Is having a professional LinkedIn profile a waste? Not at all.

How you represent yourself on LinkedIn (and other social media channels for that matter) can have a significant impact on whether you get that interview and land the job or get passed over. For job seekers, a professional LinkedIn profile is key.

Here is some LinkedIn profile help for optimizing LinkedIn to help put you at the top of employers' minds.

Look professional

The image of yourself that you upload to your professional LinkedIn profile is your first impression to an employer. If the image you choose is unprofessional, most employers won't even take the time to glance at the summary and experience sections you worked so hard to compose.

Follow these simple rules when choosing an image:

  • Choose an image that isn't blurry

  • Only have you in the photo

  • Crop the image from chest to top of head

  • Dress appropriately for your field

  • Never use a selfie

Millennials reading this, no selfies! Trust me, you'll thank me later when you land the job.

Highlight your accomplishments

Don't focus only on what you did on the job; focus on the results. Did you manage a project that led to an increase of $500,000 in revenue? Mention that dollar number. It's much more impressive when there are results attached.

Here are a couple examples of how to highlight your professional accomplishments:

GOOD: Reorganized team to improve efficiency on assembly line, leading to savings of $100,000 annually.

BAD: Managed assembly line team.

GOOD: Implemented content marketing plan that increased website traffic by 250% over six months.

BAD: Developed content marketing plan.

The more detail you add to your professional LinkedIn profile, the better. Employers don't want to just know what you did, they want to know what results your actions created.

Network

Think of the LinkedIn platform as a giant networking event with millions of attendees. Then lace up your virtual shoes and start working the floor.

Search out like minded individuals who you feel might help you in your career, as well as those who you feel you might be able to help. LinkedIn offers the following search capabilities to help you connect with the right people:

  • Company

  • Keyword

  • Seniority

  • Company size

  • School

  • Title

  • First and last name

There are even more options available for those that have premium jobseeker accounts, so check out that option and see if it's for you. Take advantage of this immense networking tool and make as many meaningful connections as you can. Be sure to add a detailed note about why you want to connect and who you are, otherwise you'll be looked at as a spammer and ignored (or reported).

Become a thought leader

Employers want to know that you have the knowledge and expertise they seek to fill a role for which they're recruiting. Using the publishing tool on LinkedIn provides an excellent outlet for you to present the expertise you possess in the form of articles.

LinkedIn does an excellent job of promoting these articles, especially those that become popular. The expertise you present in your articles can reach a lot of eyes, some of which may belong to someone looking to hire you.

To ensure that your articles become popular, make sure to follow these tips:

  • Write about what you know

  • Ask your friends to share your posts

  • Link from the content you post to your website or other content

  • Share helpful information

The LinkedIn publishing tool is a great way to get noticed and to start a following. The more you publish the more content will be available to employers who come across your professional LinkedIn profile and see you as a thought leader in your field.

LinkedIn is such a great resource for putting yourself at the top of employers' minds. Use it wisely, and you can put your career on the fast track. Use it poorly, however, and you risk missing out on a lot of excellent opportunities.

Need LinkedIn profile help? Hire a TopResume writer to help you land more interviews, faster.

Image Credit: Denys Prykhodov / Shutterstock.com

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