I’m finishing up my series on How to Use Social Media to Develop Your Personal Brand. Today I’m talking about how to effectively build a LinkedIn profile. This outlet allows you to put your resume on display for everyone to see.
Linkedin provides you a platform to present your credentials to an active audience which in turn is a great way to build connections with people in your niche’. You can use your profile to attract and seek out others that will further you in your strategy.
Here are the things you need to do to build an effective LinkedIn profile.
Add Your Picture
It is very important that you add a picture of yourself on your profile. Go with a picture that will display your personality. If you are building the profile as a way to land a new job, then you might want to go with a professional photography.
However, if you are going for a personal branding angle, you should add a picture that makes you look approachable. Your photograph is one of the key things to personal branding. Be sure you choose the right picture.
Ask a family member or friend to help you choose something that will display who you are while looking professional.
Make A Statement With Your Headline
With only 120 characters, you will need to keep your headline brief. This is a statement should tell others what you are passionate about it. You need to come up with a concise headline that will grab people’s attention and tell them in a few words what you are about.
Get Recommendations From Friends
One of the best things about LinkedIn is that you can get other users to give you a stamp of approval for your efforts. Connect with other people that you know in real life or have worked with, and ask them to endorse you.
Sometimes, people that know you will endorse your skills without having to be asked. When that happens, be sure to thank them for their time. It is really important that you connect with people on a personal level when building your brand.
Remember, it is a personal brand, which means you need to get involved in relationships.
Add In Life Experiences
This is a great place for you to share with others your experiences in life. You will be asked to put in your typical information such as previous employers and education.
There are also places for you to add in your specific skill sets. Add in anything and everything that describes you as a person.
When you use the different social media platforms, you can effectively build a personal brand that people will identify with. In this day and age, it is vital that you stay transparent on the internet in order to reach your target audience.
