Like most of us, you probably set up your Linkedin profile some time ago, using it occasionally to accept invitations or to quickly check out a contact before a meeting. More than likely, your contacts are doing the same. What will they see? Is it the most up to date version of you?
Generally, it’s worthwhile to critically evaluate your Linkedin profile every few months. Making a few simple changes will optimise your Linkedin presence and ensure that you are putting your best foot forward when it comes to your personal and professional brand. Check out the checklist below; a quick and effective way of auditing your Linkedin profile
| LinkedIn Checklist | |||
| 1. | Photo | Do you have a professional photo? Ideally sized 200×200 | |
| 2. | Headline | Do you have an appealing headline using key worlds appropriate to your profession | |
| 3. | Where to find you | Have you mentioned your location & industry? | |
| 4. | Custom URL | Have you got a custom url so that you can be found easily? | |
| 5. | Contact Details | Have you completed your contact information? This can include up to 3 websites | |
| 6. | Showcase your skills | Have you completed a summary of your experience and expertise? Pay attention to keywords. | |
| 7. | Additional files to show expertise | Do you have any media to attach e.g. Slideshare presentation, YouTube clip? | |
| 8. | Complete employment history | Have you listed your past experience including positions and employers? | |
| 9. | Networking opportunities | Have you joined relevant Linkedin groups? | |
| 10. | Publications, committees, projects? | Do you have any relevant projects to add to the projects section? | |
| 11. | Building your network | Are you regularly connecting to new contacts each week? Are you accepting relevant invitations to connect? | |
| 12. | Communicate | Do you update your status regularly? Do you comment in group forums? | |
| 13. | Are you connected? | In terms of contacts, prioritise quality over quantity. However a well-connected profile should aim for 500+ contacts and a network of 10 million +. | |
| 14. | Ongoing behaviour | Now, make Linkedin part of your business behaviour. Make it a habit to send a request to someone after you have met them. Avoid generic invites, much better to personalise it saying where you met them and why you should keep in touch. Good luck! | |
Once you are happy that your profile is up to date and effectively showcasing your professional experience and expertise, you can confidently and proactively network on what is now the world’s largest business to business platform. Read on for my top ten tips on how you can make your profile work harder for you.
About the author: Suzanne Shaw, MBA, is an independent marketing professional with 20 years’ experience in developing and implementing business development, marketing and communications strategies working in a wide range of sectors and businesses, from startups to SMES and large corporations.
Suzanne Shaw Consulting 