – this is not the place to share what you had for breakfast – unless that somehow relates to your headline. Keep in mind what you are about – and share that kind of content.

8) A Complete Professional Summary
Create a solid professional summary to support your professional LinkedIn profile. Since your visitors have come to your page and seen your headline – you can now add to that with more detail. Think keywords. Any keywords someone might search on that relate to you – you should include. This includes all certifications, skills, etc. that relate to the kind of job you want. Keywords are powerful.

9) Connections – Add More
The magic of LinkedIn is connections. So now is the time to start connecting with EVERYONE you know. Past co-workers, bosses, people you go to church with, friends – anyone. The more connections, the more powerful it works for you. And, when someone sees a profile with over 500 connections, it means you are an active user, and therefore I can expect you to be willing to connect with me. VERY IMPORTANT.

10) Contact Information
Make it easy to contact you via email or the phone. Add relevant contact information, including how to contact you via social media – as long as you actually check it.

11) Join and Participate in Groups
A lot of Activity happens in the groups. Find groups that relate to what you do and join them—a great way to make professional contacts.

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Links mentioned in this episode:

• My LinkedIn Profile
• Schedule Your 45-Minute Discovery Session with Dale

Complimentary episodes:

• The Company of One Model
  • Episode 174: Grow Your Own Company of One
  • Episode 175: The Three Kinds of People at Work. Which one are you?
  • Episode 176: Seven Things You Must Know About Your Boss
• Your Chief Operations Officer Role
  • Episode 177: Become Better at Your Job
  • Episode 178: Three Tools for Powerful Focus and Incredible Results
• Your Chief Marking Officer Role
  • Episode 179: 17 Ways to Market Yourself
  • Episode 180: How To Calculate How Valuable You Are To Your Boss