An updated and well-maintained LinkedIn Profile serves as your professional identity online. But that does not always happen largely because nowadays social profiles on the networking site just like our desktops and databases can really appear cluttered and clueless.
If you feel that your LinkedIn presence needs some sprucing up, why not try putting these practical tips in practice:
Review your keywords
In case you are not being able to attract enough people to your profile, if you have failed to create a buzz and generate interest around it thus far, it’s high time that you re-look at the core key terms. Review the keywords you employ for describing and asserting yourself as a professional. Contrary to your expectations, they might be causing more harm than any good. Make optimum use of contemporary and crispy words that reveal positive aspects of your personality as an individual and as a professional.
LinkedIn has recently unveiled a list of the top 10 profile terms on the site, which are most commonly used largely by the US based professionals. These terms are extensive experience, motivated, innovative, results-oriented, proven track record, dynamic, fast-paced, team player, entrepreneurial and problem solver. Now that these are so much ‘overused’ that it makes sense that you should avoid these words. It’s not that they are not inappropriate or bad in themselves.
Come up with good descriptions of your skills and accomplishments
However, these words are so very common on typical LinkedIn profiles, using them will make your profile appear meaningless or routine to a potential networking contact. There’s nothing really memorable or unique about them. So if you’ve the above mentioned words on your own profile, think of substituting them with more catchy descriptions of your skills and accomplishments.
Utilize the ‘Improve Your Profile’ tool
With the aim of assisting you in the task of maintaining a dynamic LinkedIn profile, you may use the ‘Improve Your Profile’ tool. It is a convenient way of optimizing your presence on the professional networking site. Treat it as an exclusive virtual profile advisor that does an expert analysis of your profile and gives you personalized recommendations so that you can always put your best foot forward.
The ‘Improve your Profile’ key is there on your Edit Profile page. Just on the right side of it (the tool), there is a useful checklist guide that will highlight for you recommended steps. You are guided through the steps with some simple questions in the left column. The tool is so devised that it works in a customized manner for every member. It’s constantly updated, so if the site happens to introduce any new profile sections, you can find them as steps within it.
