Part 4: Rounding Out Your Profile and Adding Finishing Touches
Part 4 is all about the extra flourishes you can add to your profile, such as with sample projects, publications, patents, organizations, and more. I show you how to spice up your profile and professional brand by getting active on LinkedIn and joining the LinkedIn conversation. When you are done with Chapter 15, you will know more than most Influencers do about LinkedIn publishing!
Part 5: The Part of Tens
The Part of Tens is the traditional end of a For Dummies book and contains lists of ten items that will help you leverage your profile and LinkedIn even better. This part is packed with links to external websites that provide the tools you can use to create a powerful profile.
The last three Part of Tens chapters are pure powerhouses of information. If you want a quick and dirty education on LinkedIn, don’t skip these. By reading these chapters, I promise you, you’ll have more knowledge of LinkedIn than most of those social media “gurus” who have set up shop.
Icons Used in This Book
I use a number of icons in this book to draw your attention to pieces of useful information.
Beyond the Book
In addition to what you’re reading now, this book also comes with a free access-anywhere Cheat Sheet that gives you even more pointers on how to optimize your LinkedIn profile. My favorite cheat sheet details how to take your LinkedIn profile photo yourself! To get this Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for LinkedIn Profile Optimization For Dummies Cheat Sheet in the Search box.
You can also visit my website for additional free resources like my LinkedIn Headline Generator, LinkedIn Text Formatter, Background Photo library, and more. Click the Free Resources tab at www.linkedin-makeover.com.
An optimized LinkedIn profile is more than just your online reputation. A powerfully written LinkedIn profile has the ability to change your life. After optimizing their profiles, I’ve seen people find amazing jobs and opportunities. They connect with more people and experience the full gamut of what LinkedIn and a successful career has to offer.
I wish you the very best of luck — now go get optimizing!
Part 1
The Strategy Before the Siege
IN THIS PART …
Understand your LinkedIn goals and target audience to give your profile purpose.
Learn how to use the proper tone in your profile to draw people in, not push them away.
Optimize your LinkedIn search results by discovering your keywords and infusing them throughout your profile.
Learn how to use LinkedIn as a search tool and how to ensure your search result listing catches a reader’s eye.
Add skills to showcase your strengths to potential employers or clients.
See why soliciting endorsements and endorsing others boosts your credibility.
Chapter 1
Determining Your LinkedIn Strategy
IN THIS CHAPTER
When you register for a LinkedIn account, the first thing you encounter is the LinkedIn profile. Most people jump in and immediately fill out the fields of the profile, not giving much thought as to why they are on LinkedIn or who will eventually be reading their profile.
Profiles created without a goal or a target audience in mind lack purpose. These profiles don’t catch readers’ eyes and compel them to reach out to the person behind the online persona. You see these profiles on LinkedIn every day. Scanning the profile, nothing grabs you or makes you want to learn more about that person.
To experience success on LinkedIn, you must approach your LinkedIn profile strategically. In this chapter, I show you how to determine your LinkedIn strategy by looking at the three most typical goals people are trying to accomplish on LinkedIn. Once you’ve determined your goal, I show you how to figure out your target audience and discuss the importance of creating a compelling profile tone.
Determining Your LinkedIn Goal
To create a profile that has purpose, you must ask yourself, “What am I trying to accomplish on LinkedIn?” Many people get a LinkedIn account because they want to find a new job. Other people are interested in reputation management and branding. Still other people are on LinkedIn because they are in sales and want to prospect and increase sales through social selling.
To help you determine what you want your profile to accomplish, review the following three most common types of LinkedIn profiles.
Job search
LinkedIn plays a huge role in the job search process. Recruiters, hiring managers, and human resources professionals search LinkedIn looking for potential candidates. They may perform broad-based keyword searches looking for a candidate who matches the skill sets the position requires, or they may already have certain candidates in mind.
