By: Elizabeth Fisher

LinkedIn is one of the most popular social media platforms among business professionals, but many people do not know how to use it to its fullest potential. Here are some helpful hints to making your LinkedIn account stand out from the crowd:

1. Use photos to make your profile more attractive

• Include a business professional profile photo and cover photo on your profile. The photos should represent you, but also in a professional manner.
• Use this photo to feature your personality and style.

2. Use LinkedIn to feature organizations and job experience not included on your resume

• When future employers visit your LinkedIn account they do not want to see the same experience featured on your resume. Create a LinkedIn account that features your personality and qualifications.

3. Connect with individuals with whom you are currently connected

• Professionals you have worked with in the past are perfect individuals to connect with because you already have an established a connection.
• These individuals will be more likely to make a connection with you and help to build your LinkedIn profile.

4. Connect with individuals with whom you wish to establish potential connections

• Do not be afraid to connect with potential employers. This will show your enthusiasm for a job or for their company.
• Connect with people who are connected with your friends. Having a mutual common ground will most likely lead to a connection.

5. Do not send the general ‘add me’ message

   

• Create and customize your own message when connecting with professionals.
• By creating your own message, it shows individuality that will stand out to employers.

6. Continue interacting with individuals with whom you are already Linked

• Making connections is important, but maintaining connections is equally important.
• Like a connection’s posts or congratulate them on a career milestone. This will help build stronger relationships with your connections.

  

7. Use LinkedIn to search for potential employers

• Employers will remember your face from LinkedIn, especially if you create a message of your own when requesting a connection.

8. Connect with company profiles you are interested in and relevant industry profiles

• When you connect with company profiles it allows you to network and build trust with that company.

9. Download the LinkedIn app

• This will help you stay connected so that you will receive messages and notifications that you may receive on your LinkedIn account.
• You can even read company profiles and resumes directly from your mobile device.

  

Linked Up Life

10. Create and share posts

• Posts can show off your personality that cannot be seen within your content.
• Sharing posts can create great networking opportunities!

By following these key points, you can ROCK the LinkedIn world!

How do you use LinkedIn in your professional career? Let us know in the comments below, and check us out on Facebook and Twitter.