Tag: LinkedIn recommendations

6 Ways To Level Up Your LinkedIn Profile

Scott AsaiLeave a comment

Collaborative post – may contain affiliate links

OK, so you have a LinkedIn profile, and its…OK. You don’t update it very often but it does the job. 

But having an out of date LinkedIn profile is worse than not even having one. It can mean great things for your networking and your career so take the time to take yours to the next level. 

Write a killer headline

Your headline is a key way to get people to notice you. Rather than letting LinkedIn set your default to your current position and job role, write your own. 

Join/leave groups

If you were one of those people who joined LinkedIn in a flurry of activity and joined every single semi-relevant group you could find, it’s time for a cull. 

Find your list of groups and leave those that are inactive, irrelevant or you haven’t participated in recently. 

Or if you haven’t joined any, find a few that are relevant to your industry and interests and devote some time to get involved in conversations. Don’t join too many at once, or you’ll never be able to keep up. If a group isn’t very active, or you aren’t getting anything from it, don’t be afraid to leave the group. 

Groups are a great way to network with others and alongside your digital business cards can get your name out there in your field. 

Update your current position

If you’ve not updated your profile in a while, your current description is more than likely out of date or even an old job. Rewrite your current responsibilities as it’s your current job that people will most likely look at first. 

If relevant, add examples of your work and multimedia pieces to your profile too. 

Create a customized URL 

By creating a customized URL that incorporates your name, you can make the link to your profile a lot more memorable and professional. If you have a common name, you may have to get a little more creative, but don’t be tempted to put nicknames or something that you might regret later. 

Reach out for recommendations

A good LinkedIn profile should include a few glowing recommendations from employers, colleagues and other people who can vouch for the quality of your work and professionalism. 

Potential recruiters and headhunters will also be able to see it. Many job sites are now allowing you to apply automatically with your LinkedIn profile, rather than having to submit a separate application. 

Use a good photo

The photo you use on LinkedIn should be of good quality. There is some debate about how professional it should be. Some people use standard corporate headshots, others use something a little more personal. Whichever you choose, ensure that it gives the impression of you that you would want other people to have. 

Try and stay away from selfies or photos where you’ve clearly cropped yourself from a larger group of people. 

Conclusion

A good LinkedIn profile can really open career doors for you. But rather than neglecting it for long periods of time, followed by a sudden flurry of activity when you start looking to move a job isn’t an effective use of the platform. It’s also a huge giveaway to your current employer that you’re looking to move.

5 Secret Ways To Boost Your Resume

Scott Asai1 Comment

Collaborative post – may contain affiliate links

Climbing the career ladder can be a lot of hard work. When you know where you want to be, but you don’t seem to be getting there at the rate that you want, it can often leave you feeling deflated. But don’t be too hard on yourself. Because really, you may just now have the tools and knowledge to land the job you want just yet. But that doesn’t mean that you never will. Instead, you’re actually going to find that you just need to do a few extra things to get ahead. We all know that our resumes need to stand out when it comes to climbing the ladder and landing the job that you need. We need to be the best candidates we can be. But how?

  1. Take An Extra Course

When you’re competing with a bunch of people that have the same skills and experience as you do, you may not really be able to stand out from the crowd. So you’re going to find that taking an extra course is exactly what you need to do here. Getting your MBA with St. Bonaventure University Online or doing something creative or vocational is always going to boost your resume. And the best part is you’re going to learn new skills to help you do a better job too.

  1. Brand Yourself

Did you know that almost all employers will research you online? So if you have social media profiles, you’re going to want to make sure that they work in your favor. You can absolutely brand yourself online. Make sure that you think about the language you use, the things that you’re sharing, and how you carry yourself. Your social media can often be your best asset to sell yourself to employers. So make sure that you utilize it.

  1. Volunteer Locally

If you want to add a new edge or level of your experience to your resume, volunteering can help. And not just helping out with a good cause (although this can be beneficial too). When you work for free for local companies to get more experience, you’re going to show initiative and you’re also going to learn things that can help you to progress in your career too.

  1. Create A Portfolio

When you have work that you can show off, put it online. It’s often good to be able to showcase work that you have done so that employers can get a better sense of your capabilities. Creating an online portfolio is always going to help you to add more, demonstrate your skills and experience, and help you to stand out.

  1. Ask For Recommendations

Finally, if you can ask for recommendations from people that you’ve worked with in the past, or get testimonials to add to your online portfolio, you’ll also be adding a new dimension to your resume. It’s always good to get an outside perspective on who you are and what you’ve done, so asking for recommendations can help you to do this.