Promoting your professional brand using LinkedIn

LinkedIn is an invaluable platform for expanding your network, discovering job opportunities, and staying informed. Your LinkedIn profile serves as a key communication tool to showcase your skills and expertise to potential contacts and employers. Simultaneously, your network provides access to updates, news, research, and services that align with your interests.

When optimising your LinkedIn profile, two essential aspects to focus on are accuracy and engagement.

Why Accuracy Matters

Accuracy is vital for two main reasons:

1. Building a relevant and robust network: A true reflection of your professional journey helps attract connections that align with your goals and interests.
2. Making a strong impression during hiring processes: Employers will often review your LinkedIn profile as part of their due diligence. Recruiters cross-check details from your résumé with your LinkedIn profile and may scrutinise your social media presence.

The Importance of Engagement

Active engagement on LinkedIn helps to increase your visibility and foster connections. You can build your presence by:

• Liking and sharing relevant posts
• Posting your own insights and content
• Networking with like-minded professionals
• Joining groups related to your industry or interests.

By consistently engaging, you increase your chances of making meaningful connections and staying top-of-mind in your network.

LinkedIn Do’s

Creating a LinkedIn profile that is both professional and discoverable is essential. Fill out your profile thoroughly and continue updating it over time. Focus on including:

• Profile picture: Ensure your photo is professional and recent, as this is often the first impression people have of you.
• Headline: Make it count! Highlight your current role, key passions, or what you are known for.
• Location: This will not restrict or limit your reach—your location can help expand your network.
• About: Share your story! Instead of listing job titles, present your professional journey in a compelling narrative. Avoid overused clichés.
• Activity: This section reflects your interaction with posts and articles, showcasing your engagement. Regular activity boosts visibility.
• Experience: Provide detailed descriptions of your job roles, responsibilities, and key achievements. Don’t forget to include voluntary work and professional memberships.
• Education: List your qualifications, including degrees, certifications, short courses, and micro-credentials.
• Skills: Highlight your core competencies and link them to your experience. Skills are a key way for potential connections and employers to assess your abilities.
• Connections: Depending on your privacy settings, displaying your connections can highlight mutual contacts, encouraging others to connect with you.

LinkedIn Don’ts

Avoid common pitfalls that can undermine your LinkedIn presence:

• Multiple profiles: Having more than one account under your name can confuse potential connections and make it unclear which profile is active.
• Inactive profiles: If you are not going to use LinkedIn consistently, creating a profile may not be worthwhile. An inactive profile can make you appear disengaged.
• Unrelated connections: Connecting with people who have no common ground with you can be ineffective for both parties.
• Over-messaging: Avoid repeatedly reaching out to people who haven’t responded to your initial message, as it may come across negatively.
• Engaging with irrelevant content: Be mindful of what you interact with. Engaging with content that doesn’t align with your professional values could misrepresent you to those viewing your profile.