Social networking is a fantastic way to accomplish your professional goals and no other social network delivers opportunities like LinkedIn.
We know the idea of paying attention to one more social network may seem exhausting, but we assure you that by implementing these top tips for using LinkedIn you will see quick and compounding results.
Get a Professional Headshot
When it comes to an online presence you can’t get around the fact that your image is going to be the first thing people look at when considering you for an opportunity. You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars with a professional photographer (although it is a great investment) if you don’t want to. It can be as simple as getting in front of a white or black background, being professionally dressed, have adequate lighting, and use your smartphone to snap a shot. The biggest thing you want to avoid is having an unprofessional photo attached to your LinkedIn profile.
Put Keywords in Your Tagline, aka Headline
LinkedIn automatically defaults this area of your profile for your job title. However, it is best to put keywords for your industry so you can stay on the radar of recruiters, related businesses, and candidates. In the multifamily housing industry you would use key words such as:
Apartment Industry Recruiter | Multifamily Staffing Professional | Hiring Specialist
Not only do these keywords explain the job title of someone that works in the multifamily industry, but they also get picked up in LinkedIn’s algorithms when a user searches for them.
Join Groups on LinkedIn
LinkedIn groups are like mini-networking happy hours online. They get incredibly specialized and can be a gathering place where you can meet industry professionals, bounce around ideas, and ask for advice. In addition to the immediate value LinkedIn groups can provide, they will also be there for you when you decide to look for your next professional opportunity. LinkedIn groups are not for selling products or services, they are for networking and should be treated with respect for the other members.
Update Your Connections
From the Clark Blog (https://clark.com/employment-military/linkedin-profile-tips-get-job/):
On a monthly basis, update your contacts that you include in your list of LinkedIn connections. LinkedIn gives you a powerful tool to expand your network. Go to My Network, click on Connections and click on the star wheel to the right to access the ability to add your Gmail contacts or import contact files to invite to your network.
Additionally, under My Network, you can choose “Add Contacts” and LinkedIn gives you the opportunity to add individuals one-by-one or choose your email provider to sync your contacts with your profile connections.
Upload Video To Your Profile
Here are some ideas:
- Record a short video giving an overview of the content you’re sharing
- Review a book or other piece of content and share your review.
- Share videos of client testimonials.
- Do an overview of a product or platform and share a few tips or tricks.
- Create a teaser or trailer to a longer video or episode of a series.
Video is an amazing way to get your profile at the top of search results within LinkedIn.
There you go, a few quick tips to make LinkedIn work for you which leads to happy networking in 2019!
