In this social media dominated world, it is becoming extremely important to have a pertinent online presence. With over 450 million users, LinkedIn has become an effective recruiting tool for potential employment opportunities for many companies worldwide. Here are some tips for students that would be helpful for revamping the professional aspect of your LinkedIn profile.
1) Have a Polished Profile Picture
This is someone's initial idea of who you are, so make sure it is a good representation of yourself as someone in the business world. First things first, you absolutely must have both a profile picture and a background photo for your profile.
Your profile picture should be taken on a high quality camera, with a simple background. Make sure you are wearing something business casual, and show that you put effort into your appearance.
In addition, the background photo should be simple so that it doesn’t take away from the rest of your profile. Typically, this is where a user would insert a logo or a simple scenery picture.
2) Include More Information
This is the perfect opportunity to "toot your own horn." Don’t be afraid of listing every skill you believe would be beneficial to a company. The profile is designed so that a user may take advantage of the opportunities to list their education, experience, skills, etc. in neat categories so that it is easy to locate. They are looking at your profile to see why you would be a good asset to their team, so it is best to give them a great deal of information to work with.
3) That Being Said, No Lying
It is very easy to simply include information on your profile that may not be accurate or inflate the truth because you are hiding behind a computer screen. However, this will only serve to harm you in the future. The internet contains information about everyone and everything that is accessible to anyone who uses it.
So, it is effortless for a company to find more information to verify or discredit your LinkedIn claims s. To companies, lying is seen as a huge trust issue and a undesirable character trait for future employees, so it is best to always be transparent.
4) List Social Media Accounts
This LinkedIn profile is just one media platform that you may utilize. Although this is a professional network, companies are concerned with your social media presence. The other accounts you choose to use should follow these tips as well.
Once your profile has been viewed, it is likely that the viewer will check your social media presence by looking at your other accounts. Social media is a great way for companies to get an understanding of who you are outside the business world, so remember to always keep it clean and professional.
5) Stay Business-Minded
This is the most important piece of advice you should take away from this. As mentioned above, LinkedIn is a professional network, not social, and it should be treated as such. It is so simple, but very important to proofread everything before you post it to your profile. In addition, your profile should be clean and cohesive, so that it is easy for viewers to find the information they are looking for.
Things are always changing in the business world, so it is imperative that your profile is kept up to date so that there is no confusion when viewing it. Moreover, make sure to stay active and professional on LinkedIn by endorsing your peers, sharing articles relevant to your field, and staying up to date on career changes in your circle.
Remember, this could be a company’s first impression of who you are as a business professional, so make it a good one!
Information Source:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/274050/quarterly-numbers-of-linkedin-members/
Image Sources:
Image 1: https://pixabay.com/en/keyboard-hand-linkedin-computer-1754921/
Image 4: https://pixabay.com/en/success-strategy-business-solution-2081167/
Image 5: https://pixabay.com/en/social-media-facebook-twitter-1795578/
Image 6: https://pixabay.com/en/business-people-teamwork-team-2089530/