1. Professional Headshot & Personalized Banner

First impressions are vital. Your headshot is the first thing someone sees when they look you up or connect on LinkedIn. Group photos are not ideal for your profile picture, because they make it harder for viewers to identify you. Stand out and be yourself. Professional headshots ensure they are clear and show your style. A great way to personalize your account is with the banner feature. Having a personalized banner helps potential employers and connections get a sense of your person style and flare. There are great templates available online to make it more personalized. Most of the time, templates are free to use online through Canva. 

Not everyone can afford professional headshots. However, with technology today, anyone can take a professional looking headshot with their phone camera. A solid background with a contrasting shirt would be ideal for an at-home photo shoot. Natural lighting is ideal for these at home photoshoots, but a ring light or any well lit area will give the same affect. When capturing the photo make sure to shoot straight on for the most flattering angle. 

2. A Personal and Catching Bio 

Remember to keep your bio short. Keep it interesting. A bio can keep potential new connections scrolling through your page. Make sure your bio is unique and gives a strong impression of who you are and what you are about. Communicating your passions upfront may attract those with the same passions. Using strong verbs is a smart way to spice up your bio. It is better to be concise. Be aware not to use too much flowery language or filler words because they don’t add any real value to the text.

For example: 

Flowery: “I am very excited about the opportunity of an internship like this.”

Concise: “I am excited about this internship opportunity.” 

If you find yourself struggling with where to begin with your bio think about what truly matters to YOU. What about your industry excites you? Sometimes it is hard to get the writing in motion. And you know what? That’s okay – your bio and LinkedIn as a whole should evolve and change as you do. 

3. Be Active on LinkedIn

Sharing posts and interacting with connections online is a great way to boost your profile through the algorithm. Congratulating your connections on starting new jobs and their accomplishments is a great way to build strong relationships with your connections. Sharing posts you are passionate about on social media is a great way to demonstrate to potential employers what you value the most. 

Interacting with companies that you may want to work for is a great way to get on their radar. (This is especially important if you work in social media or PR, because who is running those accounts anyway?) Like their posts, comment, reshare or anything else you can do to be an active participant in their page’s success.  

Posting your own content is another great way to be active on LinkedIn. It is important to be aware that the information you post is right for LinkedIn viewers. Unlike Instagram or Facebook, LinkedIn is more professional. Focus on posting content that shows your experience and work ethic. Finishing a big project that you are passionate about is definitely LinkedIn post worthy.