I've been hitting the market looking for an internship. When I started sending applications and emails, the hits on my LinkedIn page spiked. Using the 'Who's viewed your profile' feature, you can see who is viewing your profile. I definitely attracted the crowd that I was hoping for. So here are some tips for a successful LinkedIn profile.
- Have a professional photo - Last semester, one of my professors connected with me and suggested I have a professional photo rather than a good pretty photo of me. She said to save the smiling fun photos for Facebook. So I put on my jacket and collared shirt and took a nice professional photo. I was instantly impressed with how professional and how much older I looked.
- Updated work experience and education - Just like an electronic resume, you should always have this portion updated. When people search for you, they will see your last or current role. A good description of each job can help future employers decide if the skills you already have will fit their needs.
- Accurate specialties - LinkedIn allows you to add skill specialties to your profile, making you easier to search. Again, this helps people looking at your profile determine what skills you already have.
- Summary - This is like the objective section on a resume. I am not a fan of having this on a resume because this information should be included with a cover letter, but since it is the Internet, you might as well have this section filled out.
- Recommendations - These are always a nice addition to any profile, so people know that you're telling the truth. Much like a References List, Recommendations are other people's opinion about you. If someone recommends you, be sure to recommend them back. It's nice.
I hope this helps. Feel free to connect with me on
LinkedIn.com!
No comments:
Post a Comment