This Is the Guide to Creating Your First LinkedIn Profile


Posted April 2, 2018

What's that? You haven't created a LinkedIn profile yet? Yikes!

Unless you're months away from retirement, there's no time like the present to create a LinkedIn profile.

LinkedIn is a social media platform like Facebook, but it focuses more on the professional, rather than the personal, side of life. LinkedIn can help you find your next job, get career advice or make a connection with someone else in your field.

Once you have created a great LinkedIn profile, it will be there morning, noon and night for potential employers to browse, so it's important you create a profile that's professional and showcases the best parts of your professional self.

If you're ready to take the plunge and create your first LinkedIn profile, take a look at the handy guide below.

Use a good picture

Images are at the core of social media, and no image is more important than your profile picture: Don't leave it blank!

Use a headshot that has your smiling face taking up most of the frame. Make sure your backdrop has a color or pattern that isn't distracting. There should not be any objects, people or animals that might draw attention. You don't need a formal shot taken by a professional, but you need to appear professional.

Write a good headline

By default, LinkedIn fills in your headline with your work title and current employer, but you don't have to settle for default. Think about your unique value as a professional and convey that to your reader in about 10 words. If you would like your profile to be easy to find in a search, include keywords; basically, industry jargon that doesn't sound pompous or trendy.

Highlight your achievements

Your summary section should be used to showcase all of the biggest accomplishments in your career. Many people in your field have or have had similar obligations to yours. Listing your job duties just lumps you in with everybody else. Differentiate yourself by showcasing what is distinctive about you.

For each major accomplishment, describe what you did, how you did it, what hurdles you overcame and the results you earned. Also, consider your ideal reader and try to speak to what they are looking for in a potential employee.

Ask for recommendations

LinkedIn has a section called 'Endorsements' where your connections can vouch for your skills. However, this section hasn't been shown to translate into positive outcomes for job seekers. Testimonials about your skills, known as 'Recommendations', on the other hand, have been shown to carry a lot of weight with potential employers.

Reach out to past supervisors, teachers and clients, and ask them for a few kind words regarding your professional conduct and abilities.

At Ambassador Personnel, we regularly help people with many aspects of finding a new job, including offering advice on their LinkedIn profile. If you are currently looking for helpwith finding a new job, please contact our full-service staffing firm today!