LinkedIn is a professional network often referred to as an online version of your experiences; however this network is also a place to develop business, grow your capabilities, and promote your projects and opportunities. It has given an individual application to be more interactive and a platform to be creative and show you as more than an person looking for a job.
Capture the Readers
Write as if you want someone to actually read your profile. The first paragraph of your summary should make someone want to engage in a conversation, or share. If you’re not sure why, that’s another matter altogether. Read it aloud a few times to see how it sounds.
“I can assist companies by showing them how to use social media technologies for external community building and outreach, and for internal collaboration. I have over 11+ years experience within staffing industry and 10 years experience in social media/networks environments. I show emerging technology knowledge with the emerging culture understandings.”
You can tell what I do, have a sense of what I’m wanting you to know about me and get a hint at my value position to businesses. It’s not the best paragraph ever written, but it’s definitely clear in explaining my core interests and strengths.
Make Your Job Descriptions Work 2 Ways
I want professionals who read my profile to see that I’m happily employed, that I work for a “real” company, and that my company has capabilities in certain areas. If you work for yourself, be clear about that, too. There’s no shame in being a solo contributor.
Further, make sure that when people read your summary description, they are thinking about how to put you to work on their needs. I state my core strengths in the first sentence of my summary, so that people can see what I’m bringing to the table alongside my work history. Thus, my summary states what I’m doing, but also what I can do. It is a platform to be creative.
Recommendations Are Key
I ask for recommendations all the time. I’m not shy about it. Why? I want people’s recommendations to guide you to choosing me for your business needs. I want you not to have to take my word for it, but instead, to know what others have to say. Don’t be shy about this, but also be very realistic about asking for recommendations.
***I will not recommend people whose professional work I’m not familiar with enough to suggest to a close, personal friend. I’m willing to “friend” anyone, but I only recommend people I can vouch for professionally. You won’t be popular amongst your peers.
Connection Strategies
LinkedIn has an official opinion on connecting up with others. LinkedIn recommends that you only connect with people you know well. You’re welcome to take their opinion on that.
I personally have chosen to accept with anyone who connects with me, and I’ve only had to drop one person ever for abusing that connection. Why? Because in my view, expanding my network means that you will find the person you need by searching through my network, and that I, at least in theory, can help you get to the person you need for your business efforts.
Your connections may vary. I will do it my way, as most folks who connect with me eventually reach someone else that I’ve added, and it is a good feeling every time I can help out.
Some Recommendations
- Check your contact settings. Be explicit about who you want connecting with you.
- Consider putting up a photo anything that might represents you. If you choose not to, it might come across unapproachable.
- Use the group’s features and find groups where you might want to contribute and learn
- Participate in the Q&A function to share your expertise; it’s like free advertising, when done respectfully
- Update at least every three months. Your role has changed. Make sure your profile reflects that.
- Check out the applications and make your profile interactive and engaging.
- People really do like to read what you are about.
Recommended LinkedIn Applications
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment