Most people use LinkedIn as a glorified address book (yuck) or standard resume (boring).  Caution: Reading this could land you a better job.

You put your resume on LinkedIn hoping to find that dream job, well better job and… crickets.  Maybe you get a connection request, but as soon as you accept, you immediately receive a LinkedIn message only be sold to.  Annoying!  For God’s sake, build a relationship with me first.  Serve me.  Then I’m more likely to buy what you’re selling.

I digress, like usual.

Of course anyone would be blessed to have you.  But no one knows who the heck you really are by that too texty, cookie cutter LinkedIn profile.  I used to know how you feel.  But I got the hack you need.

Personal branding on LinkedIn

After listening to a talk from Jim Dodgen about personal branding and LinkedIn while taking a Masters course at Pepperdine, our class asked if we could do extra credit by either starting or refreshing our LinkedIn profile.  Professor said yes and I volunteered to lead the project.  I then read some LinkedIn books, wrote up a checklist and off we went.  At the end of the project, we each shared our LinkedIn profile noting 3-5 key changes and WHY we made them.  Everyone said it was one of the most personally valuable things we did.  Since then I’ve had exponentially more LinkedIn views consistently, regular headhunter contacts and I get a least one compliment a month about my profile.  🙂

LinkedIn profile strategy

So here’s your strategic mission: Present information about yourself (branding) so others (especially recruiters) get to know the main character – you – via these four categories of changes.

1. Keywords

Just like SEO (search engine optimization), HR is looking for you by searching for keywords.  Start by finding out what they are by seeing what results are popular on LinkedIn or Google.

For example, in my industry, Information Security, is starting to use the trendy word “Cyber Security.”  See the different results in the images below.  Once you figure out which ones are more common, use keywords in your headline, job title, summary at minimum.

2. Headline

Think of the headline like Twitter or the subject line of an email (that begs you to open it).  Use 1-2 adjectives and a noun keyword that you want to be searched for.  For example, look at my header in this image.

3. Fascinating Summary

If they’re still reading, you have an opportunity to go a little longer now.

Explain who you are in words that speak to the heart.  Don’t sound like a boring standard repeat of everyone else.  How do you stand out?  Why you and not someone else?  Who are you?  What do you believe?  Tell me about your leadership style, tell me your MBTI, your StrengthFinders 2.0.

Or tell me how people see you?  Use words other use to describe you and give me 2 famous people that I can quickly relate and feel like I know you.  For an example, see a snippet of mine in this screenshot.

4. Pictures (all text is boring!)

Lastly, don’t bore me with text.  Give me photos and add a personal touch as well.  It’s great to see your workplace but I also want to see you doing your hobbies.  Or if you say your avant-garde back it up in a picture.  Here’s an example of how I use personal pictures to show I’m a person with heart and soul – not just all head/brain.  😉

These four sections are the bare minimum you should do to see your kick-ass profile views go up.  However, if you want a super kick-ass profile, get my free checklist below.

If a better job is in your future, set aside a Netflix binge tonight and update your LinkedIn profile.  Now go kick some ass!