By Gustavo Llamas, HR Manager, B-M San Francisco
There are many social networking sites out there that can help you network. However, one of the most useful social sites to actually help you professionally is LinkedIn. If you’re not on LinkedIn, you should seriously consider registering and posting your profile. Think of your profile on LinkedIn as your professional online resume and personal website.
Here are 10 tips for optimizing your profile on LinkedIn.
- Keep you profile updated
- Include a descriptive headline
- Upload your picture. You should use the same picture you have on other social networks.
- Include at least 3 past positions (whether they’re part-time, internship or volunteer)
- Include your “Summary” and “Specialties. Use the Summary to let some of your personality come out (include your passions and what you hope to achieve in your career).
- Include your education
- Use a distinct URL (linkedin.com/in/yourfullname). You can insert your URL in your resume.
- Cultivate your network. Connect with professionals in your industry. Join and participate in LinkedIn Groups.
- Get at least 3 recommendations by other professionals. Recommendations add power and credibility. The more people that recommend you the better your profile will look to others.
- Use applications on LinkedIn (SlideShare, Box.net, and Google Presentation) to distinguish yourself from the crowd and display your work (portfolio, writing samples).