A Completed Profile on LinkedIn

Social media experts all over the web will tell you that the first step to getting anywhere with LinkedIn is to have a complete profile yourself.  There is much more to it that having your name, a great headshot, your job history and some links to where people might be able to see your work.  Here are some suggestions to take your profile to the next level.

Headline

This is the line under your name.  If you have it as the default it will pull your most current title and use that.  But, that is not enough.  It's your headline!  Just like in a newspaper it should grab the readers attention and make them want to read more!

Your Summary

All about you and you should focus on two things in this section.  Make it keyword heavy!  If someone is searching for something you do this is where it will pull from.  The other is to tell people why you are here.  Do you want a job?  Do you want people to connect with your for potential partnerships or business deals?  Tell them here.

Your Work History

For the most part this is your resume, however there are a couple of key differences.  Only positions related to what you are currently doing or seeking to do should be listed.  You don't have to go so many years back, like what they recommend on a typical resume.  But do, describe in details what you do/did for any positions you do list!

Recommendations

There are two ways people can give you kudos on your profile page.  The first is endorsements; LinkedIn will often prompt people to endorse you based on interactions within the site.  It shows on your profile as a line item with a number of people who have endorsed your for that line item and their pictures lined up next to it.  The second is a recommendation and I recommend you request these from key people.  You can send requests to specific people, for a specific position.  These people can then leave a comment on your profile with a glowing review of their experience working with you.  These have a lot more clout that endorsements in my opinion as there is a bit more effort put into it!

Add Apps

You can now add apps to your profile that can allow you to put rich content on your profile.  For example, you can link it to your WordPress activity or your current reading list.