A professional-looking profile photo and some relevant connections aren't enough for an effective LinkedIn page.
To get noticed by potential employers or clients, you need a comprehensive summary that tells visitors who you are, what you do and, most importantly, what you can do for them.
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| Need Help Writing Your LinkedIn Summary? 3 Dos & 3 Don'ts to Consider: eAskme |
Need some help? Consider these three do's and three don'ts when filling out your LinkedIn profile:
1. Do provide all relevant work history:
Provide thorough, up-to-date descriptions of what you do currently and, if relevant, your work history so viewers can gauge your abilities.
LinkedIn gives you many ways to describe your time in a position, so take advantage of these tools.
And be honest: Let's say that you worked at a tech firm for three years, but only during your summer breaks. In that case, it's best to acknowledge that it was a summer internship.
There's no harm in including a long list of positions if you've held many.
For example, Michael Capiraso's extensive work history only strengthens his credibility as a seasoned executive in the sports, health and consumer products industries.
2. Don't give every detail of every job you've had:
Your work experience sections should give summaries of your most important responsibilities.
How you condense years of work into a paragraph or two is a matter not just of personal preference but of prioritization for your current career goals.
Using bullet points can help you condense and highlight critical responsibilities, and it also makes it easier for readers to digest.
Typically, you should accentuate your more recent and relevant positions and minimize your older and less-relevant positions.
For example, the fast-food gig you worked as a teenager should not be given prominence equal to your most recent, industry-related internship.
Full-time and long-held positions should also be prioritized over those temporary or part-time.
3. Do add credibility to your skill lists:
It's easy to list proficiency in five programming languages, forklift operation, and CPR, but it's another thing to prove it.
Fortunately, you can add credibility to the skills you've listed on LinkedIn by having your connections endorse them.
Work with C++ in your last position?
Maybe now is a good time to reach out to your previous coworkers or supervisors and ask them to endorse that skill on LinkedIn.
If you don't have ample experience using a skill in the workplace but still feel confident in your abilities, consider using LinkedIn skill assessments to prove your proficiency visibly.
4. Don't ask the wrong people for recommendations or endorsements:
Make sure the recommendations and endorsements on your profile come from reputable connections like your former supervisor or a client.
While your mom may think you're the best website designer ever to walk the earth, her endorsement on your LinkedIn page may look a little suspect.
Potential employers and clients know that it's easy to exaggerate one's abilities and get recommendations.
They'll scrutinize these, so make yours relevant and legitimate.
5. Do you have a substantial "About" section:
The "About" section of your LinkedIn is where you can provide context for all the experiences and skills you've listed in the other sections.
It's OK to discuss some of your work histories in this section since it's considered part of your bio.
Just emphasize your most pertinent roles and responsibilities — you don't have to repeat everything you've listed in your "Experience" section.
Your "About" section should give an accurate overview of your current status in the working world.
6. Don't forget about education:
If you're a younger member with little relevant work experience, it's OK to emphasize your college degree and academic achievements.
Depending on your goal, you may also want to list your GPA or specific classes or programs you took.
Education history shouldn't be prominently featured for older members with a more substantial work history.
Either way, it's essential to accurately represent formal education in your LinkedIn profile.
Have you received additional training or a certification recently?
Be sure to take advantage of LinkedIn's "licenses and certifications" section, making it easy to add and showcase credentials.
Just be aware that many certifications, such as Hubspot's Inbound Certification, clearly show an expiration date, so keep your current.
Conclusion:
A good LinkedIn summary should provide employers and clients with a comprehensive, detailed, and accurate representation of who you are and what you offer.
And who knows?
Taking the time to follow these three do's and three don'ts may land you that coveted position or land you a new client or two.
Still have any question, do share via comments.
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