LinkedIn isn’t just about looking for a job. Many people use it to “get to know you” professionally. A blank LinkedIn profile and generic icon aren’t doing your chamber, or your personal branding, any favors.
Don’t Delay. Make These Changes Now.
Switch your Profile Picture
If you’ve obviously cropped your picture from a group shot, if it’s far away or out-of-focus, if it’s not of professional quality, or taken in this century, it’s time to switch it out. This picture must be two things: present a professional image and be recognizable as you.
Ditch the Kids
This is a continuation of above but must be said. Your children are lovely but they don’t belong on LinkedIn. That’s what Facebook’s for. I came across a 30-something business professional who had a shot of himself sitting at a computer with his toddler son’s feet on his shoulders. Even if he works from home, this shot didn’t say “I’m a professional.” It said, “Help. I need to get out of the house my kid is walking all over me, literally.”
Use the Banner
Give the same thought to your banner as you do a call-to-action. It’s the second thing anyone sees when viewing your profile. Don’t use your job title here. This is a place to say a few words about who you are and who you help in a broad sense. Your job title will be lower in the profile. You only have a little space on LI. There’s no room for redundancy.
Maximize Your Summary
Again, this is not a job description. LI gives you another spot for that. When creating a summary keep these things in mind:
- This is your elevator speech about why you are a stellar professional.
- You want to include important keywords that you want to be found for.
- It should be memorable. This may be all anyone ever looks at before x-ing out of your profile.
Add Your Portfolio
If you have any special projects like a recorded presentation, article, or slideshare include it on LinkedIn.
Remove Non-business Posts
Humorous business comics, cool office building pics, an industry articles all belong on LinkedIn. Commentary about your child’s school district does not. More so than any other social media platform, LI is about business. Sure, feel free to publish entertaining articles like “Why Working for a Chamber is Like ‘Game of Thrones'” but keep the business tie-in. It’s essential to being taken seriously. Have something personal to share? Great. Do it on another platform.
Some people will never step foot in your chamber office. They will look into your organization and your social media profiles and make a decision on whether to join based on what they see. If they see a lackluster profile, one that’s not complete, or unprofessional, you might not get a chance to show them their opinion does not reflect the true you.
