The rise of LinkedIn has meant more than the death of paper and pdf resumes. It has required a whole new look at how we do business, how we assess potential recruits and collaborators, and how we present ourselves to the professional world as a whole. If you want to boost your chances of getting more, better business opportunities through LinkedIn, you need to do more than just copy and paste your CV into the relevant fields: you need to conceptualize your profile as a living, breathing representation of who you are as a professional.
Retaining the URL that LinkedIn provided you with, for instance, is a beginner’s mistake. It may only be a question of perception, but strings of random letters and numbers are more associated with spambots than real humans these days. And okay, probably nobody thinks you’re a bot – but personalizing your LinkedIn URL (you can do it in ‘Edit Public Profile’) is a good example of how neatening your profile around the edges will show that you are organized, conscientious – and net-savvy.
On a more dynamic front, once your profile is ready to go then it is well worth connecting with relevant communities across the platform by clicking Work > Groups > Discover Groups. You can build connections, trust, reputation, by becoming part of the conversation in your chosen industry – or even in the areas of your other interests. Show that you are active, engaged, and confident, and employers will keep you in mind when recruitment opportunities come around.
And finally, don’t forget about the people you already know. Not only will you be surprised by the number of real-life connections that you’ve made who can be converted to LinkedIn contacts, but you can also ask them to provide recommendations on your profile to give your skills and interests more credibility.
Sounds like an effective way to advance your career? Run through this new step-by-step guide from Onward to put these ideas and more into action!
