Hi,
Carmen here, Skills Development Advisor at Churchill.
They say first impressions count, and with LinkedIn that is absolutely true.
So, I’ve got 3 quick and simple things you can do to improve your LinkedIn profile, starting with the very top portion.
1. Your LinkedIn photograph
Did you know that people who have a professional photograph on their LinkedIn profile are 54 times more likely to have their profile viewed than those without a photo?
The photograph really matters. Sure, it can be tempting to use a photograph of yourself enjoying a quiet ale (I’ve been brewing some pretty fine ones myself of late) or a happy snap at a wedding, but people are looking for your professional side.
You can spend the money on a professional headshot photographer and there are some good ones around. But, if you want to save some money, then make sure you get a friend with a decent camera to take a photograph of you. Remember, the photographer should always be a little higher than you, and wear something that represents you as a professional.
I’m not a guy who wears jacket and tie in my job, so I just wore a business shirt. Avoid patterns and keep your clothing clean, ironed and simple. Make sure you don’t have any glare in your eyes, that there is good lighting around you and get ready to smile.
Whilst it can be tempting to stand with your back against a plain wall, it ends up looking like a mug shot. Instead, think about getting some greenery in the background, ideally through a window. Take a lot of shots so you can choose the best one.
2. Your LinkedIn headline
Now, I may have been born just outside of London, but I have been an Australian long enough to know that Aussies are not big fans of blowing their own trumpets.
Here’s the thing, though, this part of the Linked is your opportunity to put what you want to be contacted about: either looking for a new job, creating solid working relationships in your industry or seeking business.
You have 120 characters to write a headline about yourself so use them to express your experience, and not just your job title.
A simple strategy is to breakdown your expertise, like this:
Converting Career Experience to Qualifications through RPL, Defence Transition Advice, Education & Training
One thing that can be helpful is to use a character counter page on a website so you know how much room you have to play with. I used this one: lettercount.com then just cut and pasted back into LinkedIn.
3. Your Education and Certifications
In our community, education is an important measure we place on valuing skills and knowledge. With my background, I know that the experience in real life is just as important as the piece of paper, but in the business world, you can’t afford to ignore it.
So, list your highest and most recent qualifications right at the top. If you want to make sure you are writing your qualifications correctly, please reach out to me and I can help you get that right.
As always, if you want to update your qualifications or talk to us about what your experience could equate to in terms of quals, shoot me an email at carmen@churchilleducation.edu.au or give me a call on 1300 793 002.
