LinkedIn is the platform of choice for professionals around the world. It is not only a powerful search engine, but also the #1 go-to place for recruiters when hiring into senior leader roles. It is therefore your most powerful platform to tell the world what you are good at and why. Building a 5 star profile is critical for your success.
Many people wait until they are in the process of looking for roles or changing jobs to update their LinkedIn profile, but that is like going on a diet a week before your wedding. It helps, but it yields very limited results. Far better to think of it as an active part of your personal brand management. Here are my three top tips to help you to build a standout personal profile.
- Make sure you have a clear, well-lit head & shoulder shot on your profile. It doesn’t have to be a professional portrait, but it does need to be easy to see and not have someone doing a double take because you look 15 years younger in the shot. If you don’t have one, your phone will take a great picture, so ask someone to take a head-shot of you in a typical work outfit, against a fairly plain background. Smile and have one shoulder turned slightly the camera for a more flattering pose.
- Write a strong profile statement about who you are and what you do. I encourage women to build an elevator pitch and this is a good source of what to put in your profile. If you need some more inspiration, ask a couple of colleagues or allies for their opinions, or look at your last few performance appraisals for ideas. The title for your profile could be your job title, or could be a description of your skills (e.g. forward-thinking technical leader who gets results).
- Gather testimonials. These are a great sources of external endorsement of your skills and are noticed by your peers, competitors and recruiters, so it is worth spending time gathering them. You can start with your immediate network within your current role (people you manage, your manager or people involved with a project you are managing). You can also go back to previous employers and bosses and ask for their support. Aim to get at least one testimonial for each job or each project you have been involved in. There’s an art to collecting testimonials so look out for a future ‘top tips’ post to help you with that.
Start to see Linked In as your stage to the world, where you can share your triumphs, challenges, interests and ideas with the world. Aim for an update at least once a week. This could be something simple such as sharing highlights from your week, celebrating some success for you or your company, or even sharing an interesting article you have come across. Consistently is the key, as it keeps you fresh in other people’s mind.
I’ll be sharing the EDGE model and more insights into the unique challenges that female leaders face in an exclusive FREE webinar on Tuesday 21st September at 1pm (BST). If you want to hear first-hand how the EDGE model can accelerate your leadership ambitions and have a chance to win a free signed copy of my book, register your interest here.