Everyone knows how important LinkedIn can be in connecting, researching, promoting your skills, and generally burnishing your professional image. You know that vets can get LinkedIn Professional for free. Here is a review of the basics:
- Professional Photo – Always use a professional looking photo. It’s the first thing a potential boss will see. You should be facing the camera or toward the left (you don’t want to appear to be looking away from the page).
- Name – If you go by your middle name or nickname, e.g. Buck (as long as it isn’t something like “Weasel”), use it. Use the name that a potential employer would use to check with a former boss or reference.
- Professional Headline – This should be short & sweet in defining what you do (more than just a job title), e.g. “Detail Oriented Project Manager”.
- Profile Summary –Write a concise narrative (not bullets), avoid overused buzzwords and jargon, keep it short (30 seconds max to read), and use the “Optimize My Profile” feature to increase your chances of being found.
- Recommendations – Ask for them from those who know your work. “Endorsements” are fine (if they focus on your primary skills and aren’t too broad or numerous), but it’s the “Recommendations” that add real value.
- Updates – Turn off your activity broadcasts until you have something significant to communicate (new license, degree, or accomplishments).
- Connecting – Personalize your connection requests; don’t use the generic request provided. Don’t accept LinkedIn’s suggestion to send a blanket request to all your Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, Hotmail contacts.
- Join Groups – You can join up to 50 groups, but focus on those that will help you connect to professionals in your area of expertise.
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