LinkedIn is a social network site for professional networking. It's a great way to look for jobs and volunteering opportunities whilst showing your work experience and skills to potential employers.
Top tips for creating a great LinkedIn profile
Choose the right profile picture. A good profile picture helps you to stand out from the crowd. Make sure your picture is recent and just of you. Wear what you would wear to work or college and smile. First up? Upload a great profile picture. According to Senior Content Marketing Manager at LinkedIn, Jane Deehan, your profile picture should be recent, look like you and your face should take up around 60 percent of the total space. The goal here is to look like you normally look at work, in turn making it easier for prospective contacts who may have only met you virtually to recognize you from your profile picture.
Add a background cover photo. A professional background photo will help your page stand out and it should deepit what your profile is all about.
Eg. if your skills are related to Information technology, your backdrop should should images, text that depits an IT concept.
Make sure your headline stands out. Use your headline to promote an area of expertise, what you are currently doing and your future aspirations.
Write a summary. This section should express your mission, motivation and skills to anyone viewing your profile. Keep it short.
Keep your profile current. Make sure you add all of your relevant work, volunteering and educational experiences – no matter how small.
Don’t lie. Be proud of your accomplishments and avoid lying. If you are starting your career, use your LinkedIn profile to showcase what you want to achieve and why.
Add relevant qualifications. Include details of the school, college and/or university you have attended, along with any relevant qualifications.
Add relevant skills. A list of creative skills will showcase all of your different abilities and help you stand out from the crowd whilst expressing your personality.
Create your own personal URL. Once you are happy with your profile, you can begin sharing it. You can create a personal URL with your own name.
Request recommendations. Recommendations are personal texts written by someone explaining what it was like working with you. Reach out to old colleagues or teachers and ask for recommendations.
After all these procedures are followed, recruiters will begin to list you for a good-paying contract
