Building a Perfect LinkedIn Profile

LikedIn is a great tool to build a professional brand and increase visibility among your peers. Being the world’s largest online professional network with more than 500 millions users[note]https://blog.linkedin.com/2017/april/24/the-power-of-linkedins-500-million-community/[/note], the platform provides professionals a place to connect with other professionals, showcase their achievements, and network for potential business or employment.

A good LinkedIn profile usually has atleast the following key elements; professional photo, profile headline, summary, education background, list of experiences and skills, and contact information.

Creating a Linkedin profile can be a daunting task for many young professionals. Here are some pointers:

1. Make sure you have a professional photo and an eye-catching headline that reflects your profession. According to LinkedIn stats, users with photo “get 21 times more profile views” and are “36 times more likely to receive a message on LinkedIn” than those who don’t. [note]https://expandedramblings.com/index.php/by-the-numbers-a-few-important-linkedin-stats/[/note]
2. Include a short summary that outlines your past experiences, present and future ambitions. Use keywords relevant to your work, goals and industry to help people find you easily.
3. Add education credentials, relevant experiences and skills. In this section, outline your past achievements, preferably in bullet points to make descriptions easily readable, and make sure you make the content relevant to your target audience.
4. Connect with others and remember to include personal note in the invitation. It is generally suggested that you make at least 300 LinkedIn connections.
5. Keep your LinkedIn activity current and consistent. What I mean by this is that you become an active user by either liking or commenting on other people’s posts, sharing useful content or even publishing your own content. Joining groups and following companies is also a good way to be engaged.
6. Provide your contact details and invite people to reach out to you. The best places to show your contact information is in the summary section and the contact and personal information section.

Now, what are you waiting for. Head out to www.linkedin.com and start creating that profile you always wanted. Tick it off from your to do list before the new year comes.