With a membership of 250 million professionals in 130 industries including all the Fortune 500 companies, LinkedIn is an invaluable tool for developing business relationships to achieve your career goals. If you’re in the job market, you need to be on LinkedIn – with a robust profile that showcases your personal brand and value.

Keep Your Profile Fresh

Be sure to keep your LinkedIn profile up to date, with compelling information on your achievements and career milestones.

• Post regularly. LinkedIn Career Expert Nicole Williams notes that “if you share something once a week, you are 10 times more likely to have your profile viewed by a hiring manager.” If you’re seeking material, remember that your update can be a link to an article or other Web content pertinent to your industry or professional interests.
• Tell your success stories. Lots of people may have positions and responsibilities similar to yours. Set yourself apart by emphasizing your specific accomplishments. On LinkedIn, you can share details and vignettes that are not easily accommodated on your resume.
• Use key phrases. Members use the LinkedIn search feature to find people they’re looking for, so a well-worded profile maximizes your chances of being reached by an organization in need of your skill set and abilities. Start your statements with the one or two words you want to be known by, for instance, “experienced risk manager” or “employee communications expert.”

An added note on maximizing the value of your profile: Link it to your email signature by putting your LinkedIn URL in your email signature. This way, every email correspondence essentially has your resume attached.

Extra, Extra! Make Sure Your Headline is Strong

LinkedIn headlines have been referred to as “prime real estate” because they not only emphasize a person’s profile, but they also set them apart from the pack.

Your headline should include not only your title and job function, but your hard skill set and quantified experience if applicable.

Your Media Message

To get the most benefit from LinkedIn, treat it like an online portfolio – and convert it into your own multimedia advertising campaign. LinkedIn supports images, video, audio, presentations and documents, so use this to your advantage.

• Media clips can be part of your summary, incorporated into your education or experience sections. Look for the little blue box when you edit your profile. All media must include a URL.
• Think beyond routine job duties. Highlight goals you’ve achieved, crises you’ve resolved, and accomplishments that differentiate you from other job candidates.
• If you have no current media, create something. A PowerPoint spotlighting your achievements can easily be published to Slide Share, or take a jazzier approach with Prezi.com.
• Demonstrate successful work examples, such as reports and flow diagrams. You may not be able to use actual documents, but you can create a mock-up to share. Upload and publish this into Slide Share or Box.com so you have a Web page to link to your profile.
• Include a professional photo. Make sure to include an image that presents yourself as a professional.

Some additional tips include joining groups to expand your network, connect with individuals at companies you want to work for, and to find job openings posted in groups.

To learn more about social media and other tools to enhance your career path strategy, contact the experts at CPS and Professionals Inc. today.

If you are looking for jobs in Syracuse NY, contact us today.