How to Create an Amazing Profile

Having a profile picture can increase your connection requests by 9 X's. Take an intentional photo that illustrates your professional self–preferably a head shot while wearing business attire.

HEADLINE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SECTION OF A LINKEDIN PROFILE

Hiring managers and recruiters filter candidates in the following order:

1. Job title

2. Location

3. Skills.  

Pinpoint your current role.  If you are a student title your headline with "aspiring" . Highlight  your unique skills and passions. Use Industry key words. Make it dynamic. Reference job descriptions to find keywords.  

GOOD:

• PR professional focused on brand marketing, media relations and corporate communications

• Helping students discover their occupational passions and full potential 

• Passion for health; yoga instructor and personal trainer 

• Reliable pet sitter who will report exactly what your dog is doing when you are away

• Passionate middle school teacher focused on providing rich learning experiences to students with learning challenges

BAD: 

• Multi Skilled Business Professional

• Jack of all Trades 

• Copywriter with extensive experience and background 

• Unemployed and looking for work

Your summary should be about 40 words written in first-person narrative. This is where you describe your SKILLS, details of your job, your career aspirations, and your career successes. List your unique skills and passions. Make sure to use industry key words. This is akin to your elevator speech.

List the jobs that you have held in reverse chronological order. Use action verbs to describe your job and QUANTIFY your work. Use industry key words.  Make sure you list your skills. In this section you can add rich media (photos and videos of your work). 

List all your relevant education (including summer programs) in reverse chronological order. You may want to include your high school which will make it easier to connect with people from your high school. 

It's important to list your volunteer work and community service. As many as 40% of employers see volunteer experience just as valuable as paid work experience. 

Add any licenses and certifications you have. 

According to LinkedIn, profiles that include 5 or more skills receive up to 17 times more profile views. They are also discovered in more searches. Take a LinkedIn skills quiz and receive a badge for a specific skill area. Ask a connection to endorse a skill.  

List any honors or awards you have earned. If you have earned special recognition in or out of school be sure to list it. In this section, you can also put relevant course work, or courses that can illustrate some of your skills. You can also include special projects that you have worked on in this section. 

Ask managers, professors or classmates, who you’ve worked closely with, to write you a recommendation. This helps give your strengths and skills extra credibility. But remember, it is just as important that you write recommendations for other people as well. Networking is reciprocal! The best way to get a recommendation is to give one.